Imperial Valley Press

THE WISDOM OF THE PEOPLE
IS PROVED AGAIN

Sometimes political afterthoughts are bitter things, but in the long run it has been proved that the democratic process of electing public officials by a public ballot is the wisest course and in Imperial county the wisdom of the people again is being demonstrated from day to day.

It is demonstrated in the actions of two persons—State Senator E. George Luckey, Democrat, and Assemblyman Harvey Hastain, Republican. The party designations are included here for one reason alone—to emphasize the truly non-partisan way in which these two elected delegates to the state legislature have co-operated with one another and with the people as a whole in the best interests of this county.

Both men, although neophytes in the state legislature, already have attracted the attention of steady, reliable old-timers at Sacramento. Both have been accepted into the inner circle of the legislature made up of Republicans and Democrats alike—which wields the real power at Sacramento. The fact of their acceptance into this select group in spite of the fact that each is serving his first term, is as cheering as it is startling.

When Luckey was elected, there were some who charged that he would represent only a minor part of one party. When Hastain was elected, his political enemies declared that he would work only for the "silk stocking" interests which, in turn, are a minor part of the other party.

Both predictions were wrong. Neither man is interested in partisan politics, at Sacramento or elsewhere. Both have cast their ballots and directed their energies along constructive lines regardless of partisan feeling. Both represent all the people of Imperial county, not just a part of them, and vote accordingly.

Even when judged against the previous admirable record of Ben Hulse as state senator and the equally monumental record of Clarence Walker as assemblyman, Luckey and Hastain are doing a fine job. (Ed Law, Luckey's immediate successor, had opportunity to little more than get started when he resigned.) Before many months are past, the names of both men can be expected to loom large in the doings of the legislature. The people can be satisfied that they have chosen wisely.