The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-16

capacity and impartiality as an editor, an,
proved as big failure 10 that role as a
everything else he has undertaken. Thu
morning he complains, in his little organ
because we saw fit to attach an explana
tory note to an impertinent paragraph
which he injected into the report of th
. Supervisors proceedings, and which h
says we are paid for publishing. Tn,
paragraph referred to forms no part O
the Supervisors proceedings and had n,
business in the report. 1t would hav,
been entirely proper for us to have erased
it and not published it at all. 1t is not
part of the record and has no more bust
in the report than columns of outside tall
INDUCED in by members of the Boarc
every day. But we chose to let it 60 and
send an antidote along with it--whereat
MIR John V. Cook complains in his little
organ.
Since Mr., John V. Cook has taken tc
editing the newspapers by reporting wha,
is not matter of record, because he
thought he could give THE ARGUS a hit
it is quite probable that The ARGUS will
occasionally examine Mr.. John V. Cook S
editorial performances with view OF
teaching him his duty
A law of this State requires the clerk
of the Board of Supervisors to prepare a
brief statement of the proceedings thereof
for publication, in which shall be set forth
the name Of every individual who shall
have had any account audited and allowed
by said board and the amount of said
claim as allowed and amount claimed and
also their proceedings upon the equaliza.
ton ofthe assessment roll. That is all
he is required to do in making
up his report of the proceedings
for publication. But our new county
clerk has taken upon himself to report
conversations which are not a matter of
record, because he thought he was giving
somebody hit. 1t is the duty of John
V. Cook, when acting in an official capaci-
ty, to act with perfect fairness and impair.
TALLY towards all, whether his political
friends or not, and when he fails to do that
THE ARGUS will call him to account for
that failure. In the proceedings of the
last days session Of the Board, published
in the papers, Mr.. Cook edits paragraph
about himself as follows;
The semi annual report of the official receipts
and expenditures Of the county Gle ks Office
presented by the clerk and referred 10 the commit
tee on lnanccs.
Now if Mr. John V. Cook had desired
to give the people some idea of that re-
port, why didn't he tell them, in his little
paragraph, why he failed to make that re-
port at the last meeting of the Board
Does he desire us to tell what we know
about it? And why didn't he tell the peo-
pie the amount of fees he had collected;
the amount he has failed to collect, which
he ought to have collected, and the amount
of expenditures in his Office !? Here was
an official document upon which he could
have expended his intellect 1t was not
an outside conversation, or an unofficial re-
mark of the chairman 1t was veritable
affair, in black and white, and he could,
very properly, have given the people some
information as to its character. But he
failed to do SO, though he could find time
to expend his energies upon casual re-
mark of the chairman, which had nothing
to do with the record. And if he is going
into the business of reporting converse
tons, which are not matter of record,
why didn't he report the conversations
which have taken place in regard to his
official report and his failure to make it at
the proper time?
Mr.. Cook also edits another little para
graph for the newspapers as follows;
The financial statement for the year 1873 pre-
secuted aud read. and on motion of Supervisor Dart
waa ordered placed ON file. -.-'
Here again was an opportunity neglected.
Who presented and read the statement
Mr.. Cook does not tell the people. In his
own case he is particular to tell them that
he did it-but in this, that important piece
of information is withheld.
If Mr. Cook possessed the ability to do
so, he could, in editing his little paragraph |
for the newspapers in regard to this finan-
cial statement, have furnished the people |
some stray bits of information about their
own affairs, whose paid servant he is. He
pn11l bayn sfatnl tbn Of thn,r in
debtedness when due; the kind of in
debtedness the amount of their receipts
and expenditures; the amount of taxes
collected; the amount due and uncollected
and much other information of interest
to the people who pay him. But not a
word Of this is youchsafed, the CON
trary, this financial statement" and his
semi annual report of official receipts and
expenditures are hid away in dusty pig
,on holes and the people left entirely ignor-
INT of what they contain.
If Mr.. Cook will hand over to the news
,apers the whole proceedings, which are
matters of record, together with all
he full reports alluded tn in the {
ec0rd, We will warrant that the .
'eople will have an opportunity to know
that they contain. If not, then we pro-
ose that he shall devote a little attention, 1
Dr. the people benefit, 10 some intelligent v
ynopsis of their contents.
And if Mr., Cook is going into the bust
ess of reporting conversations, which are :
OF properly Il matter for record. then We :