The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-07-17
His Answer to the Queries Of
Mr.. Walden.
THE EXACT STAND He TAKES
His Conduct is Satisfactory to the
Directors, and to Them Alone
is He Responsible.
SALT LAKE CITY, July 16, 1888.

In your Sunday issue Mr.. ]. B. Wal
den delivered himself Of six weeks
accumulation of bile in the shape of
what he calls "conundrums." AS little
recreation is occasionally good for even
the secretary of the Chamber of Com
merce, | will undertake to answer the
conundrums for the gentleman, hoping
that the answers will make him wiser
and better man. Twill answer the
couundrums categorically as he puts
them.
Flrst-How much money has the
Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce re-
ceived since it started?
By what authority and on whose be-
half does he ask for such Information?
If he asks it on his own behalf, and as
a member of the Chamber, he should
know that the books of every corpora
ton are open to the inspection and ex-
animation of every stakeholder. If his
education in this respect has been
neglected, he should not censure the
secretary or board of directors for his
wretched condition. The only author
ity he possesses to make such demand
he derives from his membership, and
nowhere in the constitution or bylaws
is any authority conferred on member
emitting him to public statement of
the receipts and disbursements. The
policy or impolicy OF such proceeding
is within the scope of the authority
conferred on the executive board to
consider, and 1 have already informed
Mr.. Walden that the board of directors
had faithfully performed the duties de-
yolv1ng upon them in this connection
under the constitution and bylaws. l
refer him once more to the letter he
mentions. If "surly, arrogant and
ing ntlemanly," it is plain, compre-
hensive and explanatory.
Second-How much money has it ex-
pended since it started?
Third-What was it spent for?
The reply to the first is sufficiently
responsive TO these two conundrums.
Fourth-Who authorized such ex-
penditures?
This, indeed, is a most extraordinary
copundrum, and if taken as measure
of Mr.. Walden's usefulness as a men,
Der of the Cham Der, reflects but little
credit on him. Again would repeat
my advice to study the constitution
and bylaws. The conundrum is in
itself reflection upon the executive
board to which was intrusted the fnan-
cial as we'll as other management of the
Chamber. Not a cent has ever been
paid out for which q voucher has not
been preserved. Bills are:paid by check
signed by the secretary aud counter
signed by the President of the Cham
Der, and the check is drawn only upon
the presentation of bill audited by 8
ton, M. II. Walker and E. Kahn
These are features of the management
that Mr.. Walden should be acquainted
with, and about which he has enjoyed
every facility to inform himself since
became secretary.
Fifth-Has the board of director!
ever made public statement?
They have never rushed into public
print; for the Chamber of Commerce il
not public corporation, the details o
whose business must be made known
through the columns of newspape.
l have already plainly stated to Mr.
Walden, however, that the board O
directors, through its president, secre
tary and treasurer, had submitted de
tailed account to the Chamber as {;
body, Of all the receipts and disburse
ments as required by the constitution
> and bylaws. How often is it neces
sary to tell Mr.. Walden a thing hefor
he understands it?
Sixth-When, where and by whom
wins it approved?
: 1t was approved, without dissent, q
the time, in the place and by the bod
designated for that purpose by the by
, laws; that Is to say, in the Chambt
and by the Chamber. 1 wrote MI
Walden this explanation once before.
Seventh-Is it a reflection on any
body connected with the Management
of the Chamber, to be requested b,
: fifteen Of its member to show to th
public what has been done?
Such request is reflection on th
good sense of the parties making il
, In connection with this conundrum
however, it should be borne in min
that the parties making the reques
were ignorant of the fact that til
:, public had been ShO1Un uhGt tgaS done
and seemingly that every stockholde
has right to learn at any and al
times what is being done and Can 8
learn If he takes the trouble. The pre-
paration of such request and the soil
citation necessary to its presentation il
form is calculated to arouse distrus
and diffidence and suspicion and tn
! result is not certainly calculated to ad
e vance the interests of the Chamber.
e now believe, however, that the gentle
r men who signed the request referred t
. did so with the best of motives, and in
tended no reflection upon anyone
Most of them are too kind and genel
Gus to think i'll of their colleague.
much less to do anything to injur
them. The fact rem aims, however
s that, unintentionally, they did thin
), which be :ause of the actual facts of til
!. case. could only result in arousing dis
/ trust and suspicion, and, therefore, a
:, injury to the Chamber. All admit the
were in error, and some of them thin