Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-08-24
FREELAND, PA. AUGUST "a, 1898.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Foster Township. Auoust I,

Foster Township, August 49,
EDITOR TRIBUNE.-My attention has
been called to an article in your paper
under date of August 10, from your cor
respondent under the non de plume,
Saunterer, purporting to give the gist of
an Interview with a citizen of Foster
township on the financial statement of
Foster township school district, as pub
lished by authority of the board, and as
sert!ng that the statement, upon exam
nation, shows shortage in the accounts
of Treasurer Hanlon of $270.
AS the article in question glistens with
misrepresentations and makes a display
OF perversion and ignorance of facts and
hgures that is really damnable, tending
to invite suspicion and criticism alike on
those members of the board who passed
upon the statement as we'll as the treas
urer, deem it my duty as a member of
the board to call the attention of Sam
terer and the cowardly citizen to their
objectionable error and at the same
time place the board right in the ewes of
the people.
A means of public scrutiny is the chief
object for which these statements are
published annually, and we must there
fore recognize the right of every citizen
10 not only critlcise them but to insist
tnat they Shall be correct in every par
tlcular, and so plain that he who runs
may read.
Had 1t been that the statement had
SHOWN such shortage, there are scores of
good citizens of Foster township who
would have promptly brought the board
to sense of their duty, and would NOT
fear to air their inefficency through the
press over their own signature, but
when cowardly citizen harbors for
weeks a suspicion that there is some-
thing wrong, then attemptes to critisie
from behind the cloak of a correspond
ent writing under a non de plume.
neither the man nor his criticisms are
worthy of attention.
L will say, furthermore, that had the
treasurer presented to the board for
their approval statement showing such
a shortage there are members Of the
board, II | am not mistaken in the men,
ana thlnk l am not, who could be de-
pended upon to apply the proper remedy
to have it corrected.
have in my possession a copy of each
OF the papers in which the statement
was publshed, and there is no expense
item OF this amount missing, as he as
sumes, and | deny that there is such a
'''SS "hN' ShaiicuBe CdunIefer 10
prove his assertion.
1t is fact, however, that in publish
ing the statement biographical error
crept in, which showed the amount paid
out in teachers salaries to be only
81 1875 instead of $l1 ,41S,75.
Surely the board or its officers are not
to blame for this error, but even with
these figures the difference would not be
S270, but about ten thousand dollars.
The editor Of the TRIBUNE, noticing the
error after the first issue, promptly cor
rected it, and | refer the gentlemen to
that paper of July 9th and 31st for a
correct statement.
This citizen gives still further exhi-
bition of his cowardice when he saws
that there are other parts that are not
clear to him, and he is one of the men
who mants to know the reason why.
What are the parts my fellow citizen?
Point them out to me oyer your own
signature. Almost any journal will give
you space in matter so important. Let
us hear from you soon. While | am not
writing under authority of the board,
nevertheless recognize the fact that q
school boards business is public business.
Let us hear, / ask again, what parts are
not clear to you, and have the data in
my possession and confidence in my
ability to make them as clear as the un-
clouded sun at monday.
THOMAS MCHUGH,
Secretary of Board