The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1893-05-03
OBSCURE LANGUAGE.
The Author of the SUMS s.ReforIner''
Either Ignorant or After a Scalp.
THE DALLEs, May 4th, 1898.

------ -@@--1-<-@'1 10y 1e-41 AOcC.
EDITOR CHRONICLE:
A correspondent of the Sun, who
signs himself "Reformer," wants to
know what has become of the CHRONICLE
correspondent who signed himself ''An-
other Citizen" He wants the latter ''to
rise and show that "Citizen" was ignor-
ant of what he is talking about or that
he uses the truth with ssmiserly frugal
ity." If "Reformer'' had carefully read
"Citizen's" last production he would
have seen that no further explanation
was necessary. Citizen made the
statement that it cost the city s'for the
superintendent" 81 500 a year. The
phrase ''for the superintendent" was
confessedly obscure, but it was plainly
Observation-Disclosures its intention might
have been-to teach that this sum was
the amount paid for the services of the
superintendent. When "Citizen' ad-
mitted, in his second communication,
that the superintendent's salary was
only $75 month the only object that
the CHRONICLE correspondent had in
view, namely, truth and fair play, was
accomplished. It was idle to enter into
a war of words with man who did not
seem to know the difference between a
water commissioner and the superin-
tendent of the water works, or with one
who used the truth with such ''miserly
frugality' as to charge that the "water
commissioner handled nearly as much
money as the city treasurer who had to
give bonds, while the former was ex-
empt, when everybody, with the possible
exception of the Suns two correspond
ents, knows that no water commissioner
handles dollar of the water funds, and
if it was intended to complain because
the superintendent did not give bonds,
the cause for such complaint has been
removed by a legislative amendment
that requires all future superintendent
to give bonds in the sum of $1,000. The
question of salaries is largely one of
opinion. 1 do not think any of them is
extravagant. If 1 thought otherwise I
should say so. On the other hand 1
think the salary of the superintendent,
against whom "Citizen" seems to have
a special grudge, is very moderate in
deed, and I make the prediction that
no water commission will reduce it for
many day. ssReformer" would cut
down the recorders salary to $50 a
month because s'good lawyers" have
been heard to say that ''any lawyer"
could afford to do the work for that sum.
It is however, matter of common re-
port that the lawyer who now holds the
Office will not seek reelection because
there is not enough in it for him at 500
month. Be this as it may am clearly
of opinion that lawyer who would ac-
cept a $50 month recordership would
be some briefess incompetent that the
city might find dear at any price. I
write this simply as a citizen, having
the public welfare as much at heart as
stReformer." am not concerned, ex-
cept as taxpayer, directly or indirectly
in the salaries of city officials, but 1 de-
test that particular species of 'sreform"
that wastes its energies in wailing over
the degeneracy of the times, in making
groundless insinuations of extravaganza,
if not corruption, against public func-
tionaries and in seeking to build itself
up by pulling everybody else Down
What does ''Reformer" mean by asking
me to explain chow it came about that
such an amendment to the city charter
passed the legislature with reference
to the water commissioner" I have
read the amendments and cannot for the
life of me, see anything wrong in them
There is no provision relating to a
"water commissioner, - but one provides
that after the next election, the super
intendent who shall be appointed shall
retain Office for three years unless re-
moved for cause, and shall give bonds
in the sum of $1,000. If ssReformer''
confounds the superintendent with a
water commissioner, as "Citizen" has
done before him, and refers to this pro-
vision, he will have to explain himself
what is wrong in it for 1 cannot. If
"Reformer" knows of anything that is
wrong in the legislative amendments
or in the actions of the water commits
sioners, let him come out and tell it like
man, and not rest in insinuations and
inundoes that can have no effect on the
intelligent reader but to lead him to
suspect that all this reform" jangle is
but covert political attack on some
city official whose scalp is wanted to
adorn the armor of '.Citizen" and Ere
former" ANOTHER CITIZEN.
Cabinet photos 81 80 per dozen for a
short time at Flowerday's gallery, on
Court street. 2Sd-1 w