Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-10-31

reflection, that it was good one,
information as to the expenditure of
the public fund. and it is no wild
guess on my part when | say that the
chances are more than ten to one that
il will be followed in the Annual re-
port next year, whether | happen to
be Auditor or not
The item of $251.25 for checking
tle Treasurer books was separately
reported, for the reason that it was an
expense incurred in complying with
law which had for many years. in
this county at least, been a dead
letter. | knew of number of people
who Were anxious to know what the
work had cost and it certainly was
lot improper to give the item separ.
ately from all others. Anyone is at
liberty to add it to the account for
Auditors office salaries-or to any
other account he might choOse-if he
can derive any satisfaction from SO
doing. If this item had not been
shown separately. Mr.. Henry would
then probably have taken the other
horn OF the dilemma, and roasted me
this work.
The item of $20525 for tax fore
closure expense, was for work which
was no more part of the duty of the
Auditor than was the building of the
Court House. Suppose that had
been competent to do such work and
had acted as Superintendent of Con-
structiOn of the Court House. in addi-
ton to my duties as Auditor. would
the gentleman contend that the Court
House should be included in the ac-
count for Auditors Office salaries?
AS a matter of fact. $40 of this ex-
pense was paid to Fred Stocking, for
making the veriest beginning on the
work in some Office other than the
auditors Office. leaving the sum of
$165.25 as the cost of the work done
under my supervision.
In his statement in regard to the
81 200 of tax foreclosure work in the
Treasurer's office. if he means to say
that $1,000, in bills rendered for tax
foreclosure work in the Treasurer's
office were rendered or paid as such
and then charged by me to the Treas
urers office salary account. he states
that which is and which he knows to
be false. There was no possible way
for me to ascertain what the expense
OF this work was in the Treasurer's
Office. other than to guess at 1t, and
the gentleman will not contend that
guesses are good things to include in
financial reports. do not mind guess
ing with him now, however, on this
proposition, and think l am safe in
saying that his guess $1,000 is at
least three times too large.
His reference to my having fooled
this community so long with my soft
and cunning ways" is amusing. l do
not know how he acquired this opin.
ion OF me, unless it be from the fact
that l have thus far been able to
submit to his brutal insults and his
malicious vindictiveness without retail
alton.
When he states that am tied I'D
with lsmay, he states that which is
unture. l am not tied up to Mr.. Ismay
or to any other man on the face of
the earth, except to the extent that he
does right, and not one step further
| believe. however. that not only Mr..
lsmay. but Mr.. Bell and Mr.. Byrne as
well. have unquestiOnably done right
in the vigorous fight they have made
to protect the County Treasury from
the raids of the grafters, during the
past two years. Very respectfully,
A. L. CALLOW.,