The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-04-13

The REVIEW regrets that another
session OF the board seems to have
come aud gone without any action hav-
log been taken regarding the over.
payment made the sheriff in 1902. The
admitted facts are 40 simple, so plain,
so obvious, that it is almost beyond
belief that business oody composed
of men endowed with even ordinary
intelligence, could ignore them.
Laying aside all question as to re.
sponsibility or blame, or intent the
fact remains that a sum in excess of
$4,000 has been illegally paid to the
Sheriff by order of the board. This
being the case, the admitted case,
there is but one honorable. course open
to the board. The one honorable course
is for the board to investigate, ascer-
tain the exact amount of 1.-THE overpay-
promptly refunded,
There Is not member of the board
who Will deny the overpaymeut or its
Illegally: there is NOT a member of the
board VINO could not better afford to
put his hand in his own pocket and
paw the amount, than thus to allow
this cloud of suspicion to rest upon the
body of which he is member
Mistakes often occur in business, but
when mistake is discovered, any good
business man will hasten to make it
right with all the speed possible
1t may hurt ones pocket book to cor
rect the error, it may hurt ones vanity
to acknowledge the fault, but despite
this, the business man who is at all
careful of his reputation hastens and
with as cheerful smile as he can force,
to right the wrong,
1t must be acknowledged that the
present board is composed of men of at
least average intelligence: it is with
pleasure that we testify to our belief in
{, the personal honesty Of each of them.
What then is there that keeps the
board from doing. promptly and cheer
| fully, what each member knows to be
right? Is it not simply false sense of
pride? Is it not the same false pride
that prompted the board Of last year to
keep on making illegal payments
month after month rather than at that
time own to their mistake? Is it not
the same false pride that made the
board pay the December bill at the IL
legal rate at the last January session?
The board should remember that there
is the best Of authority for the state
ment that pride goeth before fall y
1t is simply childisbress for the
board TO attempt 10 square the matter
with the taSpaS ers either by abuse or
petty persecution of the REVIEW. The
calling OF republican officers to task be.
cause they have preferred to have their
stationary printed at the REVIEW
Office is beneath the dignity of the
board, The way to resume is to re.
sumo, the way to square the matter in
question is to square it. Every day of
delay but adds to the ignoming of the
board and the Impotence of the tax.
payers.
| AS to the petty squabbles of the
board by which the Auditors Office has
b.en made to ring with curses. as tC
the many hints and rumors coming tC
US d sily of illegal and reprehensible
actlOn the REVIEW nrefars m coy
nothing at present. 1t is dealing With
facts, not rumors. Under the circum
stances the REVIEW believes that the
coming grand jury will not do its sworr
duty by the people unless it investi
gates the matter carefully, and takes
those steps toward the recovery of the
amount involved, which the board has
persistently refused to take.