The daily sentinel., 1906-09-03
UNwARRANTED ATTACK.


1t is most unfortunate that Mr.. C.
s. Desch, a member of the Chamber
of Commerce. must submit to an un-
warranted attack upon his work in
that body. 1t is simply a repetition
of that condition. where a citizen and
business man gives largely of his time
to the public good and then is com
PEELED to be misjudged and grossly
maligned for having done so.
1t is just such attacks upon we'll
meaning citizens and business men
that is largely responsible for the in
ability of the body to secure the con-
sent of good men to act upon the
Chamber of Commerce board. No
man that has the backbone of a genu-
inc man. fears the assaults or criti-
cisms of the public, when deserved.
1t is to be maligned unjustly, without
investigation, that causes the aver
age individual to balk at doing any
thing hereafter for the public veal.
1t is true that Mr.. Desch had large
ly to do with the work of securing
the data, selecting the illustrations
and carrying forward the work of
compiling and having published, the
new pictorial edition, just issued by
the Chamber of Commerce. The book
has been published and it speaks for
itself. 1t is a piece of advertising
matter in every way creditable to
the city and the Chamber of Com
merce is to be congratulated that the
work of its publication was placed in
as able and business like hands
of a gentleman like Mr.. Desch.
The particular thing for which Mr..
to ridicule and unjust criticism, is
that the work itself was done out
side of the city. The criticism in
the abstract is deserved. but not
against Mr.. Desch. The selection of
n publisher of this work was decided
by the directorate of the Chamber of
Commerce and that body, as a whole
is solely responsible for the work
having been sent outside of the city
to be done.
The writer of this is a member of
the committee and chairman of same,
but because as a matter of business
he desired to make bid in competition
for the work. he refused to join in
that part of the work. During his
absence in the east the work was
anyone has ground for a kick it is
the owner of this publication. whose
bid. according to Mr.. Desch, for the
whole amount of printing. was the
lowest of any bid, by any publish
ing houses in this city. At the time
the award of the work was made. we
made protest by letter to the Cham
ber of Commerce through Mr. Desch.
on the broad ground that. even
though the bids of the publishers in
this city were higher than the work
could be done for, they were entitled
to it, as to send it away. was against
the very spirit of the organization
itself. which is to upbuild and main
tain home industry
We do not uphold the Chamber of
Commerce directorate in the least for
sending the work outside. 1t was
wrong and will not aid the work of
that body. but we do protest against
public villification of n member of
that body, who only did as he was in
structed to do and did a splendid job
when 1t was completed.
If the directors of the Chamber of
Commerce are not already convinced
that they made n mistake they will
be in time. There is one other fea-
turetoo that is eXtenuating in the
case of Mr.. Desch and that is in deal
ing with the contributors to the fund
for the payment of the work, mem
bers of the real estate exchange. the
members of that body demanded that
the work be done for the least
amount of cash, irrespective of the
fact that to permit the work to be
done outside was destroying that for
which the body stood.
1t was a mistake to have the work
done outside, but not so great as to
malign a member of the body. be
cause he did as he was instructed to
do. The citizens and business men
must expect to be villified for their
work for the public. 1t is to be an
ticipated that ere long it will be hard
to find men who will consent to be-
come members of that body and to
give of their valuable time for the up
building of this city.
--O--