The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-02-09
GOOD AND FAITHFUL PUBLIC
SERVANTS.


SERVANTS.
:, The Herald makes public It's pro
test and complaint that the County
officials and the Bar arrOgated to
themselves Monday the exclusive
privilege of returning thanks and do
ing honor to the County Court and
their building committee for their sa.
gacity, liberality and patriotism in
presenting to the people of this rich,
cultured and prosperous county, SO
beautiful Temple of Justice. The
proceedings were entirely proper, but,
we submit, notice should have been
given and the public invited to enjoy
the gracious occasion. However, we
will forgive them, as by their secrecy
and exclusiveness they only meant to
take Mr.. Hatcher and the committee
by surprise.
The people of Columbia and the
county of Maury do not know yet,
they do not even imagine, what a
beautiful structure their new court
house is. They have only seen it
from the outside; and that is pretty
enough; but the inside, in its COM
pleteness and rich furnishings, is
beautiful beyond anything any of us
had dreamed of in the beginning, and
far beyond the thought of any who
have not seen it. 1t is a building of
which every loyal Maury countian will
be proud; and in order that every one
may see it while it is new and fresh
and clean, we suggest that one entire
day in the near future, should be ap-
pointed as a special reception day,
when all the people, and especially
the ladies, may view it in all its low
illness.
In this day of graft, and, what is
next reprehensible, neglect of public
trust, it is a matter of real pleasure
to review, from its beginning to the
finish, the conscientious, painstak-
ing care with which this com
mittee has done its work. The
committee as a whole is entitled
to much credit on the work as a whole;
but the several committeeman th' m
selves give to their chairman, Mr.. f
II. 9Ha soher, the full mae1 of praise
as the guiding genius, The moving
spirit of the committees work. When the
committee was appointed and Mr.. Hat
cher was put at it it's head the public At
large knew tn st the rights Of the coun.
ty would ne protected "a every way;
that 90 graft or suspicion OF graft would
attach to any OF THEN acts or contracts,
and that nothing sho6dy or incomplete
would bo acce pied by him. They knew
him 20 be honest and capable,
patriotic and loyal, unselfsh and
lioera; they knew from his pact that
his time, his talent and his money would
be freely given to his cour t-y's cause;
and so high a reputation as that.
30 good an opinion as that Mr..
has builded even higher and stronger
and frmer. 1t is re small matter o.
spend and hundred and odd thousand of
the peoples money. So many people
think it all right and proper to rob
corporation: so manv committees start
out to get all the graft possible, and so
many architects and contractors play
to that kind of a game; 30 much de- |
ponds upon the honest purpose OF all
parties connected with an enterprise |
like this, that it is source of real gen |
uine congrstulstion that from first to
last the people have been faithfully |
served. The County Court, if they
had mind to, might in
the very beginning, have lined their
pockets by "fixing" the committee. Or
even with an honest committee, what an
Incompetent or INSCRIPTIONS architect
naight have done. would have been a
plenty Or despite good architect, the
sentrsctor could have skimped here
And there tn the amount of thousands
dollars But having honest, capable,
service from first to last
We do not hesitate to express 1t as our
honest opinion, that many building
not whit handsomer, larger or prettier,
haye been built at cost to the people OF
twice. the amount this county will have
% pay fer this one,
AL honor to the men, one and all
Who have contributed to this grand
'esnlt. May they live long to serve and
'less the community, and may their
'ood example and the gratitude of the
,eople, serve to inspire others to q like
aithfnl Performance of public trust.