Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-12-07

Ing advocate began to simmer with
eulogies of the delightful spooning
ground on Think of Me" hill. There
is no record Of any suggestion by the
city council-the only authority in
such cases-that a park was needed
or that this site was being consider
ed. All actions relating to the ex-
penulture of public money are pub
lie records. If the park board ever
received authority to negotiate the
purchase of sites anywhere, the fact
is not of record. Whoever was act
ing in the matter displayed consider
able activity. Within 60 days the
Dabney options are secured, and the
owners of bunch of tax titles on
the hill had been negotiated with
to some extent. Is the public not
entitled to know where to fix the
responsibility for this usurpation of
authority, that has caused Mr.. Dab
ney some expense, and placed the city
in the unbusinesslike attitude of hav-
ing violated a contract?
We Ga,ote from the World of last
friday
Does The Herald really think
that Mr.. Dabney planned the sale as
a scheme to blk the city? That is
the sum of The Herald's remarks on
the subject-that, and the statement
that the sellers of the park lots
were not the only interested par
ties"
This paper has not printed a line
that can be construed to accuse Mr.
Dabney. or any other owners of this
land, with planning to sell it to the
city. Whatever "bilk" was attempt
ed came from the other side, and if
the World will take the trouble to
learn who-without authority
started those negotiations it will
discover the blk. Mr.. Dabney, as a
shrewd business man, simply saw
an opportunity to effect a good sale
Of realty, and, the offer coming as
1t did unsolicited, his disappoint-
ment was but natural and his display
Of petulance at its failure to ma
terialize excusable to some extent.
By means of the early negotiations
with the owners referred to, the pro-
moters Of the purchase were able,
through the columns of the World,
to create an impression that the city
was about to make a splendid deal,
and managed to work it through the
council despite the vigorous pro-
tests of Councilman Weatherwax. In
this connection, 1t may be observed
that to appoint member of the
council upon a board, the actions of
which must come before him as
councilman for review is a mistake,
and this is said without the slightest
reflection upon Councilman-Park
Commissioner Hart, whom the Her.
aid credits with moving to reverse
his former action when he heard the
protest and discovered-what he
should have known earlier-that the
purchase could not be financed.
In the city council of Aberdeen
sentiment, that at the national capt.
tol would be called senatorial cour-
tesy, prevails to degree that is de-
trimental to good service. It has
become a custom with that body to
make 1t rule to vote for the report
of almost every committee out OF
courtesy to the committee. Scarcely
meeting goes by, that one does not
hear member say, II will stand by
the committee" This statement ap-
pears to have been strong enough
to carry this Ill devised scheme
through that body. Mr.. Hart was a
member Of the park board, and his
confrees were willing to abide by
his judgment In the matter. This
procedure Is easier than looking up
the matter individually, but is not
calculated to give the public the SER
vice 1t Is entitled to. In important
matters the people are justified in