Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-11-11
HASTINGS ON
STATE OFFICE
(Confinued From Page One

January. and then a penalty at the
rate OF " per cent per month I'M
III paid. There is absolutely no pen
ATTY II the county does not remit to
the state, and neither is there any
time set for payment; and IL the
counties would send me checks and
! should refuse to accep, them, and
they refuse to send me the cash. as
me law requires, then the question
arises. when could We ever compal
Me- Ferce county to pay it's taxes
have bought for the state land
beard over 100000 worth of stat :
warrants since l have been treas
urer-possibly illegai.but while
am custodian Of the funds I have nc
authority to invest their funds.
PROBABLY did act without authority
or the law. | could go on and men,
'lon you great many cases, but
please bear in mind one thing at
III times, and | have never seen this
fact published either in the States
man or the Lewiston Tribune, that
all moneys paid the state shall be
pald IN geld, silver or currency. No
checks or drafts permissible. Pos
.sibly | did violate the law in that
respect.
NOW. supposing | should enforce
this law. Nez Perez county would
nave to send me d wn this wear
$4,000 in cash. delivered at nv or
nee, Tree of any expense. Who is
going to pay the express charges"
Ihen, when | redeposit part of this
money in the Lewiston banks, must
! did earn 100000 during my term
OF office. where my predecessor earn.
ed $4,000. BY their fruits We shall
Know them.
Lee me call your attention briefly
to ether people who violate laws,
and ask you can you live up to the
strict letter of the law Our assessor
is compelled, under the law. to as
sess all property at It's full actual
cash valuation. In case he does not,
1t is punishable by fine not to ex-
coed 500 minimum and 5000 maxi
mum. There are 5000 transfers
probably in Nez Perez county, and
probably not one OF the 5000 is at
its full cash value. So, If you
should fine Mr.. Williams 5000 on
each case of the 5000 that he vio-
lates the law, that would mean a
fine against him of $2,4OO,OOO. Ii
you can show me any law whereby
the sheriff or ~e probate Judge or
the assessor is authorized to carry a
collection account, then | will do
nate money for charity here .,
There never were, and in all
probability never will be, laws on
Cur books regarding the various
public officers that they can live up
to. or strictly follow, and especially
regarding the treasurers of the state
Of, unity. The papers quote me as
having 100000 on hand at one
time, True. but about $3.50, 900 Of
that was tor bonds deposited for
collection. aud stayed oniy a few
days And today there is no,
$4,000 in TIE , COLLECTION account,
Simply because we are not taking in
any money.
You read all these charges al
ways quoting the maximum: never
quoting the minimum, and the spirit
Of unfairness, unjustness and un-
truthfulness has pervaded both pa
pers. l do not believe it is neces-
sary to say any more. The people
have stood Loyalty by me in every
way and shape. and ! desire tc eX-
press my thanks to the loyal friends
who have supported me SO faithfully
in the past. l have never been false
to trust that they imposed upon
me and never. intend to, and l say
frankly and fearlessly, If, on the
one hand is the right and the JUS
tice of the case-doing that which is
FIR the upbuilding and benefit Of
the state and it's citizens-and on
the other hand Is some little, infer
nal technical point of law upon
which some newspaper or some indi-
vidual can attack -ac II they SO
dc sire, I shall do that which is best
for the people as l see the right.
and II l am wrong. then simply you
make the most of it, because l am
going to do the right as l see it.