The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-12-18
h-PiOus the First and His Leader

Having an unusual amount Of space
70 dispose Of this week, II short, 10 use
q familiar expression, having space 10
bum, the purpose IS here declared to
burn some Of il IN answering the
Chelan Leaders article Of the past
week IN reference to That County
Printing Contract story, printed in
The Echo Of Dec. 1.
Yes, The Echo sometimes engages
in something akin TO the laundry bust
ness. Il has the hide and the charac-
ter Of the publisher Of The Leader
hung up on It's back fence al this mo-
ment. but i isn't cleansed. Omnipo-
tence only IS equal to that task.
That County Printing Conract" was
written and printed al the request Of a
personal friend IN no way connected
with any newspaper, for the sole puI-
pose Of convincing fairminded people
that the commissioners who voted to
give the printing contract TO The Re
public did 50 on the well founded be-
lief that they were not only carrying
out the intention Of the law which
reads IN all cases the county commits
sioners SHALL consider the question
Of circulation II awarding the county
printing contract, with q view to giving
said printing the widest publicity"
but doing that which, understanding
the situation, the taxpayers would ap-
prove. There IS convincing proof that
the story has not been without effect
The Chelan Leader and its malodor-
ous editor was mentioned incidentally
only IN the telling Of the story. He
and his paper were referred to in re-
spectful language when il seemed nee
esszy 10 do 50. No epithet was en-
ployed and no effort was made TO injure
the business and character" Of the
editor Of The Leader. Neither was any
effort made 10 pull him down. All this
IS 50 well known by all who read the
story that il IS only necessary TO call at
tennon 10 II here TO show that That
County Printing Contract story only
served as an excuse for opening the
aoodgates Of his intellectual cesspool.
Il II should be thought that the
writer had any connection whatever
with the letting Of the county printing
contract, il IS here stated that about
10 O clock Of the morning on the day
the contract was let, al the front door
Of the courthouse, IN Wenatchee, IN
the presence Of the county commits
sioneTs, several county officers and
some fifteen or twenty citizens, he
stated publicly that he would not bid
On the county printing for the reason
that he had leaned that he was al SO
great disadvantage in regard 10 print
ing material that he could not do the
work and make a profit, and would not
have Il under any other consideration
At less than the legal rates. So much
as TO the secrecy. The writer had no
conversation with any member Of the
court in regard 10 the county printing
other than as above stated. There IS
10 necessity for furnishing The Leader
with a copy Of the proceedings as its
territory IS fully covered BY the COM
bined circulation Of The Republic,
The Advance, The World and The
Echo.
Neither did the writer know nor care
whether The Leader or anyone else
had fled a bid.
In making a comparison, 10 show
that the court was justified IN awarding
the contract 10 The Republic because
that paper made showing Of the cir
culation that II would give the proceed
ings, The Leader having made 10
showing Of the publicity j, would give