The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-09-23

Chief Hilliard draws $50 a month az
chief of police, was, up 70 some time
ago drawing $50 per month as col
lector for the water company, and il
now drawing $50 per month as sewer
inspector. Only the first item named
is correct. He draws $50 per month
for services as chief of police and
street commissioner. He has not been
drawing $50 a month as collector fol
the water company, but was and Is
still collecting or having the collec'
lions made and he receives $40 for 1t
He personally collects those along
the business street where he puts In
so much time on duty, and where he
can attend to the matter in spare
moments. The rest of it, the part
that would take him away from duty
he has done by persons in the office
of the Blackfoot Abstract company
and we did not ask just how much he
pays them Tor IL.
He has been acting as sewer in
spector for Sewer Engineer L. c.
Kelsey of Salt Lake City, with the
full knowledge and consent of the
council. Up to the first of August
Mr.. Kelsey paid. him $50 per month
for it, and it was taken with the UNI
derstanding that he would not be
willing nor would the council be will
ing for him to attend to it if it con-
flicted with his other duties.
The Optimist says he is seldom
seen on the job inspecting, therefore
it appears that its principal grief
arises from the fact that Hilliardsre-
receives liberal pay for the inspec-
ton. 1t costs the city nothing, and
If he neglects his police duties the
position taken. by The Optimist is
right. @
There are reasons why it is an ad-
vantage to the city to have the chief
of police learning every detail of the
work as it progresses, and for these
every day trips to the place of lay
ing sewer he purchased bicycle and
uses it in much of his other work. 1t
may be of interest to The Optimist to
know that the city does not pay for
the bicycle. Who is paying for the
sewer inspection at the present time
is one of the open questions we spoke
of last week, it being involved in
legal tangle, but inspection is going
on apace with the laying of the sew
er. .,
Mr. billiard says he defies anybody
to show where he has taken money
in the form OF graft, hush money, tips
or anything not consistent with his
duties as police officer.
The inference is thrown out that
the council arranged or consented to
have the chief of police receive this
extra money partly in consideration
of his keeping silent about matters
which the council should make pub
lie but which they are attempting in
this way to suppress. Having gone
This far IT becomes the duty of The
Optimist TO show in detail what these
things are. We take it that the pub
lie wants facts and not differences,
and we invite careful statement of
acts and not random shots such as
we're made by it last week and cor
'ectedp in this article.
He says that Mayor West owes his
election to the mothers and the relig-
GUS and law abiding people of the
own, and in this he is absolutely
orrect. The saloon element, the PEG.
lie who wanted "wide-open" town,
allied under the Optimist banner to
Iefeat him and couldn't do it. The
tatement that he was supported by
he Methodists and the pastor, is put /
ing 1t mildly for he was supported
y most of the other lists" and their
astors, and what is better they are
till supporting him and the whole
ouncil more unitedly than they did
t the polls, owing perhaps to the
act that the administration is carry
1g out the letter and the spirit of
he platform adopted at the mass
leeting which the editor of The OPP
mist had the assurance to say in I
ne meeting he had written himself
uring the short sitting of the COM
littee, and persons in the room who S
ad carbon copies of it in their pock- J
is and who had been studying it for q
ome days, knew then, as the public (
nows now, how vainglorious he be- q
omes whenever he sees a chance to +
at himself on the back 70 his wis '
ON or greatness. Those who have
OF learned to accept his statements II
18th liberal amount of salt are v
arning rapidly, and as often as the Il
ptimist editor shouts graft" a lot Il