Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1913-08-29
THE DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

brQtner Stenlnger having seen
the error of ms ways and having
declined to continue the personal
controversy, The Independent
meets him moe than half way and
apologies for any personalities in.
jected into the argument. The
Free Press man is under an haluci-
nation when he accuses US Of
threatening the county officers The
officers of this county have been
uniformly courteous and frier dIy
to the Editor of the Independent
and its reporters and NO criticisms
were made or intended. The most
biased construction of our article
could not be construed to be an at
tack on the county officers and the
Free Press knows it.
Our attack" as he calls it on the
Development League was made at
the request of a number Of Elko
County's most progressive citizens.
They were members of the League
and were contributors to It's funds.
They wanted to know Just how
much money was paid in, who paid
it and how it was expended. The
Independent did not accuse MIR Fee
or any one else of s%quandering the
money. All it asked was a state
ment as to when and how the money
was expended We still insist on
that information being given to the
public. The treasury was empty
when Mr. Fee took over the office.
He is a canable young man and no
charge was made rejecting on his
honesty or integrity. We still think
he is the verv soul of honor and
that at the earliest moment he will
give the public the benefit of all
information available in his
office. His predecessors were paid
to keep the accounts and transact
the business of the League and it
is only fair to assume that they did
so. Let everybody suspend judg-
ment until they have had full oppor-
tunity to render an account of
their stewardship. 1t is no idle
matter to loose confidence in a
public enterprise and if it is found
that there ire no grounds for criti.
cism of the League and its business
methods, The Independent will
leave no stone unturned TO set the
matter right before the people Of
Elko County. It's editor will make
a public apology and will do all in
his power 20 redress the wrong he
hasdune, if it tuln rs out that there
has been no squanderinR of funds
contributed by the general public,
Rumor says two hundred and fifty
two citizens of the county sub.
sCribed $40 each that 100 of then
paid in the cash. Assuming that il
is true the league had $1,000 to as
sist in development. 1t will be il
order to show how much real de
velopment work has been done anC
how this none was expended. l.
the Independent a "Knocker" be
cause il calls for facts and figures
Is the government a kuocker he
cause it calls on its officials for
statement at stated periods? Is tht
hank Inspector who calls for 4;
Statement a knocker?
The Independent believes it i
about time to quit feeling sore
and get busy in an honest earnes
effort to give such a statemcn
to the public as a banker or count.
official would render according I,
law. The law compells them to d.
that. There is a higher la gov
erning every man who handle
public funds. Funds contributed b.
the general public are publ
funds and common honor demand
that an accounting he had aid
full report be made. Making face
and calling names will not deter u
from doing our duty TO the public
We can neither be bribed or coer
ed. We will not sleep at our ipos
neither will we deslst until hi
matter is sifted to the bottom.