Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-04-24
EXPENSIVE RECORDS.

Hoar, Tor which the people pald wa,
were worth less than $40, in fact, the
tract indexes show only rs entries in
the handwriting of Mr.. Hoar, the rul-
ing price of which, according to COM
petent abstractors, being TEN CENTS
PER ENTRY. In other words the
county can buy these rs tract entries
for $3.50, and it cannot be disputed
successfully. We say cannot because
any taxpayer can go to an abstractor
and buy them for that, and so can
Clearwater county. That is all there
is to it. Mr.. Hoar admitted as the
records will show, that his card index
es, which are valuable, worth, prob
ably $1,000, were all made after the
county had paid him the 1925, and
could not be considered part of the
original contract. In other words the
records of the case, as the records in
the case at Lewiston will show, place
Mr.. Hoar in anything but satisfactory
position in the eyes OF the people he is
supposed to deserving in the capacity
Of just plain hired man.
Mr.. Hoar showed that he had made
a card index system, said to be worth
$1,000, and insisted that this was what the
county really paid for, yet he admitted
that it was not in existence at the time
he drew the 1925 from the county, and
was discharged officially by the county
board. The cards were not purchased,
according to the admission Of Mr. Hoar,
till after he had been paid off by the
county board, yet he insists that these
later records are the things for which
he drew that pay.
The surprising thing is that Mr..
Hoar seems to think it something un-
usual for a county official to do any,
thing worth while during his term Of
office, and that because he had made
some records worth $1,000 that he
should have special compensation. AS
well might hired farm hand, hired to
pillow and seed and harvest crop Of
wheat for which be was to receive
$50 per month, demand extra pay and
claim great credit because the crop
produced through his labor, while a
hired hand, was worth $1,000. The
editor OF the Republican would call
attention to the case of Axel P. RAM
stedt, who, as auditor of Latah county,
perfected new system of book keep
ing for county auditors, system that
was highly endorsed by the state exam
liner, and generally endorsed all over
the state. The work was worth sever
al thousand dollars to Latah county,
yet the county paid nothing for it, and
were never even asked to paya penny.
It was the duty of Mr.. Ramstedt, as
a county offices, as the hired man OF
the people, to keep the records in the
best possible manner, and to render to
the people his best service. If he
could improve the county records il
was his duty to do SO, just as it was and
is the duty of the county officials here
in Clearwater county to render to the
taxpayers the best service of which
they are capable.
Now, let us go to the time when Mr.
Hoar was a candidate for office. Did
he not, in asking for votes, insist thai
he was competent and would fill the
office more creditably than his OPP.
ponent? Did he not lead the people te
understand that if elected he proposed
to bring the office he sought, up to Q
high state OF efficiency, which meant
the making OF official records and
tract indexes and all that he has done
If it means anything? And did he MOI
say that, it elected, he would not ask
for extra help, even ii the extra work
OF tax collector were aided to the du
ties OF treasurer? A stenographic re
port OF Mr.. Hoar's speech at Gilbert
during the last campaign, plainly
shows that he made the voters Of
Clearwater county some very plain
concrete, definite pledges and prom
Uses, not in harmony with subsequent
official procedure. There was moth
ing then to indicate that it would cos
the taxpayers 1925 extra for keeping
the records in his office up-to-date
Certainly there was nothing to indicate
that Blair Z. Hoar the dashing young
accountant that was parading tn,
county and Boosting Of his clerical abil
tiles, would, as soon as elected, begil
scheming to increase his salary and tr,
to draw extra compensation for HI
services.
As to the pending suit, which is SEQ,
to be decided by Judge Steele, the Re
publican is not concerned. 1t is no
material when we go into the merit
OF Mr.. Hoar, and weigh him in tn
scales to find out whether or not h.
has kept his promises and pledges t
the people. Technically he may NO
be guilty; in other words, the cour
may decide that the law does not reacl
the case of Mr.. Hoar, and that the &C
eentinu of extra CONDENSATION NAV mr.