The Mena weekly star., 1916-11-02
souARINc WITH THE TRUTH.

To the Editor of The Star:
 Dear Sir:--I would like small space in The Star to answer Phil stevenson in his onslaught against Judge Wear. He says: As to the three bridges built, the largest one built was for the benefit of pri- vate individual, one man Mr. Os- born" Will say suppose l am the one man referred to. Will say that Mir. stevenson don't know anything about it. or he is wilfully and know ingly trying to do Judge Wear an injury politically, and l feel u my duty to answer such charge.
 The first move l made to get that bridge built l went to Judge Martin and he said for me to get an esti- mate as Co what 1t would cost and two different parties went on the ground and measured the span and one of the parties made a bid of @il9.30. ] reported to Judge Martin the lowest bid. Judge Martin said his term of office would soon ex- plre and for me to wait until Judge Wear took his seat as judge and present the bridge case to him. So did and Judge Wear said there was no money and refused to build the bridge. l waited until the Quo rum Court met, and, with other in- terested parties, went before the court and l offered to build the bridge for one-half of the lowest bid, which would have been $S9.75, and one member of the court moved that they allow me $90.00, which was 25c more than l offered to build 1t for and a vote was taken with i7 votes for the appropriation and 6 against. Two did not vote. Mr. Stevenson was a member of the court and present at the session. l do not know how he voted.
 I proceeded to build the bridge After | had the timbers nearly all ready | saw Judge Wear and he informed me that there would be no money to build the bridge until July coming. more than six months, and 1 sold my scrip for 90 cents. That gave me $Si for building bridge with 70-foot span.
 MT. Stevenson says that 1 am the only man benefited and an addition al reason why Judge Wear should not have especially favored me IS that am Socialist.
 Now, let us read between the lines; it reads like this: If l am elected no Socialist need apply" If you are a Socialist, Stevenson thinks you not worthy of consideration, and he would boycott you. and as judge grant you no favors. and if thought there was any possibility of his election 1 would do all could to get Mir. Lane to withdraw from the So- cialist ticket and ask the Socialist to vote solidly for Wear.
 Now let me state again: Judge Wear had nothing to do with the bridge contract. The Quorum Court made that contract direct with me. was to build the bridge for S90O0. Judge Wear was not consulted. When I got the bridge built l noti- fled Judge Wear and requested that he go out and see that it was all right and he said that the court em- ployed me to build it, and if it was done that was all right: that the court did not require any speclflca- lions or anything of that kind. But insisted that he and others go and inspect it and they seemed to be sat- isfled with it and accepted 1t as county property.
 Now Mr. Stevenson. after the elee- tion and after you recover from a trip up Salt River. and before Cab riel toots his horn and you are asked the question by St. Peter, MT. Stevenson. have you always done nnto others as YOU would have them do unto you? Have you been truth fnl and honest?" I say. before that time. come out and inspect the bridge. then come on up and tell me who you are and I will forgive you and do all I can to get St. Peter to look over your short comings and open the door and let you in
 Yours for fairness and truth. R. Osborn.