The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-04-07
Voice Of the People
FIGURE. and Personalities,
the Editor Of The Gate City:

To the Editor Of The Gate City:
Replying to the venomous article Of
Joshua Elder which appeared in your
issue of the 9Th inst, allow me to
say am not little perplexed to de-
termine just how to treat these out
bursts of passion, whether to take
them seriously or otherwise, for at
times am impressed with the
thought that he is just bluffing for the
last word, as it cannot be possible
that he is so foolish as to think that
would publish that statement with
out first being fortified with evidence
to prove every allegation make:
Whatever his motive may be, | say
again and again, because it is true,
that on April 1, -914, the gross
unpaid" were S50,595.12, to which
must be added s1,441.oO, making
total of $52,036l2. This is the state
ment which makes Josh hot under
the collar. I, too, would be ashamed
if ! had had four years on the job,
used all the money that came in dur
ing that time, issued $4,000 in bonds
in order to pull through, and then
left floating debt of $52,036.12. Ger
tainly that Is not a record for any
man to be proud of, but Jotty, it is
your record, and you made it, and !
have in my possession the number
of every warrant issued to pay these
bills to the amount of $36.275.09,
while the city clerks statement for
April, 1914, shows the overdrafts to
be $15,761.03. So there you are, now
get away from it if you can. If you
had paid more attention to the bust
ness for which you were drawing
salary from the city, instead of try
ing to be elected for congress, you
would have been more familiar with
the city finances, and would not now
be laundering around in an effort to
be relieved of the responsibility for
putting this load upon the city. When
as an official l was forced to tell the
true condition April /, 1914, you
charge me with falsehood and say 1t
is "derogatory to your administra-
ton" You have left no opportunity
for anyone to SANDER your admins
tration because you have fouled your
own nest by denying what is so evil
dent to everyone else. Over 100000
of these bills which you now deny
any knowledge of, were lying on your
table when you vacated your office
for us to take possession. Many OF
them were three and four months
past due During the month of April
alone, we drew one hundred and
fifty-nine warrants to pay your debts.
all dated prior to April 1, 1914. Did
we contract them or did you? We
were charged with ell moneys receiv-
ed after March 81, 1914, as shown by
the April statement. although We did
not assume office till April 6. During
our first week in office the city clerk
laid on our desk the following:
Statement of Indebtedness against
the city of Keokuk as of April s,
1914" l have that statement before
me as l write. 1t shows with
small correction) an indebtedness OF
S41,220.S5. Is that false? II SO, settle
with Mr.. Sandberg, your appointee to
office. not me. To this must be added
S6,7436O, the money charged to us
in April, 1914, statement. but appro-
priated by you between April l and
6. making total of s47,s6445. To
this amount we added bills as paid
until the total was $52,036.12. You
see it is very evident that you either
did not attend to business, or did not
know how to do so, or you would
have known of these things. Now
ask, what are you going to do with
this statement of the city clerk? He
made it, not l. Is it absolutely
false" Then say SO, or brand you
as a coward for trying to make it APP
pear that l am the author OF your
distress.
From this date shall refuse to
notice any more of your scurilous
articles, as my statements were made
with no thought of slandering you as
an official, and they. are true as
stated.
If the city debt is any less April
1, 1916, than $52,036.12, then give us
credit for the reduction; ii any great
er, then charge it to us and we will
stand it like man and not whlmper
like a baby. ]. A. M. COLLINS.
channe of Venue Granted.