Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-04-23
REPLYING TO
M r. MCBRIDE


days Free Press, under the heading
Communication" the letter of Mr..
J. A. Mcbride, mayor of this city,
anent the dumping ground. The ap-
pearance of Mr.. McBride's reply in
dictates that an interest is being TAX
en- by himself and the city council in
the subject of the discussion that
will no doubt develop into a tangible
result sooner or later.
We regret. however, that Mr.. Nc
Bride saw fit to verge his remarks
upon the personal. When we opened
the question it was with an entirely
abstract discussion that contained no
element of the personal and attempt
ed nothing In the way of spleen. But, |
as is the case with nearly every per
son who Undertakes to answer a
newspaper article, the mayor has seen
fit to devote a good third of his arti-
Gle, not to the expression of his, or
the city councils views upon the sub
feet in the main, but TO a yelled i'm
pute calculated to impress the reader
with the idea that this paper is seek.
ing a method of attack upon the board
OF supervisors simply because 1t has
not received the city printing. 1t may
be sufficient to remind the council
and It's spokesman that the writer of
the article did not become connected
with this paper until long after the
award OF the contract covering city
printing, and that the firm of which
he Is presently a member has never
had an opportunity to bid upon the
city business, nor does it expect to
have such opportunity until the prop
er time therefor. 1t may be further
in point to assure the public generally
that we have other means of viewing
a public question rather than through
the narrow channels afforded through
a financial perspective, and that the
business department of this paper
does not control its editorial policies.
Finance and patronage may play n
large part in the administration OF
the affairs, both public and private,
of the writer of the communication
and those he represents, but we are
pleased to say that the city's printing
business don't look big enough to Us
to cause us to loaf on the job and al
low a condition such as exists within
two and one-half blocks of the city
limits to not only continue but TO
grow, to the everlasting detrimcnt of
the health conditions of this city. We
are fully aware of the fact that II
would be extremely doubtful under
any state of affairs whether we would
be awarded the city business, mas
much as the former firm of Keith &
Russell submittedthe lowest bid there
for, despite which fact the printing
went to the Free Press, and the pub
lie, no doubt, after so understanding
can form It's own opinion as &c
whether the printing situation gives
the present proprietors of the indie
pendent any vast amount of worry.
Concerning the frank statement or
part of Mayor Mcbride that dur
ing the administration OF city affairs
by the town board" the Independent
held silence as to the condition now
under discussion. we must again re
mind him that the present editor o.
this paper was not then connected
with Its ownership or policies. II
Justice TO ourselves we must say tina
we did not know of the seriousness o
the dumping ground matter until /
was called to our attention, and tina
until that time, thought of giving i
publication had never entered on
minds. We desire further 10 assur,
Mr.. Mcbride that in a question Sc
open and shut as Is this one. patron
age will not control; we will as quick
ly lend our columns to a denunciatior
OF the policies of the board OF county
commissioners IL we believe them e
be wrong, as to discussion of thu
acts OF the city board of supervisors
As to the merits of the controversy
itself. Is IL seriously contended tina
because the slough mentioned hai
been used as receptacle for many
years that this furnishes any argu
ment for it's future maintenance? II
IL also seriously contsnded that be
cause people knew OF It's unhealthfu
condition that they should not hay,
purchased lots nearby because they
were cheaper than those in Other
parts of the town. And yet It Is ad
mitted that the land was plotted into
building lots and offered for sale
within the limits OF an incorporated
city, a city charged with the upkeer
OF sanitary conditions throughout It's
confines, and people virtually invited
TO use II for residential purposes. with
lower lot prices as an additional in
ducement to settle thereupon. There
is no difference between the main.
tenance OF that garbage ground at
It's present location and it's existence
at any other point within the city
limits. The principle would be tho