Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1919-04-08
COUNTY TREASURER JAMES
REPLIES TO DEFENBACH ARTICLE

Boomers Ferry, Ida, Apr. 2, 1919
Editor Herald:
Who said the war was over? From
the looks of the columns of the Herald
the past few weeks it looks as if the
real fight had just begun, and l notice
that in an article published in your
paper last week, and signed by Byron
Defenbach, that l am condemned to
summary execution: and l beg leave
through your paper to plead my case
before the bar of public opinion and
ask a stay of judgment until the league
of nations is ready to sit
l have always had decided antip
athy for newspaper controversies and
endeavor to avoid them as far as pos
sible, but the article referred to is
couched in such terms of egotism, i'm
pertinence and personal insinuations
that it cannot be passed unnoticed. /
have had the highest personal regard
for the writer and have valued his
friendship very highly, and it was not
my purpose in my former article to
convey the impression that he failed
to comply with his contract, or to do
his full duty in the audit referred to.
But since he has seen fit to so assume,
and attempts to place me in bad light
before the people, and has laid the
matter open for discussion, l shall
avail myself of the opportunity to par
ticularize more fully upon my deduc-
tions gathered from the county audit,
stating the facts and let the chips fall
where they may. l have never un-
derstood that because of the fact that
man is elected to petty county
office, he automatically loses his iden-
tity as a citizen and taxpayer, is
classed with the suspects and barred
from expressing opinion upon public
matters.
To begin with Mr.. Defenbach makes
the statement that he would not an
swer the article referred to but for
the fact that he was now engaged in
the 18th audit in Idaho, and that this is
the first criticism that has ever oc-
Cured in the public press. | am glad
that he makes this suggestion as 1t
serves to make matters more plain all
the way through, for the lack of pub
lie criticism is one of the principal
reasons for many of our ills, and is
one of the main reasons why our taxes
constantly increase and never de-
crease. We are in the habit of swal-
lowing everything that is handed to
us whether we like it or not, ask nc
questions, pay the bill and let it go at
that. at the same time conscious OF
the fact that we have been stung
The day is coming, if not already here
when YOU cannot continue to extract
year after year, the hard-earned mon
ey from the pockets of the people
without a satisfactory showing as to
how the money is being expended.
have before me the contract made
with the county commissioners cover
ing the audit, which was written a.
Lewiston, Idaho, on one of Mr.. Deren
bach's letterheads and all that the
county commissioners had to do was
10 sign it. and there is no evidence tina
they ever read it. 1t is interesting Il
note that all of that part of the con
tract setting forth the duties to b.
performed, and in what manner, etc.
and in any way binding upon Mr.. Def
enbach, is contained in two para
graphs; and that part of the agree
ment is made along the lines OF al
old Mother Hubbard-designed to GOV
er everything and touch nothing. TIL
outstanding feature of the contract Il
the compensation, which is not onl,
set out in figures but is written out II
full in capital letters, and must b
paid Immediately upon filing said re
port. This contract has been full,
complied with so far as the count
was obligated, and whether or no
Mr.. Defenbach complied with the term
of the agreement depends entirely up
on the Interpretation OF the words, ="
thorough and complete audit, and w
guarantee the work to be fully up I
our usual standards"
It is not difficult to define the mean
ing of the words, Thorough and com
plete." but when it comes to the latte
guarantee, pass. For instance: al
ter the personal tax roll had bee
turned over to this Office for collec
ton, it came to our notice that cer
tain errors existed, and inasmuch a