Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-01-22

in their personal efforts for which
we pay them, that acts and invest
ments that do the greatest good 10
the largest number OF people should
precede smaller and less beneficial
mat ers.
Il will leave to your judgman and
be satisfied with your verdict, any
moral cain that | may have for serv-
ices rendered in this matter, but in 80
doing wish to compare my services
that the commission objects TO max
ing payment for with other services
that have been rendered the city and
paid for by this commission
For this service | asked the city
s10O over and above actual expenses.
which money, if received. | have of
fered to turn back to you. The city
officials don't want to pay it. and have
never even asked me for an eXplana
ton OF why I should be paid.
Il believe the contention OF the
commissioners is that | had no con
tract of the employment with the city
and for that reason they should not
pay me. In other words, their theory
is this. The volunteer on shore who
battles with the waves TO save those
on board with a life line is entitled to
nothing. while the gentleman who per
formed his contract to scuttle the ship
should be paid in full
My argument Of necessity must be
somewhat a comparison of custom
and values, and as a lawyer | shall
reason by analogy.
II contend in all cases the real
merit for payment depends upon value
received and not upon contract or
contract price, and had that theory
been followed in city administration
we would be better off today.
Let me cite two instances to sub
stantiate my theory | could cite
many more of failure or partial fail
ure of consideration, but two viii SUIT
flee.
First: The city had a contract 10
improve Norris street, the contract
price being about $4,000
The improvement was total fail
IRE, yet the contract price was paid
Value was not received | am not cen
surfing the contractor who did the
work. l believe him to be an honor.
able man and did what he was told
to do and is not to blame.
Second The city has a contract
to pay city commissioners $3.50 per
year for services as commissioners
One never served for four years at
all another has been away for eight.
cen months ON a better paying job
and the city derived no benefits from
their services during that time Yet
the contract price was paid, Value
again was not received
Il have been unable to learn Of any
private employer paying the boy who
left his work to risk his life in the
trenches, TO suffer almost unendur-
able hardships, and to come home
crippled, mud caked and worn, and
deserving of the best that earth holds
for the time they were gone, and some
of them are having "a mighty hard
lime of getting their employment
back again, and ! contend that youl
services and mine, rendered when il
should not have been necessary, il
the largest sense OF the word, ha:
been OF more benefit to the city thar
the contract price paid in the in
stances | cite.
Again by comparison | have no
had time, due TO the press of private
matters, 90 get from the city record
the fees that have been paid to spe
cially employed attorneys in certail
gases. but will get them later, and vii
say that some CT those fees have no
been given the publicity that m
cain has been given.
There is one item, the last of II
kind that is still fresh in my men