The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-05-25
Is ANYBODY HoNEsTP

After listening to the allegations
OF those most responsible for a cir
cular letter ITO the Taxpayers of
Beaver County; and after reading
the letter itself. one. inclined to be
fair, honest, aud unprejudiced b.
political bias, would surely ask,
rs Anybody Honest?"
To our personal knowledge. In one
way or another, at least a part of
those sponsoring Countrywide
Taxpayers Organization" have as
sailed the honor, honesty and integ-
rity of the Court, the Press. and the
People. We arise to inquire. "Who
Is Honest and Honorable?"
Personally, we resent the attack
upon the Press and deny the right
of any personh or group of persons,
10 attack our business without just
cause. This paper has just as much
right TO broadcast the county with
attacks upon banks, mercantile es-
tahlishments or the professions as
has a group of persons to attack the
newspapers yet. what a wall would
80 up IL we had the temerity, and
lacked the Judgment and honor, to
do so.
The letter says In part:
"a grand jury on April 10, 1921,
filed a report which among other
things contained accusations against
the County Commissioners for NAL
administration. The grand jury FUR
ther requested that the State EXaml-
ner and Inspector make a complete
audit of county expenditures. The
grand jury report was of interest to
taxpayers, yet was not published
by any newspaper"
The above Is a willful misrepron-
tation and malicious attack upon
The Herald which is not justified.
| Tho Grand Jury report was filed
April 18th and on April 21st the
Herald contained an account of its
findings. The files of our paper.
Of that date. will prove this fact.
Other allegations, in the circular
| letter contain no more truth than
| the attack upon the newspapers and
the intent to misload being so evil
| dent by the language in which the
whole thing is couched, this paper
| is inclined TO pass up" the whole
thing as political propaganda or the
machination Of disgruntled would-be
leaders. perhaps a mixture of both.
Another section of the letter
staes:
The State Inspectors report now
on file shows that $4,000 has been
paid out on irregular and illegal
claims in 1921; that nearly $780,
OO0 has been paid out on such
claims I'm the past four years"
Another willful misrepresentation.
| The Inspectors report does show a
| long list of irregular and Illegal"
claims but In the aggregate, they
total S59.939.13. That lacks a
whole lot OF being 100000 but Of
course ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS sounds bigger and is bet
ter propaganda than the actual fig
ures that speak the truth. however
/ l356,939.13 is a plenty. in fact, S100
| or 81 il 200 much TO be allowed IL
/ legally but. there Is vast differ
ence between IRREGULAR and IL
! accounts were listed the legality of
I which was never questioned the
[ form IN which the bill was filed be-
ing the discrepancy. For instance
/ II an officer made trip 10 Okla
j HthAN WY llhtAdl VI sum- NAhNl
point and filed an expense charge
but failed TO attach thereto receipt.
for such expense money the legality
of the claim was not questioned bR
Il was listed as irregular" From
Tie organization of the countl
claims have been allowed. by al
boards OF county commissioners, il
this manner. Fully nine-tenths o
the Irregular and Illegal claim
were just such charges. II tn
I"County- Wide Taxpayers Organiza
ton" is sincere In It's motives wh,
? do they garble their statements
3 Why don't they put stress on the Il
legal claims, IL there are such, an
mot try TO mislead the people b
scare statements of $4,000 squan
deredg According to their state
: mcnt every dollar expended by III
] present board OF county commits
! sioners has been sQuandered Surel
q some legal valid husi"ass was done
= Again the circular letter charges
"The Inspectors report also al,
lulosed that there is $4,000 SUI
,. Iplus in the county sinking fun6
Excessive tax leyies created H."
Wrone ngain, as usual The In
- spectors report did disclose o sun
plus of $4,000 in the sinking fun
but il was not created by "eXccssiv
Z .aNatiOn" To was created by th
collection of penalties on delinQucr
taxes. The law provides that whe
2 taxes are unpaid aud become delir
Iouent certain penalties accrne. Tn
2 collection OF some 100000 OF sue
1 penalties Is most commandable W
claim. II shows good business o