The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-12-15
To the People of
Lincoln County

Some drastic charges were made
against me by A. (. Williamson,
first assistant state examiner, in his
report of the annual examination of
Lincoln County records, which was
published last week.
Before a public official makes
charges against another official, he
ought by all means to be sure of his
facts. Fairness requires nothing less
than that. Since Mr.. Williamson is
so free with his accusations, want
to file few charges myself and
against Mr.. Williamson for his in
excusabie neglect to investigate
facts before making serious charges
against another official
Williamson blamed me, with the
other county commissioners for the
rental or purchase of tractor and
angledozer from the Westmont
Tractor and Equipment Company
without first advertising for bids.
To prove that Mr. Williamson is al
together too careless with his facts,
want to state that a call for bids
covering this machine was published
in the Western News. the official
county paper, for three successive
issues-on April IA, q and %, 1898.
This is a matter of record and can
easily be verified by referring to
the file of the Western News.
Williamson could easily have
found out whether or not the re-
quired call for bids had been pub
lished. And it was his duty to do
SO before charging us with neglect
of duty and violation of the law.
But it is much easier to accuse a
public official than it is to investi
gate and dig UP the facts. Evident
ly Williamson doesn't dig very deep
ly for facts. On the contrary, he
evidently goes on the theory of
hunting for birds to knock over in
season and also out of season.
He further charges me with viola
ton of the nepotism law in giving
my son, Ed Kemp, work on the
roads. Before employed my son
| had legal advice from the county
attorney, who submitted an opinion
by the attorney general, to the eff
feet that employment of a relative
by public official at part time or
irregular labor was not violation of
the nepotism law. In order to vio-
late the nepotism law it has been
held that public official or pub
lie board must appoint some rela-
tive to a steady position or to an of
flee and that irregular work given
to a relative is not violation of
inNt II
ror, then the attorney generals
opinion is also in error and has
no value.
| again charge this man William
son with a too great eagerness to
blame someone with law violation
without having read deeply enough
into the law. And for a man in his
position that is inexcusable neglect
of duty
While ON this subject of law viola
ton, | wish to call the public's at
tention to another violation of law
Before the last general election.
some unknown organization that
called itself THE TAXPAYERS
League" published number of adj
vertisements criticizing the county
commissioners. This organization
also was very ready to criticize but
they failed to keep their own skirts
clean This so-called Taxpayers
League committed a plain violation
of the law in publishing those ad-
vertisements as they did. The Mon
tana Corrupt Practices Act distinct
ly says that any organization pub
fishing or circulating matter against
or for candidate for public office
shall sign all its advertisements or
publications with the name of the
organization and shall also give the
name and address of the secretary
thereof. That is a reasonable re-
quirement. The law is there so as to
protect man running for office
from the unfounded charges of ir-
responsible people hiding behind
the blind Of a name that means
nothing. The name of the secretary
is required in order that there may
be someone responsible for any
charges that may be published. Did
this TAXPAYERS League" follow the
plain requirements of that law? 1t
did not. This League was much con-
cerned about many things but it
evidently wasn't very much con-
cerned about following the law. Who
composes the Taxpayers League?
Who was its secretary? Who was
responsible for the charges made
by it? Who knows? There was
nothing in its advertisements to give
that very necessary information
And in falling to give that informa-
ton this League itself violated the
Corrupt Practices Act of the State
of Montana at the very time it was
filing charges against the county
commissioners.
While in office | did my best to
give the county good service. do
not object to the truth but I do
kick most emphatically against plain
lies and half truths