What is the meaning of the quote “Best way to clear the air is to have it all out in the open," and describe the situation Atticus was in when...

In Chapter 30, Atticus is having a conversation with Sheriff Tate following Bob Ewell's attack on Jem and Scout. Atticus begins to contemplate how he will defend his son, Jem, for killing Bob Ewell. Sheriff Tate questions Atticus to see if he thinks Jem was responsible for murdering Bob Ewell. Atticus tells Tate that he believes Jem wrestled Bob off of Scout and picked up Bob's knife and stabbed him. Atticus uses Scout's recollection of...

In Chapter 30, Atticus is having a conversation with Sheriff Tate following Bob Ewell's attack on Jem and Scout. Atticus begins to contemplate how he will defend his son, Jem, for killing Bob Ewell. Sheriff Tate questions Atticus to see if he thinks Jem was responsible for murdering Bob Ewell. Atticus tells Tate that he believes Jem wrestled Bob off of Scout and picked up Bob's knife and stabbed him. Atticus uses Scout's recollection of events as the basis for his belief that Jem murdered Bob Ewell. Heck Tate maintains that Jem did not stab Bob Ewell. Atticus disagrees and says that he doesn't want Jem growing up in a community that makes comments like, "his daddy paid a mint to get him out of that." (Lee 366) Atticus says, "The best way to clear the air is to have it all out in the open." (Lee 366) Atticus has integrity and firmly believes that his son murdered Bob Ewell, and refuses to cover up any information that might unfairly help his son in the county court. Later on in the chapter, Heck Tate indirectly informs Atticus that Boo Radley stabbed Bob Ewell, but he's going to tell the community that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife.