Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-07-27
tRor the Ga sette
70 TIE voyxls OF SCOTT COUNTY.

ton to the ONCE Of County Judge, various
misr representations have been circulated to
come extent with view Of defeating my
election. Those statements are the more
likely to misiead because many are u"'n-
formed az to the law and facts in regard to
those matters. And in - much - the da'
ties Of the Office will not permit me to Wis
i, you personally, / thought it best BY
this means to endeavor to set the minds Of
the people right upon those subjects.
The principal objection that have heard
Of and perhaps the only one worthy Of no.
lice here. 10 in regard to Roads. fret. that
do no, make appropriation from the Coun-
ty Funds, second, that do not levy light
er Road tax.
In regard 70 the first l refer you to the
folio wing reply Of Judge Grant to let
ter addressed to him on that subject, to
wit:
Davenport, July gath, 1855.
Hon. w. Burris, Sir: In reply to your
letter Of July 2ls,. have to say: had oc-
casion some time since to apply for County
funds to build bridge; on e xamining the
law came to the conclusion that no such
appropriation could be made. The Lcgs-
iatsrs did re fuse such authority.
Yours, &c,
JANIS GRANT.
Please read also the follow ng certificate
the original of which have in my possess
sion, to wit:
STATE OF IowA,(
Scott County,
We certify that the law OF this State in
force during Judge Burris' term Of oftce
| does no, authorize the granting Of appro-
oriation. from I" fhe County Fund" for road
and bridge purposes and the Road Fund
| ia not under his control or at his disposal, as
the following extracts of the law will show,
to wit:
| Sec. Q Of chap - of the acts Of 1883.
The County Judge shall give an order to
said Clerk on the County Treasurer for all
moneys collected by him as road tax upon
| all property and polls within and for his
| Township" Sc Sec. 10 OF same chap.
The Township Trustees after the payment
| of the Supervisors shall order the distrlbu-
! ton of the Road Fund in the hands OF the
Township Clerk as they may deem exaedi.
| cnt for the public interest-and the Town
| ship Clerk shall pay the same out as ordered
| by the Trustees" SC.
| G. C. r. Mitchell, H. G. Barner,
]. D. Patton, Prosecuting Atty.
James Thorngton, II. Price, Recorder,
John F. Dillon, d. s. True.
n.,ar,o,t Iulv pad 1S65
From the above, it 10 clear that | have
neither the authority to apply the County
funds for road and bridge purposes, nor any
control over the Road fund, further than to
levy the tax and give an order to the Town
! ship Clerks for the monty in the Treasury
belonging to their respective Townships.
In regard to the second charge can on
ly say that the levying OF taxes is a nice
matter. While one demands higher taxes,
perhaps ten are complaining Of high taxa
ton and asking that they be reduced. And
in this State the same rate must be Fixed for
the whole County; not one rate for this and
another rate for otter townships or Road
| Districts.
But the principal reasons for making the
rate lower last year Zone mill less than the
hghes. tax which the law allows) were
that however biz b the rate is fixed nearly
the whole tax is expended in Dors. as the
pressn. law permits: 50 that when funds
were needed for materials &c, there were
none to be had. And il was confidently
expected that the Legislature which met
las, winter, would SO far change the law
a, least, as to provide for the raising of
funds for materials for bridges &C., either
by allowing money TO be appropriated from
the County funds or otherwise; and it was
intended in extreme cases to use come OF
the County funds for that purpose: which
l did and continued to do so until learned
tina, the legislature had refused to pass the
act which was before them authorizing
County Judges to make appropriations from
the County funds for Road purposes, on the
ground alone that County Judges have al
ready too much power and they were OPP
posed to increasing that power. Before
knowing the action of the Legislature up
on the matter thought that the ne cessity
Of the case would justify the assumption Of
the power But since they have expressly
declared their OPPOSITION to such course. il
could no, reasonably be expected that |
should continue to do SO. Had | known
what the action Of the Legislature would be
think i, likely that should have continu-
ed the Road tax at the highest rate. If
have erred in these matters il was with the
best intentions and with the concurrence Of
all whom consulted upon the matter.
III should be re. elected can only say
tina. my general course in regard to roads
will be the same as it has been in the
past. For | have always endeavored to
favor the road interests; originated and
submitted to a vote Of tho people
and urged them to adopt the prop
osition (without which money can