The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-05-07
News from the Mines.

News from the Mines.
r Gen. WIZ. LARIAER, writing to the Leav-
enwor,h Times, under The date Of "Denver
City, X. T., March 10th, 1859, hold this
lam uage :--s As this letter will not reach
its destination in time 70 change the minds
of the emigration, NIL over the country,
will only say that all l have written in re-
gard to this country is true, and the pros
poets for gold better than ! have ever writ
ten before. The news from the South Park
and range Of hundred miles north Of it,
i is proving very satisfactory, and that mining
gold will pay better than it was possible to
expect from the little prospoctieg through
tho mountain SHOWS in mid winter. While
we have had nil winter the most lovely
weather here at the foot Of the mountains,
still the snowy peaks are before our eyes.
= We have now four stores in Den
yer City and two in Auraria, all belonging
to one merchant from New Mexico, except
one firm, Blake & Williams, from Council
Bluffs, Iowa. The people here want for
nothing; still provisions are very high
Flour is selling at SIS per 100 pounds;
Bacon so cents, per pound; Sugar 80 cts.
Building materials of all kinds are wanted
badly. have heard Of IS cents per pound
for nails, and none here. Nails is the con-
slant enquiry. Glass and paints, in fact
everything in the building line is wanted"
-o--E-s------
Oar County Judge System
1t is with pleasure that we notice consid
cradle attention given by the press through
out the State, irrespective Of party, to this
question. Few, if any, Journals undertake
to defend entire the present system. Some
denounce it in severe but just terms, and call
upon tn next legislature for some remedial
action thereon, while others counsel modit-
cation and improvement. We 90 still far
Their, and denounce it as an outrage upon
popular rights, and ask for the repeal of the
entire system, and the passage Of an act
which restricts the County Judges authority
to matters OF probate simply, and conters
the other powers'now exercised by the Judge
upon Commissioners elected by the people.
At present the power of our County Judges
is absolute. Whatever safeguards the legis-
lature have attempted to throw around the
interests of the public, experience has pro-
ven to be unaval!lng-meTe mockery. The
fact that tho affairs Of some counties are
faithfully and satisfactorily administered
does not 60 at all to the redemption of the
system. The fact that some counties have
been made bankrupt, their prosperity blight
ed, their credit ruined, their wealth consum-
ed by taxes, and that every county may be
reduced to like condition if the incumbent
but will, it is decisive of the danger and rot
tenness Of the VIII bic system. We doubt if
there is another instance in this country
where the public funds and public credit
are placed at the disposal Of IL single inla-
yiduul.
We are not berating the conduct of any
particular Judge, nor deploring the grievan-
ces of any particular cOunty-the evil is gen
eral, especially in the newer portions of the
State. The Judge has the management of
the business-has custody of the property
audits the accounts-controls the finances
lets the contracts establishes the roads
builds the bridges loans the school fund.
and leyIes the tax of the county. This pow
er not only extends to every interest, but it
is to all purposes discresionary-plenary.-
Take, for instance, the construction of
IA ihtS hftl sti cams NV nav I-tDIc. NUtlE5
the lIberai.ty Of our legislators: 'When the
expense Of the erection of any bridge is great
er than five hundred dollars the County Judge
may enter into contract with any person
or persons for the construction Of the same,
Pr0rided, That one hundred Of the qualified
voters OF tho county petition the County
Judge for that Yurpose.'
BY the above statute the County Judge at
! - l.
he chooses, involve the county to the extent
or Si.utO, OF 81, ULb, or even more, notwith-
standing every other voter in the county may
protest against it. Who ever failed to get
the requisite nnn,har of sirners? And the
tact has become patent that our Judges have
wonderful reverence for the ancestral right
of petition. The undersigned v0ur peti-
TONER'S rarely fails to overcome The Court,
and the prayer is granted. Discretionary
power like this is dangerous prcrogative.
1t is easily though often unwittingly abused.
This is by no means a marked instance. In
all other matters the welfare Of the county
is equally unguarded and impcriled. The
effect Of ali this is source OF alarm, but
not of Amusement. Itmay work no disaster
in old counties, where, under the old system
Of Commissioners, the roads have been es-
tabli,hcd, bridg IS built public buildings cree
ted, and other early improvements effected,
because the extraordinary powers of the
Judge are less frequently called into exer-
Csc, and the aggregate Of taxable property
being much greater than with u. tho burden
inflicted is comparatively light. Bat in new
counties where all this work is now being
done the effect is deplorablc. as their 'condi-
ton will show. They are oycrtuxed-their
credit /, pn1irS1 --thnir or, p