The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-02-10

SSD DAb cOt1Iu 0OAkD.-
The Board Of Supervisors Of Ramsey Coun.
~, consists Of ten persons, four Of whom ere
members Of the City Council, and by virtue
Of that o6ice, Represent the city in the
County Board. The other members are
from the cosntry, and represent the town.
ships and fractions Of townships outside OF
the city. The representation 10 very une-
quail. 40 lar ~ numbers are concerned, but
in point Of TACT, the city 10 supposed To be
a. fully represented as the country for coun-
ty purposes.
The Board Of Supervisors organized 10
June last, 10 accordance with the Township
Act, passed Ia March, 1858. About the
first business, after their organization, was an
examination into the Affairs Of the county
which examination resulted in the knowl.
edge Of great mismsnagemsnt OF the county
affairs With this evidence before them,
the Supervisors went to work apparently
with the determination TO straighten up the
old business, and by rigid system Of econ
omy, and strict examination VI all claims, to
relieve the financial endorsements of the
County Treasury.
But how far they have carried out, and are
disposed ~ carry out this intention, can be
gathered by attending one meeting Of the
Board.
Having attended one entire meeting of
the Board--the meeting on last Saturday
we are satisfied. II has never been our for.
tune to note the deliberations of public
body, wherein less regard was given to Or
der, or proper method OF doing business.
than 10 the County Board. Seated as the
members are, around table Of about eight
feet in length, all that is required to give to
outsiders the belief, that they are met to-
gcther for social bout. is liquor and glasses.
Claims, petitions and reports are scatter
ed promiscuoasly upon the table, and as
the respective committees examine the yari
Gus items Of business in their charge-ior
the committees apparently do their business
during the session Of the Board there is u
constant buzz OF conversation, and when the
Chairman announces any business to be
transacted. some ambitious individual rises
and as his ambition is leading him to
ask that he may serve the State 10 legis-
lative capacity, in loud tone Of voice
belches forth his opinions aud perhaps, be-
fore he sits down, is told by one or two
quiet members, that no don't know what he
IL talking about, and that he had better re-
main quiet until he docs.
In this manner the business progresses.
The claims against the county are generally
placed in the hands Of the Finance Commit
tee, and reported upon before they 60 before
the Board ut all, as was the case last Sat
urday, when claims amounting to nearly
$4,000 were ordered to be paid, which had
probably not received Que hours direct at
tention for the whole forty claims presented.
One painful fact connected with these claims
was that the county was paying Tor every
article purchased by order oil the Board Of
Supervisors, at least QUE half more than it
was worth. Taxpayers may think they
are personally saving money when they buy
County Scrip at GO cents on the dollar, but
when they reflect that in return, they pay
81 so for every dollars worth OF work done
for the county, they will find the account
is about equal.
And this leads us to the question, how can
the county be relieved from the difficulty?
1t was stated that the Supervisors had
authorized an indebtedness Of over 5000,
since they had come into office and Judging
from the disposition to create an indebted.
ness for u poor farm and additional poor
buildings. the end is not yet. As we have
remarked, regarding the city, so long a. the
County Board go on increasing their ex-
penscs, Just 10 long will the county treasury
remain empty. The pledges Of the mem
bers Of the County Board, as regards re.
trenchmcut. have. up to this hour, been vio-
lated There is recklessness about their
way Of doing business that is appalling to
the taxpayer.
The public really had hopes that the Su-
pervisors would relieve the county OF its
financial embarrasstnents but these hopes
havc not been realized, nor do We think they
will bs until this Board is superseded by
other men. The character and actions Of
the present Board leave no hope for re-
form unl,sss the affairs of the county
excite the indignation Of the people to that
extent that the Board shall be forced into
adopting measures of rctrenchment. We
have no faith in the Beard Judging from its
manncr II doing business since It's organlza'
ton. But Us there is no telling the future
Of the Board, there mag be- change for the
better in their deliberations We hope SO.
and will ondeayor TO be present, when that
change will be manifest And will have
pleasure in noting the fact for the encour-
agement OF the public.