The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1860-10-04
Our County Treasurcr's Let.
ter.

y
the Farmer, requesting the publication
OF the same in the columns ot'his paper.
The Editor very coldly refused to in
scrt it and INDUCED III halfcol,nn Of
personal abuse Of Mr.. Wheaton. who
in addition to this copy would have
paid his respects to linn the present
week through our columns, had he not
been prevented, by attendin. to the
urgent duties Of his office. We may
hear from him next week.
EDlroR or TAMA County FARMER: =
DEAR SIR:
desire through your columns to
correct the statements made by the
Democratic Stump speakers Of this
county, relative TO the printing Of the
delinquent tax list. They assume that
the printing of that list might and
should have been let to the lowest bid
er, and censure Republican County
officers generally-Clerk ofthe District
Court included, suppose because
it was not 50 let. They further assert
that you offered to do that printing at
much cheaper rate thar it was done:
some say for one hundred, some two
hundred, while others put the amount
at two hundred and fifty dollars. They
also claim, thai had yoi, done the job,
1t would have been saving to the
county Of five hundred dollars. These
worthless, before making the first as
sumption, either had or had not read
the act Of the Legislature under which
delinquent lands are advertised for
sale. IT they had not, gross ignorance
OF the law and the subject on which
they are so particularly anxious to en-
tighten their audiences may be urged
as an apology. If they had, they
were well aware Of the existence Of
clause IN that net, requiring county
treasnrers in advertising lands for sale.
to have due reference totl,e circulation
Of the paper in which they advertise;
Knowing that mother pape,inthe co,,n-
ty thanthe one which did publish the
list, cod legally have done it. Alth ough
we delayed making out the delinquent
list until the last hour, cof,vs, for sew
eral townships, was already in the
hands Of the publishers Of the Tran
script, before the issue ofthe first mum
Der OF the Tama County Farmer con-
tanning an expression Of Your conf
dence-which by the way I presume is
somewhat shaken ere this-in the
judgement ofthe officer having con-
troll of the printing Of the tax llst.' 1t
was by my direction that the Tran
script did the printing if "The county
has been swindied'' BIZ it /; if it betravs
any lack Of Judgement, or neglect Of
duty, |, alone, am the responsible par
ty; and the charge that any RepubH-
can county officer, who may possibly
be q candidate before the people for re-
election this f.ll, is in any way conncc-
ted with the matter, is as rro,mlless as
it is base. With regard to your max
ing me al offer to publish the LIST for
either OF the amounts above named,
| have simply to state, that, as unfor-
| have not the pleasure Of
your acquaintance, we never exchanged
A word on that or any other subject;
you never made me- the offer in writ
ing, nor did any Of your friends ever
make it for You; in short the offer new
er was made, in writing or verbally,
directly or indirectly; Democratic
oratory and hoary headed street brawl-
RS to the contrary Notwithstanding
rs TO the saving Of i've hundred dol
airs to the county, any person who has
read the revenue law, is aware of the
Fact that the cost Of advertising is
added to the taxes, and does not, in the
end come out Of the county, but must
be paid by the owners Of thclanes ad-
,crtised.
But one plilanthropic Orator claims
that it would be no more than justice to
the owners Of the lands to get the tax
list printed as cheaply as possible.
Again | refer them to the revenue law
which expressly says: ''The Treas,lr-
er is directed to charge and collect in
to taxes and interest, the sum
Of twenty cents on each tract Of real
property advertised for sale, when the
same is included in one line of single
column widtl, Of the paper in which the
publication is made, but if the discrip-
ion occupies more than one line Of said
single column width, then the sum shall
DC thirty cents for each description,
which sum shall go into the county
reasury.' Making it the privilege Of
very purchaser Of tax lands to pay the
hirty cents tbat he may recover his
hirty per cent penalty on that amount
Is well asOn the tax and interest.
It is true if the county could. hire the
ands advertised at fifteen cents per
description and charge thirty cents at
he sale, it would be fine chance for
speculation on her part, but rs there is
70 Statute authorizing any such pro-
.se1ns, ] will leave the disposal Of that
natter to the fertile brains Of stump
speakers aforesaid. am prepared to
lcar that they have discovered plan
lands may be sold for taxes
without advertising at all.
The manifestation of such a good
interest in the welfare of the county
he great lamentations over her calami-