Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-03-17

for Jour Judges to do wrong. From lhe
moment . County Judge enters upon the
discharge Of his duties the people have no
voice 10 what concerns them. If their
wishes prevsil. il is by his indulgence, not
because Of any power in them to enforce
their claims and assert their rights. They
have no such power under the present sys-
TEN. Sir. the simple fact that ! County
Judge may if he please, aad when he
plsasss, fastsn upon the county liabilities
which will embarrass its operations and
cripple its energies for years, is Of itself
enough to utterly condemn the system and
authorize radical change. The disfavor
with which it 10 received 10 marked and
universal. So far as know there isno friend
ly voice upon this Asor to urge its retention
no friendly arm to stay its overthrow.
The presen nt system is unjust aad oppres,
sive in its operations and wrong in princi.
pie. Monopoly Of power is always danger
GUS alike to the integrity Of the individual,
and the dearest interests of the people
We have tried the present system as Al
experiment and it has failed. Il is az
knowledged that some change is necessary,
but to determine wha, that change shall he
is the difficult step.
There are two propositions presented for
our consideration, tie Supervisor aud the
Commissioner systems. The former en- :
bodies the true idea Of represe nta1ive gov.
ernment. The latter is a modification of
the present system, infested with the same
noxious, erroneous principle Of concentra.
ted power. The doctrine Of concentrated
power is hostile to the genius and spirit OF
our government. Why is our State divi.
dsd into 30 many counties, each perfect
corporation in itself, with power to control
its own local interests? Manii.sly be
cause iowa, divided into one hundred coun
ties, can subssrve the public good better
than 1t comprised in one county. Each
county has its own advantages and disad
vantages; its own local matters which the
people Of that locality can manage better
than the State. So each county is divided
iuto townships. and each township has in
terests to itself, and should have the same
part to act in the management Of county
affairs that the county has il the govern
ment Of the State. Hence it is that this
bill provides for County Board Of Super.
visors--one from each viltownship. This
secures to each township certain and i'm
portant influence in the county govern
ment Their interests are Involved and
they have right 10 it rs a means Of pro.
lection.
|. is argued tha. the present system is
more prompt and efficient in the exercise
OF its powers. Precisely the same argu-
ment asails the autocratic in preference to
the representative system of government.
The objection is hsre. The efficiency, the
promptness OF one man power is not
always in the right direction 1t may be
hostile Ms well as friendly to the general
good. All depends upon The will aud char.
acter Of the msn. And, as all men are
liable to err, aud subject to evil and malgu
influence, it follows that the interests OF
the governed are without any reliable
guaranty.
The chief interests Of a people cannot
With safety be conhied in Que man. We
know this from experience. Yet the affairs
Of . county cannot be carried on without
conhding discretionary power somewhere
Now, where shall II go! Some say let us
oSSSSi0kS WV pSloSho wan tHC SOuutN
Judge, and entrust this power to them -
You thereby delhrone the au,ocral, it is
true, but you erect u limited monarchy in
his place and while you have destroyed
much Of the despatch and efficiency OF the
present system, you have not rendered i'm
possible Or even Improbable the abuses Of i;
which now exist. IL is comparatively easy
for three men TO comblue against the
many especially when their responsibility J
is the same, to tae county at large. They
will be created by the same power; ,hey
will be chosen by Lesrl the same votes
and it is fair, therefore, to presume tha,
their political and local sympashies aud
interests will be almost identical. Such
men are no real checks upon each other
and the only assurance whieh such y sys-
TEN would give OF q faithful administration
is the bare possibility that two out of every
three men thus selected will he honest an 4
devoted to the interests Of the people -
This IL all wrong III principle. and would
not inaugurate the reform So long needeu
and desired. Ii such is the best system
then follow it out take the control o
your State Treasury from this body aud
place it in The hands OF three Comnis sion.
ers. II the policy and pruciple are good
in the one case they are in the other. The
difference in the amount OF interest in
volved does no, effect the principle. Be-
sides, Sir, your State revenue is an ins,g-
meant sum compared with the aggregate
OF your county .eyenue. Yet each locality
in the State has its representative here,
acting rs checks upon each other, in the
disposal of your funds and nanas cement OF
your affairs. 30 that the rights oi no local
ity shall be prejudiced or sacrificed. Every
county. 50 far as its own affairs are con-
cerned, is u State in itself. Then why no,
give to each township voice in the county
government that will protect the interests
Of its own locality. act AS check upon
others. aud contribute to the harmony aud
prosperity Of he whole. You choose three
Commissioners from, tho county and i,
will always be in the power Of the towns
and thickly settled districts TO combine
aud determine the selection. You may
compel them TO choose from different pnr.
tions Of the county il you please, but the
voice that slevatss them to power will con
troll their actions. What we desire and
what the public interest demands is, tha,
our officers should be directly responsible
to those On whose rights they have tram,
pied. Let the people have the power as
much ~ may be, in their own hands, and
they will protect themselves. This can
be affected only through such a system as
is contemplated in this bill
- a ~
pervisor system. Our treasures are de-
ple,ed, not by the salaries paid to officers,
but by the pilfer,ngs they are permitted to
practice, aud will continue to practice, un.
III you enable the people of each tow nship
TO place sentinel over the public revenue.
The additional expense Of u Supervisor