The Grange advance., 1874-03-25

formances, and, perhaps, give No some rea'
son for his infamous proceedings. But not
50. Although he said he VAS going to no.
tice tl.s editorial containing some Of these
charges, it seems TO have been no part yof
his intention to do So To the charges that
he has, without cause, bounded the people
Of this county as though they were !aga-
bonds, outlaws and swiudlers, that he has
added to the burden Of taxation unnecessa.
~ fees, that he has made the people bleed
for no other purpose under the heavens
than TO put little more commission into
the pockets Of Ole Hegua, that he has used
tue law, not for the public good. but as
though it were made for the special benefit
Of Ole O. Hegna-to all Of these he, replies
just - every public thief and pluuderer
since the days Of Adam has replied. by say
ing, you're another" and by attempting
to draw attention to other matters that have
nothing to do with these charges.
As he does not even pretend to deny it
be virtually admits that the commission was
what he was after, and that only. His
term was rapidly approaching its end, and
he must be up and getting the last cent out
Of this thing there was in it. Well, now,
it is natural to inquire what has he done,
what service has he rendered for these fees
and commissions? If he has been fnith-
full, competent, hard working officer, if he
has brought superior skill and knowledge
to the performance of the duties OF this
Office. if he has labored constantly and
diligently in the service Of the county dur
ing his term, then we might be disposed to
overlook in a measure the harsh and un-
just course he has pursued to put u little
more commission in his pockets. But it is q
we'll known fact that this man was wholly
incompetent for the Office, that he has not,
and could not, perform the duties thereof,
that in fact the business of the Office has
been almost wholly performed by deputy,
that about all he has done himself is to draw
his fees and consmissions. In this one thing
only he seems to have heen perfectly COM
petent. We see then that he hos been
nothing but cormorant, q public leech,
blood-sucker, living upon the labor Of
others. and pockeiing money for which he
has rendered no service himself.
Not only was he utterly incompetent him
self for the duties Of the Office, but he
would not even have kept an efficient depu-
ty had he not been compelled to do so by the
County Commissioners. About the first of
March, 1872, he dismissed the faithful and
competent deputy who had for years per-
formed the duties of treasurer to the satis-
faction of the tax payers, and attempted to
run the Office himself with an inexperienc-
ed deputy. On the 10th Of March, or a
little over two weeks thereafter, the County
Commissioners were compelled to pass the
following resolution Of censure:
WHEREAS, The County Commissioners,
upon examination Of the books of the Coun-
ty Treasurer, are dissatisfied with the
present condition Of the same; therefore,
Resolusd, That the County Treasurer is
hereby requested to appoint a more efficient
deputy"
This, believe, was the first time that
Goodhue county was ever 80 humiliated by
the ignorance and ineapacity Of public
Official. The Board did not ask him to
keep the books in better shape himself, be-
cause they very we'll knew he could not,
but simply demanded that he keep an
efficient deputy. Now, if he got the books
SO muddled up in a little over two weeks,
what would he have done had he run it
through his entire term? What would the
financial candition OF this county be to-day,
had it not been for the faithful Commission
ers? I do not mean to intimate that he
muddled the books in order to
defraud the county and leave no means of
detection. Ibelieve it was merely the re-
suit Of gross ignorance and utter incompe-
tency.
Such is the character of his services, and
such is the man who has been dogging the
people Of this county and increasing their
taxes in order that he might grasp the last
farthing Of fees and commissions, and drain
the last drop Of blood nominated in the
bond' before he lost his clutch upon the po-
sition he was so unqualified to fill.
Let US look for moment at some of the
statements he makes in his card" He
says that I am the loan agent of that grand
the Etna Life Insurance Com
pany, and that l take extended trips
through the State hunting up Victims