Fair play., 1877-04-19
CORRESPONDENCE.
Our County Court and tho FL
nanclal Statement.

fuses. every year, to have Il detailed
sfntement of the receipts and cXpcn-
ditures Of our county published in
our county paper: Are they igno
rant of the law on this subject : or
are they unwilling TO let the people
know what they are doing with the
county money: We all assist in pay
ing the expenses of our county, and
we have Il right to know what be-
comes of the money We place in the
hands of our county officers for this
purl'n-e.
According to law. there should be
defoited statement Of the receipts
and expenditures of the county pub
lishcd in the county paper every year;
and if our county court refuse or
neglect to have it published. they
thereby subject themselves 10 u fine
of not more than five hundred dol
lars. or Imprisonment in the county
Jail for not longer than one year.
Now, If our county judges are ac-
guainted with this law-and Of
course they nre-why do they refuse
TO have this statement published, and
run the risk OF being fined several
hundred dollars! In these days of
fraud and corruption among public
officials, every unusual act on their
part is looked upon with suspicion by
the people: and when our county
court openly refuse to act in accord
ance with the law, and thereby run
so great a risk, l must say that it
looks like something ras rotten
yOme.rhere. ! do not say that any
member Of the court would commit y
dishonest act, but when they refuse 20
comply with the law. the people are
bound to have their suspicious
aroused.
According to the statement pub
lishcd last year, the county cxpendi-
lures for the year 1873 amounted to
2l,7O4.T7. To whom, aud for what
purposes was all this money paid!
The statement fails to say. 'Tis true,
il says part of the money was paid TO
l'aupers, grand jurors, petit jurors,
ETC., but it does not tell us who
those men are. Who are they and
how much was each man paid? That
is what the people want to know
There was paid out during that year
for paupcrs alone the neat little sum
of $l379. Now, what are the names
of those paupcrs who cost our coun-
ty over one hundred dollars 4 month?
The board OF equalization expense,
to $lS5 90. but the state
mcnt does not tell us the names of
the men who received this money.
The grand and petit jury expenses
to over $1,000. Who were
those jurors! The election expenses
TO more than 800. To
whom was this money paid: What
service uid they render! Many thou-
sand dollars were paid out for 9th
cr expenses. but the court refuses to
let the people. who furnish the mon-
ey tor these expenses. know To whom
they gave the money.
How are the people TO know that
heir money is not wasted or >quan- /
l!cred. il the court does not allow I,
them 10 know what becomes of il:
Aud how are tine people 10 know that
HE county expenditures amount 10
one-half as much As it is claimed .
they do. when appearances seem 10
indicate that the members OF the .
court are u1guid TO let them know .
what they are doing with the money:
hope the court Will. this wear.
see proper 10 nave 4 detailed state
ment of the receipts and cxpendi-
lures published. - that the tax-pay-
ne citizens may see and know what
brcomc> of the money.
For the benefit of the court. will
low give the Law on this subject.
which can lie iound on pages 229 and
80 of the General Statutes OF Mis-
ouri:
SECT. % Ii shall ne the duty of
,uuuty business in the several coun-
les of this state. at the regular
.;'ring term OF their respective courts
II each wear, 20 ascertain the amOuu.