The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-03-07

of the items set forth in the report are
sufficiently explicit to put the exam
liners on the track of any Illegally,
yet there is q large class embraced
under the general head of "miscellan-
eous" amounting to the sun of $685.
76, which, had it not been for o sche-
dule furnished the committee by the
Auditor, would have been without
any explanation and the particular
items included under it could only
have been ascertained with great diff
iculty. While it would probably not
be practicable to dispense entirely
with this head, we would suggest the
propriety ofmaking the list under il
as short as possible. There has been
a large amount of business done by
the Commissioners during the year
embraced in their report, and as far
as we have been able to ascertain, il
has been generally done correctly,
and the payments for the same were
such as were authorized by law with
a few exceptions-among these is,
first, a road scraper, $l1,75. We find
no law authorizing this, although it
may have been economy in the coHn-
ty 10 purchase it. Second, payment
to the Prosecuting Attorney of 5000
for drawing bonds of county officers
the law allowing him compensation
for this was repealed April Is, 1865,
see S. s. S., pages 633 and 634. Third,
in regard to the delinquent tax list,
this has been, uniformly, as we I'M
derstand, published in both of the
county papers, and was so published
during the year embraced in this re-
port at at expense of $134,32. The
law authorizing its publication says
that "the Auditors ofthe several cour-
ties in this State shall cause the list Of
delinquent lands in their respective
counties to be published weekly, for
two weeks, between the twentieth
day of December and the third Tues
day in january in Il newspaper in
the English language and no more
(Ohio Laws, vol. SO, page 1863. The
law authorizing the double publica-
ton of certain official advertisements,
| Ohio Laws, vol. 10, page 10, express
iy excerpts this list. By adhering
strictly to the law one-half of the
above sum might have been saved.
Fourth, in the matter OF the calico
ton of the delinquent tax on person
al property, we find that the officers
have continued to act under the law
of March Goth, 1856, Is. Sc S., page
1897 although the law of May "a,
1877, in force at the time ofthe june
collection, provides for doing it in a
different manner. BY The act ofI8G6
the Commissioners were authorized
to employ and pay local collectors,
and the expenditures under that act
amounting in this report to S255,79
would have been perfectly legitimate,
but the law of May I'd, 1877, (Ohin
Laws, vol. "a, page 1869 changes this,
and requires the Treasurer to collect
these taxes himself, adding ten per
cent. penalty to the amount of such
delinquency and allowing him Che
Treasurer) to retain five of this as
compensation for his extra trouble.
Whether the-law as it now stands, II
\ change for the better, we can not
say, and it does not in express terms
repeal the law of 1866, but we would
recommend giving it a fair trial.
We find that the law governing the
payment of bailiffs has not been strict
iy adhered TO. This law (Ohio Laws,
vol. Y, pages s. and 49, provides
that "the amount of his services shall
be certified by the Court" We find
in one instance, at least, where it has
been included in the account Of the
Sheriff and allowed and paid with his
bill. We would recommend strict
conformity to the law in this as well
as in all other cases.
In regard to the examination of
teachers, we have been unable to find
any statute authorizing the pGblica-
ton of the list of question for these
examinations or for paying either for
these or for the standing advertise
ment of the days on which the same
are held. 1t is true that the statute
does require this notice to be given,
not, as we think, in the form of a
standing advertisement however, but
as no provision is made for paying for
it and the Supreme Court have decidz
ed that "where a service for the benz
eft of the public is required by law,
and no provision for its payment is
made, it must be regarded as gratui-
tous, and no claim for compensation
can be enforced" AS to the list of
questions, we do not find any statute
authorizing them, they certainly are
not included under the head of either
blanks or stationery which the Audi
tor is bound to furnish, and if their
publication is necessary, which we
very much doubt, the law should be
amended or there should be some 9TH
Ell method derived for paying for
them.
We wish to call the attention of the
| Commissioners, and also of tile other
county officers, to II class of dis
bursements which appears in this re-
port, and on which we would offer G
few suggestions. This is in the mat.
ter of the public printing, blank
books, blanks and stationery. The
| entire cost of these several items as
| shown by the report is $2,42S.92. O7
this amount probably about $1,3OO.Ot
was used in payment for advertise.
ments which the law requires to b.
inserted in both of the county papers
including the delinquent list, no
so required, heretofore mentioned
| Whether this law does or does not re
quire a useless expenditure of money
it is not Jul province nor that of thu
Commissioners to determine, but il
looking over it we can hardly avoit
the conclusion that there is much O
it for which the people never receiv
value. This is a fault however, if
fault at all, of our legislation, and j
not such an one as can be c~orrectei
by our County Board. But in regar
to the purchase of blank books, blank