The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-12
county Rook.keeping.

Why this sudden burst of Indignation.
this feeble attempt at sarcasm on the part
of our esteemed morning paper, just be-
cause the finance committee want the
county clerk to open and keep set OF
books which shall lat all times show the
condition of the county? Is there anything
wrong ia ;the board of supervisors being
able to tell at any time just how much OF
the peoples money finds its way into the
trousers pockets of the county oficersY Is
it bad precedent for the people to know
how much money is collected from all
sources, and who gets it? Is there any
thing wrong in their knowing how much is
raised for the different funds and how
much is expended from these funds, who
gets it and for what service rendered. Is
there any objection to the board knowing
when, how often and how much salary is
drawn by the poor fellows in county offices,
| without taking their word for it2 Is there
any objection to. the board being able to
tell just how much the county owes with
out being obliged to hunt through the
receipts for the past twenty years,
as is the case in the claim that is pre-
sented now for payment which dates back
to the time when A. L. Wait was county
treasurer? How IS the board going to tell
whether this is just claim? Pray tell
us, is there any objection to the board
being able to tell whether any county or
ders have ever been drawn and paid that
were not authorized by the board2 It
seems to us we ,once heard it asserted that
such things had been done. Gentlemen
of the board are you prepared to say that
such has not been done2 Is there any
way that you can find out the truth or
lfalsity of this rumor2 Is there any reason
why the county clerk should not be re-
quired to keep set of books similar to
those kept by the city clerk of this city 7
We know of none unless it be that he is
. incompetent. bat is this. ANY excuse for
t you in not requiring it to be done? Who
inspired this sudden Indignation of the
!, Union? Who is opposed to the county
having a little honest bookkeeping 10 its
affairs? Is 1t our heavy taxpayers? Is
t it the people who elect the supervisors
Is it our highly esteemed county
clerk? If SO, what are his
; grounds of objection? If he opposes it,
e gets mad about it, and tears around gener,
: ally, there must be. some cause for his vic.
: lence. THE ARGUS has for some time
avoided making any criticisms on county
e affairs for the reason that the board of su,
pervisors has for several years occupied 9
S position of hostility against the newspaper
:, of this county-possibly it is on account Of
2 this hostility that the Union growls 81
Gercely about this book keeping business
e Did you over try to drive bull dog away
l. from good bone? Crowded, didn't hei
Watch the county clerk and see if hi
r grows about this bookkeeping business
b Believing that the present board of super
( visors does not entertain the hostility t
the newspapers that has characterized
It members Of previous boards, THE ARGU!
is will venture the above suggestions anC
a awaits the action of the board, assuring
l. them meanwhile that there are seVera
is things connected with county affairs unde
Ie their direction which it might amuse then
Is to know, and which might possibly aston
u ish them as well-and might give then
the keynote on which this growl abou
e. book keeping Is pitched.