The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-04-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Commissioners Cannot Plead Ignoranc,

me commissioners CunnOt Ftedd ignorance
EDIToR REPosIroRY-Dear Sir AprOpos OF
your publication of the report of the Committee
appointed to examine the annual statement OF
the County Commissioners, and the attempt on
part of said Committee to excuse some OF the acts
against whicn they were compelled to report, on
the ground that the Commissioners were ignorant
that their conduct was unwarranted by law. l
beg TO draw your attention TO the fact that the
Committee appointed to examine the report Of
1872 reported pointedly and specifically against
some practices and evils; that the Committee Of
1873 again called the attention Of the COmmis.
sioners to the same practices and to the fact that
no attention had been paid to former recon-
mendatiOns and that the Committee OF 1875 again
in the most direct and pointed manner called the
attention Of the Commissioners TO their inatten.
ton to the former reports. MCGregor at that time
was "Out in the field" and was Clamoring for
Reform" and think published some Of the re-
ports Among other things, all these Committees
called specific attention to the lavish expenditure
Of the peoples money for stationery, blanks, post.
age, printing, gas, livery hire, &c, &C. as well
as the irregularity of the Commissioners in pass
ing and allowing bills outside of regular meet
ings, and their neglect TO keep record of their
proceedings. All three Of these reports also re.
ferred In pointed language to the fact that q GER
tain Republican County Treasurer had, in viola
tiOn Of a specific statute, and In the most shame.
less manner drawn from the Treasury $500 to
which he was in no wise entitled and which II l
mistake not he still holds in the face of three
rightly, recommended that he he. compelled to
refund. All of these reports will be found on file
in the Clerks office, and suggest thst perusal
OF them would, or might, greatly aid you in re-
view Of the present report. 1t would furnish evil
dence that the plea of ignorance is all CANNON,
or convict the Commissioners of willful ignorance
when the means of information was within
reach. Respectfully, JJ. CLARK,
1t is surely charitable in our legal
friends throwing the soft mantle of char.
ity thus over our Commissioners, and
we doubt not it is appreciated;
and doubtless the public will be equally
ready to throw that mantle over the ig-
noranCe of these committees as to Attor-
neys' fees. ITO be a well favored man
comes by fortune; but to write and read
comes by nature" flour attorney friends
are at sea in this respect, it is comforting
to know they are all right on everything
else.
Mr.. Clark refers to his report of 1875
but does not tell us what became of it.
j. ]. Parker Esq, then Prosecuting At
torney, refused to sign it; and Judge
Frease, then the authority to receive it,
quietly put it away sin its little bed"
and the first heard of the poor thing was
Mr.. Clark's own reference to his off
spring. Mr. Parker was not the man to
swallow J. j. Clark's nostrums, nolens 10.
lens; nor Judge Frease to pay much heed
to his lucubrations. 1t is worth some
thing, some times, to see man exercise
manhood