Daily Republican., 1879-02-17

we raLnbf eApcctou oono"o"'"
tearing up by the down State papers
that reached us last Saturday, because
We had dared TO say that Kent and
Sussex counties had dsrauitod in the
payment OF $26, 900 to the State, which
had been owing since 1876, and We
watched anxiously for the arrival Of
the mails, that we might see what they
had to say about us. We must confess
that We were somewhat disappointed,
for ". had expected to be abused in
round terms. About the first paper
opened was the Sussex "Journal," the
organ of the Democracy Of Sussex. a
county which has detaultrd in the
amount of ga, 900 due the State. As
that paper Is edited by an imported
carpet hagg-r from the Eastern Shore
Of Maryland, and who is also Clerk Of
the Peace, Bourbon Of the Bourbons,
We expected to hear fiery denunciations
against us, and prompt denial of the
charge We made that Sussex was de
faultrr, but instead of this we clip from
its editorial upon the subject the fol-
lowing rather tame acknowledgement
THAT Sussex does owe q balance to
the State Is true, und.nied and uLde-
niable, and it Is also true that she has
outstanding assessed and uncoll-ct-d
taxes, fully secured, sufficient not only
70 nav the State and county debt, but
also every outstanding order allowed
BY the Levy Court
This 10 honest indeed in the Journal
% honest indeed that We cannot find it
In our heart 70 chide it, but would
merely say that it would be more
honest act for Sussex to pay the State
what is owing to it instead Of using the
"a, 900 due and cheating the State out
Of the interest. Seeing amongst our
pile Of exchanges the Seaiord "Index,"
alss Democratic light, We eagerly un-
Splded IL and scanned its editorial col
ANN, but ws soon found that it only had
time and space for an article in favor
Of local option. Its editor had svi.
IDENTIFY not heard Of the defalcation Of
Sussex and 50 had nothing TO say.
Coming to Kent County We picked up
the Milford "Chronicle," an enterpris-
ing local paper Of independent leanings,
bat We were surprised to find that it
Had never heard, or if it had heard, II
hsd forgotten to mention the dsfalcation
s,Ksnt County Tor 1900.
The next paper that attracted our at
1sntion was the Peninsula News and
Advertiser" formerly Republican hut
now with Greenback tendencies, but
With suficient independence and back
bone to expose the delinquencies o
Kent County, and from its editorial or
the subject We re-publish the following
paragraph;
One of the advantages of having a
faithful and efficient public servant
i manifested in the recent report of
Dr. N. Pratt, ex-State Auditor, who has
simply told the truth in relation to the
delinou.ncies OF Kent and Sussex coun
ties in paying over the State tax colleo
tod and used by them previous to March
1877, when the law laying the tax wal
repealed. From DR.. Pratt's repor
made to the Legislature, it seems tina
Kent county has held on to $l2, 900 o
this money, which her collectors hac
collected and paid over to the County
Treasurer, and which has been spen
10 pay county debts, instead of being
paid over to the State Treasurer Il
whose custody it properly belonged
Sussex county, in the same manner
was delinquent to the State to thu
amount of $4,000. so that tho tot"
amount of the funds of the State tina
have been held on to for years and use'
by these counties without interest, i
$26, 900!
Our contemporary however does no
admit that this is a defalcation, bu
only a piece of sharp practice for tn
county to get the use of money to pa
county Indebtedness and county exper
.es without paying any interest upo
it, and it says farther that this none
has been collected by the county colle'
tors, and used by the Levy Courts
these counties, and it is right and PROF.
or that the people shall know and III
derstand.
We cannot clos, our illusions to til
HNews'n article, without giving tn
following concluding paragraph, wit
our hearty endorsement
The finances of these counties hay
been 80 badly managed, and 50 muc
money has been lost under the chea
ing tax law, in the effort to return
long list of Republican delinquent
that they cannot get along withor
largely increasing the tax upon prope
ty holders, letting the county bills G
unpaid or holding on to the State
money. They have chosen the latte
method, and the Legislature may MAX
the most Of it. II thew can, thes
counties ought in fairness be made
pay the - years interest on the $40
900 v,.ich viii g, 100 additions
The State has had to pay this much Q