The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-03-20
HOW STANDS THE SETTLEMENT
QUESTION.

QUESTION
A few words as TO the status of the set
Element of the Fessler deficit with the
hondsmen may not be out Of place, not
withstanding all that has been published,
All that has thus far been accomplish
ed is to clothe the County Commission
ers with authority to settle, leaving 1t to
their discretion. If they and the sure
ties can agree upon terms, within the
limits fixed by the act, settlement will
be made if they cannot agree, or if the
bail cannot or will not comply with or
fulfill the requirements, the attempt will
fall through, and the suit will have to go
on.
The act of the Legislature only affords
the opportunity. The Fessler sureties
will in due time, probably, make their
application to the County Commissioners,
when it will become the duty of the
Board to investigate carefully, consider
well, and act discreetly, with a view to
the best interests of the taxpayers Of the
county. Surely, no reasonable man will
object to the present shape of tie thing,
for no harm has been done to the tax.
payers thus far. The bail, as well as the
Commissioners, will probably have to
act as a unit, and all go in, or there will
be no settlement after all. Settlement
then, largely depends on the action of
the sureties.
When the Commissioners took posses.
sion of the Treasury Office after Fesser's
fight to Canada, there was a deficit of
some eighty-eight thousand dollars. The
deficit now is less than forty-three thou,
sand, and with the Canton city defalCa-
ton, 1t is about forty.fve thousand dol
lars in all, for which Fesslel's bail are
liable. The amount recovered from
Fessler in Canada, and collections since,
have reduced the deficit as stated above.
In justice to the County Commissioners
and their attorney, it is proper to Say, the
whole matter thus far has been managed
skillfully, faithfully and successfully,
There is, therefore, no reason what
ever that the Commissioners should be
accused of desiring settlement that
would sacrifice the interests Of the tax.
payers.
We ask again-What wrong has been
done thus far2 Without any party con-
siderations the Worley bill passed the
Legislature, so as to make settlement
possible. Without this, our County Com
missioners could not settle at all, not even
if the bail had offered SO per cent, or of
fered sum within the smallest fraction
of the entire claim. The howl, then, set
up and continued by the Repository over
this matter so far, has no foundation in
fact or right, and is only resorted to for
the purpose of making political capital
and raising prejudice against the editor
VI Iu6 DHMOChAT' 1ulh 10 6Vlu6uJ lTOLn
the fact that that paper has never once
named the Republican gentlemen who
nobly and magnanimously aided in the
passage of the Worley bill. Had the
Repository scribblers been actuated by
fair and proper motives, they would have
held all responsible who actively favored
the measure. The intelligent reader can
easily perceive the point, and judge
whether or not it is we'll taken. The in
consistency of the Chinese Joss organ is
manifest.
1t will be seen, then, that settlement
is not settled question. Negotiations
are now possible, whereas they were not,
before the passage of the Worley bill.
The settlement is yet to be made, and
depends entirely upon the sureties on
the one side, :and the County Commits
3ioners on the other. The result is not
yet assured, and time only can tell what
hat result will be.