The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-10-30
OBJECTIONS TOWM EBEARi.

.Isz3 OOS 4ON0 III .tKM.8A.sBEAl2e.s 9SssSss
We stated Ina former issue that the
/ Rev. VIM. N, Bear, the present Ring
candidate for County Treasurer !; lad
been knocked out Of a renominationfo for
Auditor two years ago because 81 Ills
arbitrary act in listing claims for taxa
ton which were not legally taxable.
Let US look into this 4 little further and
into some other points in his. public
record: ~ =. e. :. -. # ~
|. The last year of Mr.. Bears term
as Auditor, he ordered the Assessors to
enter on the assessment lists all govern
ment lands on which parties had held
claims for five years. Mr.. Mills, as
County Commissioner, protested
against this, and at Il session of the
County Board called on Mr.. Bear to
show his authority for doing so. Mr..
B., after beating about the bush, finally
admitted that he had no official instruc-
tions to do so, but that certain person
had told him that they ought to be tax
ed. Mr.. Mills then wrote to the At.
torney General of the State who replied
that the tax was illegal. This opinion
was published in the ADVANCE at the
time, AS our readers we'll remember.
This arbitrary act added considerably
to MI. Bears percentage, but it cost the
farmers no little trouble and the coun-
ty considerable sum to undo what he
had done. He expected to have made
homesteaders pay an illegal tax of SIS
to $40 each to enable him to get his per
cent. of the assessed valuation added to
his OWN pay, which was increased sew
eral hundred dollars by the transaction.
.. Mr.. Bear, when Audito placed on
the tax list lands on which final proof
had been made up to the last day before
turning them over to the County Treas
urer, when they are not legally taxable
if title is perfected after the LIST of May.
Why did he do this? Doubtless be-
cause his salary is made up from IL per-
centage OIL assessed valuation.
3. During Mr.. Bears term as County
Auditor, E. s. Mills, as Chairman of
the Board of Audit, insisted on exam
lining the County Accounts in detail,
and notwithstanding the. protest OF
Mr.. Bear and his solemn assurances
that they were correct, and although,
the books showed correct and fair bal
ances, they were found to he more than
One Thousand Dollars short of being
correct. For proof, we refer to the
minutes of the official board and papers
OH file in the Auditol', office. Ever
since this, not only Mr.. Bear but the
whole Ring have been Of the opinion
that Mr. Mills is unfit to do county
business.
4. About the 22d of December, 1877.
the Board Of Audit made Il settlement
of County Accounts, and again found
them short of being correct to the
amount of $40. \ hill of the entire
business was made up with their report
to the County Commissioners attached
thereto, setting forth the above facts,
and signed b. every member of the
Board. It was left with the Auditor
for presentation to the Commissioners
ut their next meeting. It was pigeon
holed and has never been presented.
5. During Mr.. Bears first term as
Auditor he let contracts without adver-
Using. lie contracted and bound the
county to pay $500 for building bridge
across the naarows of Ochectla Lake
! Wheir the actual cost to CONTRACTOR was
less than $500. We are assured Ly
| Scandinavians across the lake that Mr..
Bear promised them bridge if they
would support him for office, and that
one of the conditions Oh which the con-
tract was let to the Iowa contractor
WAS that Mr.. Bears son should laye
the hauling of the lumber. Mr.. 81 ar's
son did haul the lumber to build the
| bridge.
OUR COUNTY ACCOUNTS IN BAD
| SHAPE.
Our county accounts have never been
kept in such way us to show at the
commencement of Il Treasurer term
OF office, or at any time during the
term, what amounts were placed in lis
hands for collection.
The Financial Report of 1873 was
made up without showing the list of Or
ders issued as the law directs. Also
without including cash on hand, over
$4,000 at the commencement of the
year.
The official Statement for 1879 did
not show the amount of cash on hand
Belonging to either of the different
county funds 1T the commencement of
the year, NOR the amount Of cash paid
out for either of them during the year,
nor did it show the amount Of cash in
the Treasury 1T its close.
During the last three years County
Bonds have been issued to the amount
of Sixteen Thousand Dollars to pay
current expenses, not one dollar of
which has been accounted Tor in any
part of the published financial state
ments. These reports are made from
the accounts the Same as mercantile
business statements,
Taking the published statements as
they appeared in both papers, and the
conclusion is inevitable that there is
either gross lncompetency in making
the reports or there is II studied attempt
to cloak something under a mass of fig.
ures. The most incompetent School
District or Town Clerk in the County
would not he excused for making SO
many omissions and plumbers.
Aunitor Walker can take either hor :.
of the dilemma. He is either incompe.
tent, or he is covering up something