Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-21


way pertain to the duties of your office, and the CON-
nissioners may if they tit, employ you to per-
form other duties and pay you for them. The mere
fact of your being auditor does not prevent you
from accepting such employment performing it, and
being paid for it when 1t is performed 1t follows
the effect of the resolution under consideration ID
merely to have the county purchases made by you or
under your supervision, and to furnish you with the
requisite help to do 1t, that 1t is III all respects law
full valid and legitimate. Indeed see no other way
in which could be done, as it would certainly De I'M
proper to employ the clerks in the auditors ONCE IN
such affairs as they are aced there to perform the
duties incident to that Office and that alone Yours
truly, G. d. OBRiEN.
Now I submit the question, who is right ?
The attorney general or the county attorney
Here arises a conflict of authority and who is
to decide the questions at Issue. 1t seems to
me that the opinion of the county attorney
should hold in all local or county affairs, es-
pecially in matters that in no way affect the
State, the same as the opinion of the attorney
general should be conclusive and final in mat
tiers pertaining wholly to State affairs. be-
lieye the attorney general TO be prompt and
efficient officer and have no doubt is thor
oughly honest in his decisions. but if he pro-
poses to decide all questions of a local nature
that will be constantly arising as to the proper
construction of the several general and special
laws of this State, he is assuming big job.
Referring to the other claims allowed
me for extra services l will sey that the pay
ment of ali of such bills was duly authorized
by the several boards OF county commissioners
of Ramsey county. constituted at the time by
Peter Berkey, Z. s. B!aisdel. +. ". johnson,
VIM. Lee James T. Maxheld, J. Il. Stewart,
VIM Dawson, Daniel Kelly, VIM. Lindeke, VIM.
WEIGH, 81. J. Brainasd, A. k. Maynard and
John Wagner-all well known citizens of the
county and gentlemen whose character and
personal integrity will be questioned by none.
They allowed those claims because they thought
they were legal, proper and just and that the
county and tax payers got value received.
RECEIPTS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR.
The examiner takes advantage Of the known
fact that dishonest clerk was employed in
the county treasurers Office, to criticise dis
crepency between my books and the supposed
receipts Of the treasurer. 1t was an unfOrtun-
ate fact that a dishonest man secured a subor-
dinate position in a county Office, but it was a
circumstance which is liable to happen in
any bank or mercantile house. The dishonest
clerk falsified the books changed footlngs after
they had been verified between my Office and
the treasurer's and stole the money. He was
promptly exposed, prosecuted and convicted
for his crime, and far as his rob-
bling was known, Col. Uline made up the
deficit. Without having had an opportunity
to confer with Col. Uline, owing to his alb
sence from the City am unprepared to say
whether the alleged deficit reported by the
public examiner is correct or not but it Ia
certain that all he claims to have discov-
cred is in the books kept by the dishonest
clerk in question. His populations were
originally discovered in the checking up be-
tween my office and the treasurer, and that he
was able to falsify the books before the shadow
of suspicion had tainted him is within the pos
siblities, but can scarcely be counted as an Of
fence or dereliction on my part.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
In reply 20 :he criticisms OF the examiner
under this head / will only say thGt far as
any duty l was required by law to perform to
enforce the payment and collection of those
taxes, it has been duly fulfilled and l cannot
in any way be held responsible for their non-
payment. In every instance where the law
has been complied with by the county treasurer
in making his return of Gelinquents l
have promptly certified the same to the
clerk of the district court for judgment. In
regard to my own personal taxes reported as
delinquen. by the public examiner. have to
say that the same were paid and the books so
showed it at the time he first saw the records of
delinquent personal taxes. Such being the fact,
1 feel that he has done me great injustice in
publishing my name as delinquent. l can
scarcely imagine why he did that without it was
fer q purpose.
In conclusion would broadly challenge any
one OF the parties whose names are herewith
published or any others to state whether l ever
exacted any consideration for official favors,
either in money or political support, or whether
directly or indirectly l have ever even remotely
limited that official favors would or could be Sc
cured in return for pecuniary or political sup
port. If there Is any such accuser let him
come forward and will pledge myself to the
tax payers of Ramsey county that the proof of
such a charge will result in my instant volun-
tary REIMBURSEMENT of my Office. l am ready
to submit my official conduct to the impartial,
unbiased voters of Ramsey county, and will ac-
cept their verdict without murmer. Very
respectfully, ETC.,
s. LEE DAVIS, County Auditor.