Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-13

Joined to the idols that have been set up for
their worship by the Republican party.
BASE ASSAULT OF Il YENAL NEWS
PAPER.
The Pioneer Press renders County Audi
tor Davis q signal service by making one of
its characteristic infamous attacks, which it
showers upon every one who have ever
thwarted its greed for pelf. The excuse
cratic primary meetings are to be held this
evening, and county convention tomorrow,
before which Mr.. Davis is candidate for
q denomination. The malice of the attack
is the more apparent from the fact that
there is no candidate contesting the
nomination with Mr.. DAVIS, and if that
malignant sheet had any influence
with the Democratic party it could accom-
plish nothing beyond the qualification of its
desire to heap personal abuse and falsehood
upon an honorable citizen.
Last spring Republican grand jury, of
which one of the proprietors of the Pioneer
Press was member, sought to smirch Mr..
Davis, but signally failed. The jury called
to its aid the salaried spy known on the rolls
of Republican pensioners at the public crib
as "Public Examiner Knox" Neither the
jury or the spy could make success of their
partisan raid and hence, the latter espec-
tally, in order to do the bidding of his mas
tiers, resorted to positive falsehoods, and mis-
representation. The result of it all was
that they claimed to have discovered that
Mr.. Davis had allowed LAS tax payers to
escape the penalty by accepting their taxes
after the limit had expired when taxes be-
came delinquent. This charge was revamp-
ed by the newspaper in question though it
we'll knew every word was false. We can
not better reply to this than by quoting
the following portion of Auditor Davis
reply to the official spy which appeared in
the GLOBE of March 21st:
did not receive the books from the treasur-
err until June 7th, 1875, and had only twelve
days in which to copy and compare the delin-
quent list and file it with the county clerk. A
failure to have it filed with the clerk at the
the entire sale for the year and left the county
powerless to collect the taxes from those who
were absolutely delinquent. Some twelve or
fourteen hundred taxpayers had filed their
statements with the county treasurer before
the time allowed by law expired; setting forth
their desires and readiness to make their pay
ment. There was no 10 per cent penalty that
year for the non-payment of taxes and hun
dreds delayed until the very last day, taking
their chances upon the county treasurer being
able to receive the money and make out the re-
ceipts. AS matter of course it was physical
impossibility for the treasurer to supply the
receipts, anu he accordingly returned the books
to me with the applications made by parties
desiring to pay.
As my entire clerical force was at work in
copying and comparing the delinquent list as
already explained, had to complete that and
make the sale legal or stop to make out re-
ceipts for the list of names filed with the treas
urer and thereby lose the legal grip upon
those who had not made such application. 1t
was impossible to do both. If the law had
been as at present, adding 10 per cent. PEN
atty, the situation would have been different
regarding loss to the county, My not adver-
Using the list of applicants to pay as delin-
ouent may be what the public examiner would
term "broa aud cheerful spirit of accommo-
dation," and | feel proud to say tnat have al
ways conducted my office on that basis, SO far
as com plying with the spirit and letter of the
law will permit.
That the public may see whether / acted in
any spirit of personal or partisan favoritism
| present herewith list (marked Exhibit Al
of those who had flied their statements and APP
plications to pay before the legal limit had ex-
PRED, and whose names were not printed in
the list as delinquent. A persual of that list
is sufficient refutation of the public exalnin-
ers attack upon me upon this point.
-
1,436 auditor's statements made out wit hout
interest, and the amount collected was $l9I,-
1919. More than one half of these were paid
in June, and all but 1874 were paid in June and
July. The judgment for tax of 1874 was not
entered until September Oath, and the sale did
not take place until October Is, 1875. All but
fifteen of the omitted statements were paid be-
fore that date.
There is another feature that is worthy of
consideration. The county was not, at that
time, receiving interest from banks on depos-
its, and all taxes paid were placed in the banks
to lie without interest until the following Oc-
tober settlement. At that time, also, no
money could be drawn for any fund prior to
that settlement. There was a great business
depression upon the country and "a cheerful
spirit of accommodation" to the honorable and
ordinarily prompt tax payer was certainly
within the spirit of the law. If they had been
taken by the throat on the first of June many
would have been compelled to go
to the banks and borrow the money
at II per cent, and the identi-
cal money would have been returned to the
banks to lie four months without bringing any
revenue to the county. The wrong which
the public examiner charges me with in this
matter was not for my personal emolu-
ment. but against the community of tax-pay-
ers submit to the public of this city and
county the question whether l was justified in
accepting the tender of payment as so far COM
plying with the law as 10 relieve those tax-pay-
ers from the penalty of interest, (which is all
that could have accrued), and if they censure
me for this broad and cheerful spirit of &C
commodatIon," l bow to the verdict, though
with a clear conscience on my own part
The exhibit A" to which Mr.. Davis re-
fers, contains the names of nearly all the
active business men of the city, and We ara
shocked to notice that they even contain the
name of the Press, aud also its Individual
proprietors. Surely such immaculate per-
sons could not possibly Lave been party
to such a fragrant wrong as they now main
tain was committed.
The statement of the Pioneer Press that