The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-05-13
THOSE TIME S-COMAfLSSlONER
BLOON CONES TO THE RESCU@!


BL00N C0AEs no THE RESCUE
EDITOR ADVANCE: It is to be regretted
that there are individuals In our midst
who are ready and willing by word, act
aud deed to undertake to reflect upon
the integrity of the individuals upon
whom the duty happens to devolve to
provide for and carry the finances and
business of the county.
In your issue of May 9Th your CORES
pondent, Little Star, II don't wonder
who he are, Up above the street 80 high,
And looking down on passers by. charg-
es the Board of County Commissioners,
on account Of having passed certain
resolution to adjust and put in proper
shape the finances Of the county, with
doing acts and things contrary to the
statutes of the State Of Minnesota, and
cites Supreme Court in Goodnow vs..
Ramsey County in support of his charg-
es. These are not parallel cases, how
ever. They are as dissinilar in fact as
are your Little Star and the planet Ju-
piter. He quotes the supreme court as
saying The powers of the commission
ers are defined, and the means to be
used in the performance of tho duties
imposed designated by the statute Let
US turn to the statute and find the duty
and power of the board of county COM
missioners in the transaction of tho
business to which Little Star refers.
Oh. Sec. 104 Revised statutes: ''Said
board have full power to examine and
settle all accounts Of the receipts aud
expenditures of the county, and shall
have the care Of the county property
and the management Of the county funds
| and BUSINESS The present difficulty
which the commissioners are trying to
justly, rightly, honorably and lawfully
adjust has come upon them by the rea-
son, beauties and conveniences ~ of BIZ
ennial sessions of our legislature.
Owing to the failure of the crops in
1879 and the consequent cramped linan-
cial condition in which the taxpayers
were placed. many of them not having
raised the bread for their families much
less their seed for another season, it
would have done the Taxpayers great
injustice to have levied and imposed an
additional tax for the payment of the
bonds in question. 1t was therefore
deemed ine1pedient to levy an amount
sufficient to pay said bonds at the pres
ent time. wish to inform Little Star,
however, that no statute was violated
in not making the levy. The interest
thereon was duly provided for and is
now in the treasury. The principal was
not then nor is it now due. The pur-
pose of the commissioners is to save
from Eighty to Hundred dollars in
interest on said bonds. Little Star fur
ther says, But by this resolution the
interest and principal on these Jail Or
ders are to be paid from the proceeds of
the sale of other time orders bearing in
terest." They are to do no such thing.
If Little Stars legal knowledge, talent
and ability is to he compared with his
knowledge of the matter under cousid-
GRAFTON then am only wasting my time
in butting against him. There are two
Jail orders Of six hundred dollars each
outstanding, one due next July, the
other in July, 1881.
The principal and interest for the or
der first due, also the interest for the
other has been provided for and is now
in the treasury. lie further says, 1.-The
honest holders of other county orders
must wait indefinitely for payment, or
sell at a discount This is exactly
what the commissioners are trying to
avoid by issuing an order or orders due
at specified time, bearing no greater
rate OF interest than any county order
would naturally draw according to law,
and redeem all outstanding orders on
the general county revenue fund and
thereby at once bring all orders hence
forth issued to par value, and thereby
save several hundred dollars to tax pay
ers without increasing the indebtedness
of the county. 1t is we'll known that
under the present system, if the county
purchase a car load Of wood, books or
stationery for the use of the county Off
GERS, or purchase anything for the use
of the county, the discount of the order
given in payment is added to tho price
of the article; or it you chance to be i
juror, or witness, or work for the
county in any capacity YOU get your pay
in orders which you have to hold inde6-
nitely OF sell at u discount. Under the
plan which the commissioners. are EN-
deavoring to arrange all orders would
be paid Immediately on presentation to
the treasurer, you could draw your Or
der of the auditor and walk into the
treasurer's Office with a majestic air and
draw your money, at the same time
raising the already good credit of the
county to second to that of none in the
| state.
The plan if carried out will work with
equal justice and benefit to all, and in
jury to none. 1t may be we'll to state
that there will be no further need i'll the
future to incur any Indebtedness for
the current expenses of the county, their
being now sufficient taxable property
in the county to raise the necessary rev.
enue without increasing taxation. If
| the taxable property of the county CON-