The Red Cloud chief., 1881-06-30
They Don't lnvSstiRate.

We have ut last succeeded in getting
an expression from the commissioners
in regard to the investigation that so
much has been said about. We were
satisfied from the start that the com
missioners would not move in the
matter SO long as they could avoid 1t,
and now they say that they will not
have an investigation of county affairs
unless they are compelled to. In the
face Of the TACT that one Of the com
missioners has told us that he was sat
isied that there had been crookedncss
on the part Of the present county Off
GERS, and that one Of the other two
commissioners acknowledged in pres
ence of two witnesses that certain
alleged charges against the county
clerk published in the CHIEF last win
ter were true, they still refuse to in
vestigate unless they are compelled
to. They well know that the only way
to compel them to do their duty is to
take the matter into court, and that
n individu al cares to spend any con
siderable amount of money to compel
the county commissioners to do their
sworn duty. We are informed upon
pretty good authority that the county
clerk has fraudently obtained from the
county 81, 100 for clerk hire and that
the commissioners are satisfied that
said amount was unlawfully obtained,
yet they, as sworn guardians of the
county's interests refuse to institute
proceedings to recover the amount or
to set on-foot an investigation to ascer
tain whether or not the county has
been robbed in various other ways.
We have interviewed a considerable
number of the Taxpayers of the coun-
ty in the last six months, and We are
satisfied that at least two thirds Of the
people believe that the cOunty's affairs
have not been honestly administered,
The commissioners have heard this
complaint on every side, for months,
yet they say they will not take any
steps to see if county affairs have beer
kept in proper shape unless they are
compelled to. What is a board O
county commissioners for? is it simply
their duty to meet at the county sea-
once in a while and draw their pay, OF
is it their duty to guard the interest.
of the county? The present board o
commissioners have shown themselve.
to he willfully negligent or else who'll.
incompetent to discharge the duties o
! their Office, and in view of these fact
it becomes our duty N n journals
and a taxpayer to publicly charge th'
present board of county commissioner
with shameful disregard Of their swOrr
duty, and with the, if possible, more
serious crime of causing to be publish
ed a false report of their proceeding
as a board of commissioners.
We are done. We have laboret
long and earnestly in this matter il
the interests of the taxpayers, anC
have used all honorable al to in
duce the commissioners TO do wha
) they certainly knew to be their dut!
to the people of this county, but whel
cornered they say unless we arc com
PEELED to, we won't move in the mat
ter" So be it, and let the people judg'
your motives.
We did what We believed Il
be our duty to the people in the prem
ises, and We repeat, We r done, ant
to use the language of the illustr'ou'
though misguided board Of count!
commissioners, I'VE absolutely refns'
to have anything more to do with TN
,~,.,tor unless COMPELLED to-"