The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-11-24
THE COUNTY BOARD.

The session of the county board on
Tuesday gave promise of being rather q
lively one and number of outsider drop
ped in to hear little granger eloquence.
The discussion of the commissioners re-
port was limited to Ferd. Ostenfeldt and
Peter Johnston. 4 number expected
John Carey to shy ais beaver into the
ring but he did not quit the chair and a
number were disappointed at the Forest
Demosthenes having held his peace.
Ostenfeldt delivered very logical and
analytical argument. Below will be
found On epitom5 of both speeches.
The report of the committee appointed
to confer with the commissioners was
first read and Stoker moved its indefinite
postponement. This took number 10y
surprise and it was voted upon IN q sort
of hap hazard way. The vote stood l6
to for postponement. The resolution
of Ostenfeldt was then read. J. P. No
Ian moved the adoption of the resolution.
On the adoption Mr.. Ostenfeldt spoke
substantially as follows: 1 feel that a
few words on this subject are necessary
so that the resolution may be fully un-
derstood. There should be no hard feel
ing between members of this board on a
question of this kind. I desire simply to
state my reasons for presenting this reso-
luton. There is no member of this body
not fully satisfied that the report of the
commissioners is wrong and unjust, and
any remedy by which the wrong can be
corrected should be improved by the
board. The law under which the COM
mission acted should be repealed and l
hope that the gentleman, a member CT
this board, elected to the legislature will
attempt its repeal in the interests of JUS
tice. Look at the law as demonstrated
in its operation in this county. The men
took up their head quarters in this city.
They did nothing at first because they
did not know what to do. They looked
over the city and enjoyed its hospitality.
They did one thing that might look like
the performance of duty; looked over
lists of sales specially prepared for their
scrutiny before their arrival in Manito-
voc. They then travelled hastily through
the county not for the purpose of arriv-
ing at fair equalization but to make the
people believe they were working in their
interests. In "a days these men assessed
the property of eighteen towns and seven
wards. A time barely sufficient to pro.
perry assess one town. No assessor can
assess the property in his town, where
he is acquainted, in less time than four
weeks. But these gifted men, strangers,
can do that work in one day. Then hav-
ing made their report and their bill they
go home. Thank God for that. The
county board must accept the report of
these men as final, so says the law. There
is no escape whether the commission con-
sisted OF competent or incompetent men.
Look at the composition of that body,
MIR. Conkiin was city attorney of Fond
du Lac, city which had instituted pro-
ceedings similar to those in which he was
Judge. He was the head and brain of the
commission. 1t is his report with all
his prejudice in favor of the city in
contest with the country towns. have
seen great deal of humbug but nothing
to match making this mans decision
binding upon the county board and al
lowing no redress.
Have the commissioners acted accord
ing to law? IF not their action is null
and void. Mr.. Ostenfeldt read the law
in pursuance of which the commission
was appointed and showed that the COM
missioners are to review the action of the
county board. The county board equal
ICES all property. The commission must
review the entire act of the board in thus
equaliziug. 1t cannot review part and
ignore the rest. The law of 1850 may lie
divided into two parts, one to define the
duties of the commission, the other 10
give reas ons why the duties are thus i'm
posed. The use Of the words s'real es-
tate" in the law was not to limit the COM
missioners to that species of r~...-
The term is used
'0- --o me main portion of property. But
If there is any man in doubt, here is
decision of the supreme court on the mat
ter. Here portions OF the decision were
read, showing that personal property
may be reviewed by the commission.
The commission having failed to comply
with the law its acts are null and void.
I hope all will act in accordance with
their convictions and that none will per-
jure themselves for a small pecuniary ad-
vantage, by voting against their own con-
science.
. Mr.. Johnston: The gist of the matter
is that there is come dissatisfaction with
the report of the commission. It was to
be expected that there would be. No
commissioners can please all parties.
The very reason the commission was ap-
pointed was because there was dissatis-
faction. The city justly felt aggrieved
at the manner in which it has been treat
ed but could not obtain redress until
this law was enacted. Cities generally
were oppressed and it was because of this
reason and TO give the minority some
| means of securing justice that this law