Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-09-04
A GOOD SUGGESTION.

Something Worthy she Considers.
ton of the Commissioners.
1t is q fact that has been noted and com
mented upon by many citizens who have
witnessed the proceedings Of the County
Commissioner that in one respect, at
least, they do not act on strict business
principles. Very frequently bills are pre-
sented which no one of them seems to
know anything about. When such a bill
is read the Board undertakes to discuss it
and often find themselves entirely in the
dark. There is a difference of opinion
among them as to the facts in the case,
and they have either to enter upon an in.
vestigation while in session, lay the bill
over, or pass it at q venture. Then per-
haps some outsider chips in while the bill
is under consideration and the utmost con-
fusion prevails. May be there is some
talker opposed to it and some other orator
advocating its passage. There is no doubt
that bills have been rushed through by
this pressure from the outside because
they were made to appear popular meas
ures or because the Commissioners became
so confused they did not know what end
they were standing on, and rather than be
badgered and made laughing stocks of, ac-
cepted this as the easiest way out Of the
difficulty. There is no business in this.
1t is criminal. The County Commission
ers are presumed to be gentlemen OF intel
ligence. They ought to know what they
are about, and ought to act ad visedly
always, for they have the handling Of the
peoples money, which m into the
traoat1rv az xhis TINA ttIa kr1aIv o-ra..
from a community ground down by taxa
ton. The Board should know exactly
what a bill ought to be before it is pre-
sented, and be able to decide on its passage
or rejection at once. Some one of the
members at least should be perfectly
familiar with every item and be able to
vouch for it without hesitation, il it be
correct; and II not correct he should be
able to recognize the fraud at a glance.
What business man is there that has to
Investigate" a bill that is presented to
him? Such q man would be considered
an incompetent, an ass, and nobody
would think him entitled to sympathy if
he should be defrauded and robbed. The
County Commissioners are paid to attend
to the business of the county and they
should give up enough OF their time, in
consideration OF S100 per month, to famil-
iarize themselves with the demands against
the county to enable them to distinguish
instantly between q just and q fraudulent
claim.
Again, the. present Board Of County
Commissioner have often accepted the
oath Of claimants as an adequate guaran-
tee of the business Of their claims, pre-
ferring to do so rather than to investigate,
and the peoples money in conse-
quence is grabbed out of the treasury
as by a mob. This is bad; it is
frightful. Some men lie without any
compunction; some men also perjure
This has been proved too often to be ques-
ton cd. Now, Mr.. Stewart, the Road
Supervisor, has had a number Of large bills
before the Board and he has been paid big
sums Of money. For what? The Com
missioners cannot tell. They admit they
cannot. Who in the devil, then, is to
know what Mr.. Stewart 10 doingP We do
not charge Mr.. Stewart with dishonesty.
We know nothing about him. Every de-
mand he has made upon the county for
money may be just and correct to . cent.
But this makes no difference. In handling
the money that 10 not theirs the Commits
sioners should suspect everybody that goes
after a cent Of it-not suspect, either, but
act as though they suspected q job in every
bill. The square up-and-up man does not
fear the light. He courts 1t. Now, then,
taking Mr.. Stewards case for example. He
comes before the Board with no other
guarantee for the correctness Of his bills
than his own oath. We may be willing to
accept this guarantee % final, but the
Commissioner have no business to do so.
In the proceedings Of the Board yesterday
we note the suggestion Of John Horn,
an old and respected citizen, and, % every
body says, one Of the best Commissioner
this county has ever had. II did not ap-
pear" said he, ito object to
anybody's bill, but ii occurs to
me that where Mr.. Stewart has
| paid ont money for the county he should
| present vouchers for every item Of ex-
pense. This was the rule formerly and i,
| worked we'll. I think it would be more
satisfactory to Mr.. Stewart. 1t would
show his bills to be correct, and save him
all this trouble and tho questionings tina
he must submit to in the presence Of the
public" Mr.. Horns idea is an excellent
one. The Commissioners should either
know for themselves that a bill ia correct
| or else they should demand q voucher fol