Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-04-24
Undergraduates Council and j. N
Perry.


cover for services rendered for the viii
lage as a member Of the Board of Water
Commissioners, and also for services in
connection with the completion Of the
water works, outside of his official du-
ties, it is difficult to discover wherein
Mr.. Perry's position is materially differ
ent from that occupied by other and or
binary Iitigants in court, SC far as the
rights of the village are involved. And
yet Mr.. Perry's friends and defenders
seem to have thought it necessary and
proper to transfer their, or
his, fight from the court, where it is
now pending, to the newspaper, and in
their zeal in behalf Of Mr.. Perry, see fit
to charge the Council, by inference at
least, with bad faith, spite and reckless
Indifference as to the proper use Of the
peoples money, in fact cast serious re-
Election upon the honesty and motives of
the COUNSEL with reference to Mr.. Per-
rvs claim. We do not propose discuss
ing the merits of this controversy, and
shall refrain from doing SO further than
may seem necessary for a full under
standing Of the case, and especially do
we disclaim any Intention to advocate
the cause of the village or Mr.. Perry. we
think it a case which the courts, Mr..
Perry and the village authorities, are
fully competent to settle; neither do we
intend to be drawn into controversies
respecting the matter, and should take
no notice Of the matter at all were it
not for the reflections which have been
cast upon the action of the Council.
We assume that when Mr.. Perry en-
tered his action against the village he
did it advisedly and with his eyes open,
and that in doing 30 he intended to sub
ject himself to all the contingencies in
cident to and USUALLY attending litiga.
tiop, even to a hearing in the higher
courts. And we are told that it is an I'M
usual thing for a party who is success
full in the lower courts to whine or COM
plain if the defeated party remove the
case to the Supreme Court. While wa
cheerfully accord to Mr.. Perry the right
to pursue his remedy and to conduct his
side of the case in the courts, and per-
haps in the newspapers as he may be
advised and think best, we submit
common decency requires that the vii
lage Council be granted the privilege of
conducting their side as it may think
best for the interests of the village
without having its motives impugned
through the public press.
While Mr.. Perry may be entirely right
in his position, it has come to be a cCm-
mon saying that as a general rule in
every law suit "there are two sides to
the question at ISSUE" And so in this
case it is evident that to some peoples
way of thinking there may be another
side than the n occupied by Mr.. Perry.
The history Of the matter, stripped Of
some immaterial details, may ba
summed up as follows: In the summer
of 1883 Mr.. Perry presented to the Coun-
Gil his claim for services as a member
of the Board of Water Commissioners
for one year, amounting to 800. The
Council referred it to the Board Of Water
Commissioners. The Board reported in
favor of paying it. The Council allow
ed him $50. If Mr.. Perry or his friends
are in possession of any proof that the
Council did not act honestly in allowing
the claim at $50, they are possessed of
information that we are unable to OBJ
tain.
1t must be borne in mind that very
much work is performed and time spent
in the interest of the village by differ
ent persons who do not, o do they eX-
pect to, receive adequate compensation
therefor. Members of the Council are
required to devote at least two evenings
each month to the interests Of the vii
lage, and the members Of some Of the
0mmittees of the Council are compelled,
f they perform their duty, to occupy
many days Of their time in the perform
nee Of their duties. for none Of which
do they receive any compensation. Also
the officers and members of the fire ldo-
partment are expected to and do devote
more or less Of their time to the inter-
ests Of the village and the welfare of its
people, for which they receive no paw,
except for the year 1883, we understand
the Chief was paid a salary. Perhaps
we might enumerate other instances,
but these are sufficient for illustration.
For aught W. know these questions may