Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-11-19

ture OF the legislature, and it is strange
if this creature has more power than
the creator. Can the legislature grant
a power il does not possessp
Mr.. ROBBINS said the taxing power is
an extraordinary power and to be used
only in cases of absolute necessity-not
for amusement He thought two
thirds vote necessary to impose a tax.
MIR. WATSON said that if majority
vote is not sufficient to impose lawful
tax, all their school taxes and railroad
taxes were unlawful. The member
from Platteville knew that well enough
but wished to raise a technicality.
Mr. ROBBINS said it is a different case
when taxes are voted by the people.
The people can do anything; but the
board has only delegated powers. The
people are sovereign. but deliberative
bodies are governed by rules.
Mr.. BARLEY; This is an extraordin-
AIRY tax 900 for contingent fund,
when the taxes have already been paid.
1t is simply to cover up this matter of
the treasurer's deficiency The board
ought to act like men and not dodge
the responsibility under the cover of a
contingent fund.
Mr.. KIDD said it had been the inten-
tion of .la aa,,,,.,;4tco -. fs..
have this matter discussed. The insin-
uation of the member from Blooming
ton that the committee had made an eff
fort to cover up the matter was q little
short of the facts. He had made an eff
fort TO bring this matter as
clearly before the board as his knowl-
edge of the language would allow.
Mr.. WATSON, after referring to the
Sc, 900 voted last year for the insane asy-
lum and poor farm, on account of the
deficiency in the treasury, said he
thought the board had no right either
to clear or convict Mr. McMahsn that
is the business of the court. He was
satisfied that no court would hold Mr..
Mcmahon for the lost money, but he
didn't want to prejudice his case by
voting upon it. He is not a defauter;
he has never refused to honor an order.
but has paid every one drawn upon him
and we have never had anything upon
which to bring him into court. If he
and his securities are not clear (but Mr..
Watson thought they were). when he
shall go cut of office next year the issue
can be brought into court.
Mr.. KIDD said the discussion was
taking wide range. The only question
was, Can the appropriation be voted by
majority or only by two thirds vote
Mr. ROBBINS thought it was extraor-
binary that any member should have
voted against an appropriation which
was absolutely necessary. He would
not argue longer against majority
rule.
Mr.. WHITCHER talked some old Jack
son politics, and commended the last
speaker for his conversion.
The Chairman decided that the rese-
luton was adopted.
Mr. O'NEILL presented the following
resolution:
Resoteed, That the statements vouchers or csrt;f.
cates OF deposit issued by the Plattevle bank Of T.
Hodges Co to Thomas McMahon, treasurer Of
Grant county for money of said county there on de-
post with said Pateye bank his credit as county
treasurer OF said Grant county be by this board ac-
cepted and accredited to said Thomas Mcmahon as
much cash ED O'NEIIT
Mr. BARTLEY said there was no need
Of that resolution. The board mad al
ready voted to raise this $4,000 by tax.
No man who voted against that tax
thinks Mr. Mcmahon is criminal; but
the question is, Has this board the right
to vote this tax again upon the people?
His constituents had said to him, .sSee
about this bond. Don't allow the farce
of having officials give bonds and then.
when the need comes, let the bondsmen
off. He didn't know whether the
money could be collected from the
bondsmen. but he would like to see the
matter settled. He didn't want to see
the people pay what they had paid be-
fore, even though he sympathized with
Mr.. Mcmahon.
Mr.. WATSON moved to lay the resolu-
ton on the table. He thought the board
had no right to settle the matter. The
call for ayes and nays resulted as fol-
lows:
Ayes -Messrs. Grimm, Watson and
Robbins-3.
Noes-Messrs. Smith. BARLEY, Kicks.
Bowden, Mcpherson, Marsden, Ryan,
McFall, O'Neill, Kruel, HER. Ryland,
Hebsrlein. Whitcher, Cairns. Murphy,
Kidd, Day, Arnold, Bremmer, Marvel.
Paul. Hampton, Doyle, A. Brown. Wall,
Eastman, Glynn, Calkins, Comstock,
Holloway, ID. F. Brown, KlenpeIl, Cox
and Wehrle-35.
Absent-Mr. Macarthur.
The motion to table the resolution
was lost.
Mr.. KICKS said that last year when
this matter was discussed he was in
favor of making the treasurer aud his
bendsmen pay the whole of this money,
but the matter was not settled then.
Now his people were divided in their
opinions and he would like to vote to
have the treasurer pay halt and the
county half But if the matter was
pushed he should be forced against his
feelings to vote to make the treasurer
and his bondsmen pay the whole of it.
Mr. WHITcHER said he didn't suppose
the matter would be discussed further
he didn't desire to discuss it. He didn't
ask the people how be should vote on it;
he should vote on his own responsibility.
If the pesple didn't want him to repre-.
sent them they needn't send him. He
referred to a similar matter in the town
of Lima, where the treasurer had not
been held. Mr.. MeMahon had done the
best he could what every other BUSH
ness man would have done, and what
many of them did do; but unfortunately
this time the treasurer was caught.
Wouldiyou have had him inquire the
solvencY of the bank and look over its
books? That bank or Ryland's bank.
or any other bank, would have refused.