Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-02-28
The people Of Dakota are not pronato

Inc people OF Dakota are not prone to
be penurious in the compensation al-
lowed their public servants. In fact
they are even more generous in this
respect than many of the states. While
this is the fact, however. they are not
disposed to quietly shut their eyes to
unwarranted speculation and abuse Of
public trusts on the part of those they
have called to public positions. The
law fixes fair compensation for the asr.
vices of every public officer, and he who
accepts an Office ct the hands OF the pso.
pie does 90 with full knowledge of what
that compensation is. and ought to be
satlsfied with it, and perform his duties
therefor honestly and faithfully.
Some men, however, seem to labor
under the impression that tho emolu.
ments Of Office are legitimate plunder-
that their frat and paramount duty is,
after induction into Office, to make every
dollar possible out of it, and to- increase
their compensation by every device and
subterfuge at their command, regardless
Of the interests or the rights of the tax
payers who have to foot the bills.
We have been lead to make these re.
marks by the enormous sums of money
that have been paid out during the past
two years to sheriffs for the. transporta-
tion of insane patients to our asylum,
which amounts, in the aggregate to
S31.146.60.
From Dec. !, 1882, to Nov. 80, 1884,
there were one hundred and
eighty patients received in the
asylum and to transport them there il
cost over one hundred and seventy-thret
dollars each.
The auditors report shows that there
was paid out from Dec. lst, 1882, te
| Nov, 2Sth, 1884, for transporting insane
from Cass county, the following
amounts:
ioai. fssn s s.aasfEo asEeo!. ss
Total. !. ss,lse .
| There were fourteen patients received
in the hospital from Cass county, and il
will be seen that it cost over two hund.
red and twenty.three dollars per head t
transport them from Cass county t
Yankton.
4 For the Same period of time ther
was paid by the auditor for transporta
ton of insane from Walsh county t,
Yankton the following items:
9oeoS enh h1eiinhardt....................s2sss
Total. 90
There were thirteen patients admitte
to the asylum from Walsh county dul
ing the two years, and it cost over tw
hundred and thirty-seven dollars pc
head for their transportation from tina
county to Yankton.
From Burleigh county only fiv
patients were admitted to the asylur
during the two years. and there wa
, paid for their transportation the follow
, ing items:
fS. E.s: Nesi. NMskensle e.::.:,.....s * *
Total ........................s1,s5
.. An average Of two hundred and sevent,
one dollals and seven cents per hea,
1t cost S2S6O0 per head however, for tt
two "Aleck" brought down, while Il
\ other fellow managed to bring his fe
> about s262ro per head.
But our friend Manning of Lawrent
county, is entitled to take the cake as
mastery financier. During the tv
years ending November %, 1884, /
brought nine insane patients to the ho
lpital here, or at least he drew out of Il
territorial treasury. on warrants issue
by the auditor, the following amour
therefor:
April 10, 1883. warrant No. 1875 5...4 400
June 8. 1855, warrant No. POOL .......... 945
Decenber "a, 1883. warrant No. 1885,. 425
March 20. 1884. warrant No. 1881. ......... 5lB
lAugust 16, 1884. warrant No. S4S7. ...... lOl
September ], 1884, warrant No. $780,. 2SS
Septembsr1, 1854, warrant No. S52l.... 4l2
Iseptember !. 1884, warrant No. 1892. 4D9
october ~. 1884, warrant No. S772...... ' 400
A Thus it cost the people four hundr.
and seventy four dollars per capita
land those nine insane patients fro
Lawrence county in the asylum at Yam
A.. IN. .