The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-10-28
COMMISSIONERS SMITH.

herItRnce by the Republican Commits
sioners. had to be taken care Of by the
Democratic Board; and the Rep. writer
charges 1t was done illegally,
Let US see about 1t. The law requires:
That all the bonds issued by the Boards
OF County Commissioners, Boards Of Edu-
cation, Commissioners Of Free Turn
pixies, shall be sold to the highest bid
der after being advertised three times,
weekly, In newspaper OF general cir
cuiatt0n In the county where the bonds
are issued, etc., etc.
The complaint Is, that on last March
18th $500 of these Republican bonds
were renewed by the Board of Commits
siOners for five years, without adVertis-
ing and auctiOning off.
Now, 1t will be observed that the law
does no sprOh bit an extension Of a
loan, for 1t Is no new issue Of bonds,
and the practice all over the State Is the
very same.
Only two weeks or so ago the Canton
School Board extended $4,000 worth of
bonds In the same way. j. j. Clark, Esq,
from the Committee 80 recommended,
and Commissioner Lsiblln, member
of the School Board, voted with his col.
leagues, the vote being unanimous. Mr..
Clark is prominent attorney, we'll
versed In such points of law and his
statement carried conviction to the
members Of the Board.
Our City Council hasi repeatedly done
the same, Republican members, includ-
ing lawyers, 80 voting. Such, then, is
the practice the State over, and 1t saves
trouble and expense. This was the rea-
son for the action of the School Board
as Mr.. Clark demonstrated. So much
for this mares nest.
The Rep, seems to credit Commissioner
Smith with everything the Board doss,
although he Is only one of three, the
Rep saying, "his record as Commission
"er Is but the story of succession of
''sehemesa and jobs"
Well, MT. Smith has not built bridges
where there were no roads; and under
his administration the county debt left
by Republicans has diminished.
The Rep. says Smith has "stOOd in
with contractors and architects" So
well has he stood in with them they
have done good work at cheap rates, no
such frauds being seen as in our city
bUildings,- and no extras under which
to rob the cOuGty. Please remember,
Commissioner Smith has also taken
care of labOring men, differing In this
from his Republican colleague,
who opposed paying them. L9t US rec
late the circumstance.
When the insane building was near
completion, the hands struck for pay
meut of their wages which were in ar
rears, the contractor, 1t seems, being
unable to meet the requirements. The
building was badly needed, in fact must
be got ready, ard delay WAS impossible.
The vote for paying the hands and as
suring them payment II they would
finish the work, stood, yeas-Smith and
Schmachtenberger nay, L3iblln. Mr.,
Laiblin also refused to sign the bills of
the poor lsbOring men, 80 they could
get their orders and draw their pay,
which they needed for their families
and to pay board.
1t is due. to Mr.. Laiblin to say, how
ever, that he tOld3the wOrkmen, in pri-
Vate, that although he voted against
them, yet he wanted them paid, and
was glad they had got 1t. This, Of
course, was very kind, though some of
the workmen did not appreciate it. The
Rep. will not relate this incident.
1t was I'M the above way that the in
sane building cost the county little
more than the contract price, few
hundred dollars only. The fact Is
the contractor had.a losing job, for arch
itect Tilden superintended, and the
work was not slighted. WOrkingmen
should remember AlOnzo Smith on elec-
tiOn day.
The Rep. refers every now and then to
the Sheriff question, ,endeavOring to make
capital for its cause and candidate
Crawford, who helped to count ont
Hugh D. Brown and count in Shaffer
for their Commissioner candidate
against AIoDzO Smith. Now, let Us look
at this.
Coroner Lelninger had an undoubted
right under the law, to resign; and the
Commissioners could not we'll refuse to
accept euch resignation. Accordingly
the resignation of Coroner Leininger
was accepted by unanimous vote,
Smith, Laiblin and Sehmachtenberge
voting yea. There was no dark cham
ber business" about 1t as Mr.. Laiblin
can testify for he made. the motion him
self to accept.
The acceptancelof Coroner Leinlnger's
resignation created vacancy In the
Sheriff's office; and the Commissioners
filled this vacancy by appointing Mr..
Lsininger, which they had right to do.
This vote stood: yeas, hmachtenberger
and Smith; nay, Laiblln. This is the
whole record, and there was no trickeTy
about 1t, as the Rep. ring organ would
insinuate. 1t was all done according
to law, and properly done.
For long years the Rep. has yearned
for Republican Sheriff; has repeatedly
tried but found him not. II tried the
tate gallant General Sam Beatty;