Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-08-07
BIG DUST.

ency as Cne apOlOglsI Ol d puOAlc Oluclal
who has attempted to bamboozle the
taxpayers into the beliefthat he should
be permitted to override a supreme court
opinion and retain unto himself such
amounts of the county funds as the ne
cessities of his private %exchecquer may
require.
Last week the INTER-OcEAN gave the
PLAIN, unvarnished facts relative to the
contest between the county board and
County Treasurer Maher over $339.50
claimed by Mr.. Maher as commissions
upon moneys realized from the sale of
certain county bonds, which moneys
came into Mr.M Makers hands as treasurer
ofthe county. We also gave the opinion
of the supreme court in q similar case,
to the effect that a county treasurer is
only entitled to commission upon taxes
collected, and that he is not enti-
tied to commissions upon "a fund
brought into the county treasury
without his instrum ntality. We used
no personalities toward Mr.. Maher or
his editor. The case did not call for
personal abuse. A straightforward and
truthful statement of facts was all that
was necessary to show that Mr.. Maher
was wrong. The INTER-OcEAN had no
fight with Mr.. Maher, and if we had we
would never get down IN the grass to
make battle.
Now comes the News charging the
INTER OCEAN with having INDUCED in
personal abuse toward some one-the
News does not state who. The News
also has something to say about an obitcr
dictum, an ad captandum and a writ of
mandamus whereupon the community
will unanimously agree with the INTER
OCEAN that our non.salaried judge of
probate would be better In place on a
salaried bench than to be spending the
years of his usefulness as a catspaw. Of
course every one knows what an obiter
d;ictum is, but $339.50 on one side of the
county ledger and an obiter dictum on the
other don't balance worth a cent and
the News will ANONYMOUSLY fail to con-
vince the taxpayers of Ramsey county
that a big dust will cover a little steal.
That is all there is to the News argu-
ment. 1t does not attack the county
board for its peremptory demand that
Mr.. Maher cover the amount o fhis claim
into the treasury it does not attack the
county attorney on the decision upon
which the county board ordered suit to
be commenced against Mr.. Maher;-it
contents itself with the mere assertion
that the supreme court is in error.
If this is the case-if the supreme
court is wrong and Mr.. Makers ed.
itor is right-why did Mr.. Maher tn IN
the money over? Why did he offer to
compromise the case sometime ago, and
agree to refund a portion of the 1888. so,
and when the board pushed him a notch
or two further by ordering the institution
Of proceedings, why did he then turn
over the whole amount? 1.-THE supreme
court was wrong and Mr. Maher wa
right, is it reasonable to suppose that hi
would have made the county a present
of the $339.50? The News may succeed
in answering these questions by saying
it was all the fault of obitcr dictum, bu'
the people who pay taxes and expect AZ
honest accounting from their public ser
wants, are more interested in knowing
that the money has been returned tt
the public treasury than they are in Mr.
Makers editors Latin.
The INTER OCEAN is entirely indepen
dent of the contemplate little clique
and combinations which are continually
r being formed to pick the public pocket
We do not propose to shut our eyes t,
what we now see going on in the New
! camp. Control Of county affairs is wha
the News gang are seeking. They wan
a majority of the county board to allow
! such claims rs the one Mr.. Maher Ia.
just failed to get. They want a count,
board which will pay Mr.. Prosser 500
a year for services as probate judge
when the law explicitly says he is no
:, entitled to it. Mr.. Prosser prompt,
presents his bill every quarter 70
$3.50, and the majority of tn
board, by the advice of the count.
, attorney, as promptly declines t
. allow it, because the law says he canno,
have it.. If "the right kind of a board
can be gotten, Mr.. Presser's bills will b
allowed, regardless of law; Mr.. Maher'
8 claims for commissions will be allowed
! regardless of law-and other unlawful
things may take place with equal faciI
ity.
The News hopes to kick up such
!. dust as will blind the people during tn
brief time necessary for its managers t
u get "the right kind of board" That
all there is to the News argument agains
the supreme court; that is all there is i
h obler diictum.
THE new freight tariff Of the Manitoh
y shows a decided reduction, especially O
live stock, upon which the rate is c,
nearly one.half. On wheat the redu
- kSon 70 fu,o oorfo