Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-15

the board took the matter up and voted
to relieve him of half the loss. That is
Just as much a settlement as the adoption
of this resolution would be. We might
legislate here for all time and the next
board could bring the matter up again
III the treasurer would come before the
board with petition for relief, the board
could then act and the treasurer would be
bound by it. If he honors all orders on
tie treasury it is all the board can ask
of him. If when he shall 90 out of
office his accounts are short you can call
him to account. All any further action
can do is TO further relieve the treasurer.
The board cannot fix him any further
As long as he honors all orders of the
board. what can the board do about it?
Nothing. If the treasurer wants to be
further relieved the proper manner is to
petition the board for relief. If he
would agree to be bound by the action
of the board that would settle the mat
ter. If you consider the action of last
wears board settlement, why not let it
alone? Any agitation of the question
can only harrow up the feeling of the
board to no practical purpose. The
next board can bring up the matter,
whatever this board may do about it,
Mr.. BARLEY said as to narrowing up
the feelings of the board, Mr.. Whitcher
brought the matter up. The people want
this matter settled If the treasurer can
get this board to relieve him Mr.. BARLEY
would stand by the action of the board.
| True Mr.. Mcmahon has honured all or
ders on him, but 1t is because contin-
gent fund of $4,000 was voted by the
board. He denied that he had ever said
| the treasurer was dishonest He thought
he was anhonest but unfortunate man.
He didn't believe in lodging the ques-
| ton. but if Mr. Mcmahon could get the
board to relieve him. he (Bartley) would
agree to it. The taxpayers as well as
| the office-holders have some rights to be
considered by this board. If the board
relieves the treasurer it will set Il prece-
dent for some time when we have a
| treasurer who is not an honest man like
! Mr. Mcmahon. He wouldn't vote to
put another crushing burden on the tax
payers, many of whom were poor and
scraped up their dimes by selling little
butter and few eggs. He denied that
this was political matter. He didn'
take the position he did because the
treasurer was Republican. Nor did
many of his Democratic friends take the
other side for that reason. He did not
do it because he felt sore politically. 1t
is better to have the matter settled now
better for the county and better for
the treasurer. Settle it some way and
let the majority rule. However it is
settled, it is only an expression of the
opinion of this board--he didn't think it
was legal settlement.
Mr.. Whitcher said he would not for
anything get up and show his sores to
the public. The other gentlemen said
he didn't feel sore, but he had shown his
wounds all over. He didn't feel sore,
although he had been beaten politically
for thirty years. In Iowa County they
had a similar case and they relieved
their treasurer without discussion. Mr..
Mr.. BARLEY talks as if the people and
their eggs would be crushed if Mcmahon
was not forced to the wall Mr.. BARLEY S
idea would probably be that the treasurer
ought to get pine box with a knot hole
in it and stick the money into that, and
when some burglar took it the treasurer
would not be responsible-it would be a
legal loss. The town treasurer of Lima
had been relieved of two-thirds of loss
of $4,000 similar to our county treas
urer' S and it was no more than right.
As far as the people are concerned, he
believed that if the matter could be put
fairly to a vote two-thirds of the people
would vote TO relieve the treasurer from
the loss, Notwithstanding Mr.. Bartley's
eggs and butter. They would say Mr.
Mcmahon has done his duty we'll for a
small compensation and they wouldn't
strip him and take the pound of flesh.
But there is no use to argue the matter
further, the people know all about it.
| Mr.. Oswald said he could speak for