Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-02-18

OFFICE OF COUNTY TREASURER,
Custar ID II Fab IL 'SS (

'G1t ~
School District Meeting, ' and the
Gentlemen Of said meeting.
GENTLEMEN am in receipt Of your
communication and resolutions, asking
me to postpone the enforcement of the
collection of delinquent personal tax for
1887, until after the harvest of 1888; and
in reply would state that the matter is
beyond the jurisdiction of my office. l
cannot establish new laws, nor can l
annul those now in existence. | regret
the situation of affairs, and l am fully
aware of the scarcity of funds at this
season of the year; not only in your
locality, but in all sections OF the county;
yet the collection of taxes is an equinoc
tial affair, governed by laws far beyond
my control and even if this were vested
in me, my answer would of necessity be
Il uniform one to all tax payers in Gus
ter county without discrimination. Il
it not asking too much, and throwing
an enormous amount OF responsibility
on the county treasurer to request Inn
to override the provisions Of the terri
torial statutes; nnu the acts of Oui
legislative bodies disregard the com
mands of the county commissioners
violate his oath Of office; become Il
traitor to his bondsmen, In fine hold
himself personally responsible and
liable upon his bond, for the payment
oY any and all personal taxes, not col
lected by him on or before the July
meeting Of the current year. 1 quote
from our statutes as follows:
tPENALTY FOR FAILING TO COLLECT GER
TAIN TAXES, ETC.-'If any county treasur-
er shall neglect or refuse to collect any
tax assessed on personal property when
the same is collectable, or to file the
delinquent list and affidavit as set forth
and provided, he shall be held liable in
his next settlement with the county
commissioners for the whole amount Of
such taxes uncollected, and the same
shall be deducted from his salary or fees
and applied to the several funds for
which they were levied"
Now, gentlemen, you not only ask me
to violate this clause, but 10y SO doing
would be compelled to furnish funds to
run your schools, pay bond interest, fix
roads, in short, pay all the taxes Tor
which the taxpayers are responsible,
and virtually run the county at the eX-
pense of the treasurer and his suretles,
l would cheerfuily give all the percent.
age | am in hopes of collecting to pay
up your taxes, but | cannot give ever
that if | collect nothing. My term o.
office expires about the time YOU indi-
cate a desire to pay, and in what q
frightful state would my books be tc
turn over to Jake" or some Other
hungry Office seeker, as my successor
l feel confident the people Of Carr dis
trict, in meeting assembled, have beer
ill advised in regard to the powers, an,
duties Of a county treasurer, or the,
would not ask aim to desist in the per
Torrance of these duties, the faithful
performance of which, is the keynote t
the success and prosperity of our county
and a failure on the part ofthe treasure
to collect, must ultimately result dis
~astrously closing our schools, rendering
our roads and bridges impossible, dc
~stroying our credit; in fact no matte
what may be said on this subject b.
tenderfeet and literary quacks, the tru
secret of success Is to collect %delinquen
personal taxes before the d%elinquen
changes the pasture of his calves t
Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, the BrittisI
possessions, or ever Pennington or FaI
River counties. Toe much lcnitv O
neglect has been shown in the pas
whereby we have lost thousands of dol
lars, which could have been collected t
~replenish the county Golfers. | ask yor
gentlemen of Hermosa and vicinity,
there is one among you who would fac
the discordant music of criticism to
neglect of duty if put in my place.
there is any line of duty which will Civ
satisfaction to the average taxpayers {
tLn narrtu uiSl, m Ennt hp
treasurer is not good because he make
no effort to collect another is a monstt
because he attempts to collect all /
possibly can an intermediate treasure
worse still, because he collects of h
enemies and extends time to his friend
For my part can only say this; that
have not developed any traits Of enmit
or friendship in this important duty.
have stopped on the streets Of Custe
men who were delinquent for taxes
far back as 1852, and made them settl
/ have attacked county and ex-count
officials and made them pay. | hay
levied upon the property of my be
supporters at my last election. | hay
seized the property of my hondsmel
and made them disgorge. In fact
have done everything that the law dc
mands, to meet the necessary requir,
ments for keeping our county tloat..,
on bladders yet every time l intlal
our life preservers, some nondescriI
sticks his head through the gumbo al
SAYS give mt a pin, | want to prick tt
wind out of hat bladder and swan
the county. | want to dance the essen'
Of old Virginia on its remains, that
Jake" every time. Though being
democrat. | am not sufficiently Undue
with the spirit Of free trade to desist
pursuing that course which m0st final
result in prosperity to the county. Pa
don me for ~straying from the subject
most importance to You, gentlemen, b'
l could not decline without giving goo
fair conscientious reasons therefor, an
: ! "a only add my regrets III not beir
in a position to remedy the seemiI
injury the enforcement of payment
delinquent taxes will perhaps wol
.upon you. Your application and sign
lures thereto command the create
respect from me, yet ! am powerless
the premises. You had in your mid
at the time Of passing the resolution
sent me and | perceive his name q
tached thereto the father Of this enc
of county officers" the chairman of I'll
board to him and not 10 me shout
this appeal be directed. The warrar
commanding me to collect those take
emanated from his court, and while