Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-11-02

HOar would apply 70 any other Offices in
the county. They might just az we'll and
with the same propriety charge the sher-
if with being the author Of an excessive
tax levy as to charge Mr.. Hoar with il
OF with any other mistakes, real or fancied.
of the county commissioners. The conn
| ty commissioners are not now on trial and
we will not attempt at this time to iustifv
or denounce their proceedings. The
county clerk is entirely clerical officer,
who has nothing to do and can do nothing
further than to keep q record of the COM
missioners proceedings. He has neither
voice nor vote. How inconsistent then
it is to charge him with what they claim
are shortcomings on the part Of the COM
missioners. An article has been stand
ing at the top of the page in the Tribune
for several weeks entitled "An object les
son for tax payers" From the persis-
tency in keeping this before the people
and in the most CONSPICUOUS place in the
paper for weeks, we are justified in believ-
ing that more reliance is placed upon that
as campaign document than upon any
other.
For the purpose of this article we will
concede the truth of the statements there
in contained. although not word is said
about the additional expense caused by
the erection of the court house, Jail and
other expenses, and which shows con-
clusively on its face that the author Of
the article has not endeavored to be fair
in the presentation of his little object
lesson. We have shown in q previous
article that the legitimate business of the
district court in this county has gradually
increased from year to year until there is
is now about four times the number Of
cases on the docket there were in
1885. Again there were q number of
cases-principally criminal cases - and
some civil cases that have been continued
from year to year and in which the costs.
owing to the distance travelled by the
sheriff and witnesses, were very heavy,
and were only taxed up to the county last
spring and summer. These costs were
made, some of them several years ago,
and they we're all made prior to 1889,
and 80 far as showing the expenses
of each year, should not appear in 1889 at
all. Take the increase in court expenses,
the outlay caused by the erection of
buildings-a portion of which expense had
to be paid directly from the county
treasury - and the accumulated costs
mentioned above, and the average reader
can readily see that the lines in the OBJ
ject lesson would in some instances be
materially shortened, and in others length
ened. In fact the proportions would be
materially changed. But for the purpose
of this argument We will admit that the
object lesson is all right. That the facts
as set forth therein are not in the least
distorted, and then what would be the
responsibility of Mr.. Hoar? He would
be no more responsible than tho editor of
the Tribune, Mr. Shuler or Sheriff Hogan.
Why? Because the tax levy is solely
within the jurisdiction of the county
commissioners, and the county clerk has
no more to do with it than the county
treasurer or county superintendent. The
county commissioners levy all taxes, and
allow all claims against the county. Sec.
16, p. 264, compiled laws 1885, reads:
"The board of county commissioners of
each county shall have power at any
meeting to apportion and order the levy
ing Of taxes as provided by law, to exam
inc and settle and allow all accounts
chargesble against the county," Look
up this section and read it carefully.
Also read chapter 107, relating to taxa
ton, commencing on page 944, compiled
laws, and particularly sections 50 and
"a, on page 1852.
We reiterate what we said before, that
the clerk has no more to do with levying
or apportioning taxes than has the gov
ernor OF the state. He only does what he
is authorized and commanded to do by
the board. This We say is the principal
charge made against him, but by no
means tho only one. In order to carry
their point they would have you believe
that the hard times and failure of crops
we're directly traceable to his administra-
ton, and when the utter fallacy of their
position is shown, like jumping jack,
they assume an entirely different attitude.
To attempt to answer all that has been
retailed about the county during the past
two weeks would take more than the |
entire space we have at our disposal.
The Republican party Of Trego county,
not Of Wa-Keeney township, has endorsed
Mr.. Hoar. This was done almost unani- |
mously, and no charge has ever been
made, that We are aware OF, that he was
not fairly nominated. Like Mr.. Cross he |
was nominated by the country townships |