The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1890-03-20
THE MEETING.

A very interesting and instructive
meeting was held on Monday evening
for the purpose of discussing and
considering city affairs. There was a
large attendance and many excellent
speeches were made. The question of
the Municipal Court was bIought into
prominence and very thoroughly dis
cussed. Upon this matter there has been
a great deal of misapprehension and
misinformation. Many believed that
the court bill had not been properly
passed at all; others believed that the
bill had been worked through the lsgis-
lature by a lot tf sch mers who had
some selfish end in view, while Others
thought the bill had been tempered with
atterit left the hands of the COMMITTEES
which drew it.
The facts are quite different. The bill
was prepared by a committee of attor-
n.ys ofthls city appointed;by the board of
trade, ana wrs-ss.sk -alaie.I estT nsef the
largest and most enthusiastic meetings
of that body ever held in Sank Centre.
1t was read section by sechi2n ard every
feature fully and thoroughly discussed
and there were but two votes against 1t.
1t was passed by Mr.. Capser in the
house, went through the senate and
was signed by. the governor, all in due
form.
Was it wise measure: That is quite
another question and it was fully dis
cussed. Suffice 1t to say that during the
posed of 1877 cases as against 80 tried by
10th justices of the peace during the pre-
ceding twelve mouths. The judge has
armed in over $500 in fines and more
than as much more in fees during the
ten months. whereas the two justices
entered up fines of less than 500 dur
ing the preceding year and turned i'll
no foes-as the fees were the property of
the Justices On the other hand the
Judge has been paid salary at the rate
of $500 year-the fees and fines just
about paying the expenses of the court
"a much better showing than anyone
anticipated-for those who advocated
the bill agreed that the city could we'll
afford to pay deficiency of even $3.50
rather than not have the court.
And another feature-the fees are one
third less on an average than those are
charged by justices of the peace for the
SAME services. If the municipal court
had reasonable fee bill it would be
source of revenue to the city.
The law creating the court
should be so amended as to make
the fees practically the same as in
justices court.
The objectioa was also raised that the
IN lncipal court pays its fines into the
city treasury thereby depriving the
schosl-fund of moneys which should go
to it, The facts are that independent
Observation-Disclosures this is one-do
not participate in fines and penalties,
but they are paid into the county treas
ury and dlsbursed per capita among
other districts. So that any fines under
state prosecutions collected in Sank
Centre would leave the city never to
come back. Prosecutions under the or
dinances are purely city matters, and
any fines or penalties are legitimate city
rvenues.
About the surest way of ruin
ming the business of a town, is for
every one to dip into the business of
their neighbors. If man is doing
straight, legitimate business in any line
let him alone. Don't try to ruin his
trade by ordering goods in his line for
some one else. 1t don't pay you and
hurts him.