Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-11-20

IT is remarkable that at this late date
the coterie of reformers who cluster
around that bright and shining light,
over whose destinies VIM. Moffet, Esq,
presides, should discover that the
"money Of the Taxpayers is lying idle in
the banks or treasury vaults while the
county pays 10 per cent. on overdue
bonds and warrants" And then again it
is charged in Moffet's last issue that "our
calls Of warrants for payment, are a
sham and a delusion, a gauzy pretepse,
made to deceive the people," This is a
serious charge and if it is intended to.
misrepresent Treasurer Dunn and do
him a rank injustice, then it is eminent
ly successful. The presumption is-and
certainly it is. the desire of the people of
this county-that as fast as money is
available to apply on the outstanding
indebtedness that it be SO applied. The
TRIBUNE has always advocated this pol
icy. It is business and the county
should be run on business principles
just as much as a bank or a mercantile
establishment. Possibly there are those
who honestly believe that the county's
money is now being horded in the bank
for the interest of the bank, or treasurer,
or both. The past should be taken as
no criterion of the present. The county
treasurer nov collects all the money for
both county and city and is the GUS
todian Of numerous funds, which are
subject to draft at any time. Since July
Treasurer Dunn has paid out Of the
general fund for warrants and interest
$l2,163.66 and redeemed warrants in
payment for taxes since May ], $3,930.64,
making a total Of SIG, 1890 worth of
outstanding county warrants redeemed
in less than four months. Is there any
thing wrong in that? There is from
$4,000 to $4,000 in the county treasury
all the time, but it is not available to
pay indebtedness with. For instance,
several thousand dollars belong to the
city, several thousand to the school fund,
several hundred here and there to town.
ships, two or three thousand to interest
and sinking fund, and as is frequently the
case several hundred dollars, some
times two or three thousand dollars
remains in the general fund to pay war
rants outstanding that have been called
and not presented for payment and on
which interest ceased when the call was
made. The treasurer every few weeks,
as fast as money accumulates in the gen.
eral fund, issues a call for warrants
whatever amount he thinks he can pay
by a certain date. Thereafter interest
ceases. So far as the TRIBUNE can learn,
the general fund has never been so
closely applied to the county's indebted
ness as it has this season. The other
funds to the amount of about $4,000, do
not belong to the county. The law
regulates the disposal, the treasurer be-
ing simply the custodian. If an impress
sion exists that the receipts of the coun-
ty are not being applied as rapidly as
possible to the liquidation of the coun-
tvs debts it is wrong and If the parties
who circulate such statements know
better, then it is aninexcusable Injustice
to the county officials and the county's
credit. If the people of this county will
attend more strictly to business and
cease slandering the county to make a
point politically, it is possible for Bur-
leigh to soon rank among the best coun-
ties in the state. This county wants a
business instead of a political admins
tration and the TRIBUNE believes that re-
garding its financial concerns DUNG
the past year but little just criticism can
be laid.