Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-08-19
THAT $4,000 SAVING AGAIN.

Sioux Falls argus. Leader, in nswer
to an Elk Point correspondent Of
that paper, touching the matter Of
fusion Of the democrats and indie
pendent parties in tliiscounty. Mr..
Ronell proceeds to score a young
democra: Of this city, who he imag-
ines is the correspondent referred to,
but we are inclined to think he il
off his base aud has got the wrong
pig by the ear. However this may
be, and whatever manner the dem.
ocrats and independents may fix up
their fusion business does not con-
cern us in the least, but what the
COURIER takes exceptions to in this
letter, is the statement made two or
three times that the independent
party has saved sc, 600 to the tax
payers Of Union county during the
past year and a half. Now, Mr..
Ronell, you know, if you know any.
thing, that this statement is an un-
mitigated falsehood. The indepen-
dent party of this county hold the
Offices Of sheriff, county judge, conn
ty treasurer, register Of deeds, Co.
attorney, clerk Of the court, auditor,
coroner and one county commiss-
Toner. All these officers receive Il
salary or per diem fixed by law
passed By a republican legislature.
In the very nature of things these
officers cannot reduce the county
Indebtedness of the county one cent
unless they refuse to take the salary
allowed TO them by law, and there
is no record or claim made where
this has been done. How much,
Mr.. Rone!l, have you saved the tax
payers of Union county. There are
eight independent county officers
and they have saved $4,000 and
we presume you saved your share
Which would be 5000. How did
you do it? Now Mr.. Ronell, you
pretend to be a refoEmer and an
honest man, aud still you go about
the country singing such rot as this
into the ears Of ti.e people. Your
approximations" are not "cumlingly
concocted.' Your statement that
you independents have saved TIE
tax payers $4,000 is a bold, bare
faced lie, without a scintilln Of tyi-
Ience 10 subs!ar.iateit Iftllere has
been any saving Of expenses TO the
county the past year it should be
credited TO the county commission
ers, a majority of whom are IepGb-
%licaos, aud not to the register Of
deeds, county Judge, clerk OF the
court OF any other county officer.
The commissioners are the financial
agents Of the county. They con
tract all the debtF, receive and ex-
anime all the bills, and either alp
prove or disailow them. They levy
the taxes, which are collected by
the treasurer and paid out by him
on the order of the board. The
treasurer cannot pay a cent indeb-
tedness on his own motion. And
still these Independent leaders and
howlers are trying to make the
people believe that the county funds
are dumped into their hands. and
by some slrewed or skilliul man
agement, only known to inuepen-
dents, they are saving thousands
and thous nds of dollars to the tax
payers. Why, you net like a pack
of fools, or kmaves, it is hard to tell,
sometimes which. The expenses of
the county for the past year and a
bali might be q few hundred dollars
less, than a period OF the same
length of time previous, Oh account
of the reduction of salaries made
by q republican legislature.
And then again, it might be a little
more, owning to the prosperous and
growing condition of the county aud
not do Injustice to the tax payers.
Some independents say, here now,
we have paid $4,000 ors40,O00 of
the county debt since we have been
in Office. Who paid it? What in
dependent county official went
down in his pocket and paid nickle
OF it, outside Of what the law COM
PEELED him to pay as taxes. Did
not the commissioners levy the tax
and the tax payers pay this money
INTO the county treasurer. What is
the money collected for if it isn't to
pay debts. Aud right here we would
like to say a word in regard to the
large surplus Of funds in the hands
of the county treasury at the last
settlement, which the independent
organ, the Leader, made such a blow
about. What is this large surplus
doing in the hands ofthe treasurer?
Why isn't it paid out and save in
terest OH the county debt. You in.
dependent stump orators think you
are having a rosy time. You think
IT, -no.,1, $3.50 ~oN~ 81 lnl.,.o III