Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-04-04
Lsr rcpLlc BUSINESS Bg ruDLIC.

~ W Uut 80 ptbitc w ~ 'i'rb w ""'t'N
lon Of fraud and there IN no security ex'
cept In the personal integrity Of the
Official
Ws.sre not ~ those who believe
there n no honesty among those 10
public Office. We believe that the
vast mejori,y d ueu are honest In
their private and public life But they
may make mistakes or be misled to
cJnirnit acts that cost the people Just as
dearly M downright dishonesty. 10
some offices there In no way for the
peopls 10 know what Is done with the
public funds except through tbe news
pagers aud there ARE laws requiring
certain publications by county officials
setting forth the details OF public acts
and expenditures. These laws are not
enforced at present, Ia this county and
no far ~ the county court is concerned
there has been no settlement with the
people for twenty years.
Al risk VI incurriDg the displeasure
OF some OF these gentlemen, land that
often means hundreds Of dollars TO the
newspaper that dares to criticise them,)
TUE JOURNAL charges that the law IL
not complied with In at least two i'm
portant particulars:
l. The semi-annual statement OF
county finances has not been published
In Marion county for the past two
half yearly terms. This IL made up OF
q statement OF all fees and monies COL
lected by the county clerk, sheriff and
treasurer and their disbursments.
Heretofore this statement has beeb
made public TO our readers every six
months. The law has not been
changed and the people are entitled to
sse this balance sheet for these county
officials.
2. The law requires the publication
Of the proceedings or orders had by the
county commissioners court and list Of
claims allowed, or II rejected, or cut
down and continued. In this county
the law has been complied with In 40
far ~ designating two newspapers hav-
Ing the largest circulation In which
these proceedings and Iist Of bills
against the county are to be published.
and then making the whole matter
farce, null and void by fixing the pay
for the work 40 low that no newspaper
will touch II, thus defrauding the pub
llc from tho information to which they
are entitled about the acts and dis
bursements Of the county court. This
law In In force In nearly all the counties
Of this state. IL Ia In force In our ad-
Joining counties of Polk and Yamhill.
IL h the only means the people have Of
knowing what Is done with their taxes.
II Ia clear the county court In this
county do not, by their acts thus far,
intend this law shall be enforced, he
cause after making their order ut the
March term, u month has gone by aud
the clerk Of that court has never sup
piled this newspaper, which 10 one
OF the two officially designated for this
purpose, with the matter required 10 be
published by law. The county clerk
seems to understand that the law lie not
TO be enforced. IL Ia made his duty by
the Law TO supply the newspapers des.
ignAted with.an official certified copy
and he can yet his fees for 80 doing.
There II not an excuse for not furnish
Ing the proceedings aud disposition Of
claims as required by law unless he has
instructions 10 the contrary, IN seems
10 be the case. Even II he had such
Instructions II would be contrary 10
law. aud he would be obliged to pre-
pare the certified copy aud could col
lect pay. What excuse then has the
clerk for Withholding the facts from the
peoplee
There is no other way for the people
Of this country to know what Ia done
with tho hundreds OF thousands Of dol.
lars oftaxes coll soted for county, school,
road and state purposes, but by enforce
ment Of theee publication laws. The
fArmen aud taxpayers la their homes
have right 10 know what is done with
the public money. They have a right
70 know upon what showing public ex.
psndltures ere ordered. At this season
they cannot get 10 town 20 investigate
for themsclves.
Here 10 An illustration Of the way
business 10 done secretly, ~ fat ~ the
public "A concerned. A twelve hundred
dollar expenditure was recen,ly lohbied
through the county court, upon = mere
pssitaon ofa handful oflawyers. for con-
vsnisncs of the Judge aud juries In our
plrcuit court room. Let the FARMERS Of
this county ssk similar sum for iu,.
proving . highway of shls county TO
market their crops more conveniently.
cAa that be quietly arranged In the
eounsy court upon = little petition of
small taxpayers among the hrmsps
The lawyer like the lily tolls |
scs aslihsr does hs spIu wlsh hIs lily |
hands. But hs get. there jast the same.