St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-04
FLASHED IN THE PAN.
Kenyon's Report Not the Po-
litical Bomb SO Fondly
Hoped.
The Examiner Writes a Letter
Completely Generating
Refs.
No Wonder the Examination
Came to So Abrupt an
End.
Some Pertinent Suggestions
rendered by George
Refs.

lupICISu llio lCPOlG HlduC W IHC SOf
ernor relative to the examination made
of the city treasurer'S Office, and il
turns out an admirable flash in the pan
A copy of this report was sent to City
Treasurer Miller about 5 o'clock last
evening under seal and addressed to E.
G. Ingersoll, president of the board OF
aldermen. The city treasurer would
not give out any facts concerning the
report last night, but 1t was learned
from another source that tie report Is
just about what tho GLOBE has pub
liShed and claims there is an apparent
balance of assessments not collected
amounting to little more than $4,000.
This sum includes assessments and pen
altieS which were ordered collected,
but by reason of complications in the
assessment thereof they became uncol-
lectable.
EX-Treasurer Refs was seen last even
ing and stated that he had not been
furnished with copy of the report al
though he was told that he should have
copy at the same time the city treas
urer was given one. MI. Refs had pre-
pared a statement to be made to the
board Of aldermen when the matter is
submitted to them. He asserts that
there is no probability that the investi-
CATION will 90 any further, as the inten-
ton in the first place was to make
political capital out of the matter, and it
is well known that there is nothing sub
stantial to the SO-called shortage. He
says that it is we'll known to the pro-
motors of the investigation that they
have gone back as far as it
will serve their purpose. If they
we're to 90 back further it would be
found that there would be no pGrcepti-
bic addition 10 the sum already found
as an apparent discrepancy, for the
reason that there were scarcely an legal
bubbles of any note prior to 1887. The
trouble with the assessments and penal
ties began after the decision of Judge
Kelly to the effect that certain publica-
lions were illegal, and that the judy
ments could not be taken. This, said
Mr.. Refs, was the whole trouble and
JliC Jill tIllHS bIOIO 10 Tic iildIlCI, OuL VI
which there is an effort to make polit-
cal capital, and serve the purpose of
him.
a Complete ExOneratiOn.
In his statement to the common coun-
Ill, Mr.. Refs will say further that he re-
,eived letter from Public Examiner
Kenyon on the day the report was made
o the governor, of which the following
S ID copy:
OFFICE OF PUBLIC EXAMINER, ST.
PAUL, MIMI, May 3, 1898 George Refs
Dear Sir: lu regard to any statements
hat you have not accounted for all
moneys received by you as treasurer of
he city Of st. Paul, take pleasure IN
laying that this Office has examined the
accounts OF the treaSurer'S Office of st.
'aul city on two different occasions, as
provided by law, and from such eXami-
latiOns | am satisfied that all moneys
eceiyed by you as city treasurer have
'een fully and satisfactorily accounted
or on proper vouchers. am, very re-
pectfully, M. ID. KENYON.
Public Examiner.
Reis' Statement.
Of the report and the matter with
which it deals, Mr.. Refs said:
LAS the public examiner finds that all
moneys received and disbursed have
'een accounted for, the matter now
'efore you is entirely covered by the
cheduleS Of items OF uncollected
in certain cases. The former
administrations, particularly during the
lme when so many improvements were
icing made, and also often when legal
threatened to stop cOllec-
ions, were compelled to be more liberal
Il the construction OF these laws
han now when but few and
Ight amounts are yet to be collected.
1t is now claimed that this is an arbi-
rary law, allowing no discretion in its
Xecutlon, and according to these views
he penalties and costs on the schedules
efore you, appearing uncollected, have
cen figured up and are being made to
ppear to be due, and there is scarcely
property owner in the city who does
Ot appear on the list and who could not
e made to appear to owe something
nder this construction of matters.
his shows for itself that this was
Not Matter of Discrimination
} any particular person or persons, but
matter OF more liberal construction of |
NV compelled by circumstances very |
from those now existing.
In the matter of suspension of pen |
tiles by reason of long delays. stop |
ages or changes in the work: In many |
undred cases on these lists in which |
Is being attempted to make ii appear
S il there had been something |
ue, there had been changes. stop
ages or long delays in the contracts.
v hnthlr thn npdar RI
anne direct from the council or through |
he board of public works from the |
Ouncil, as has been objected to, matters
OF, it was intended to do what was con-
dered to be right and fair to the prop
rty owner, and it would be an act of eX-
eedingly bad faith to attempt anything
this kind and bring property owners
ito trouble on technicaities.
Court decisions by which judgments
nd assessments were invaIidated:
here have been decisions of the courts
validating the judgments and assess
tents IN thousands of eases, the penal
eS and costs of which now are now be-
lg made to appear on these lists as re-
aiming due, when they could not be
elected at all, and only the amount of
he original assessment could be OBJ
lined by tedious and expensive proc
IS of reassessment. Ii a property
wner paid this without putting the
ty TO any such trouble and expense, l
Ill to see why l should have refused
lis when under the conditions then ex-
ting the courts had declared that
lese judgments were no judgments at
j, and the property owner could onlv
ain time by holding back, as he knew
ell that no more than the original
)uld be obtained, and nothing less than
he original assessment
WAS Ever Taken.
. will examine the detail of the cases
Dove cited as soon as opportunity is
f0rded to me, as it will require conSid-
fable time and attention.
Our system of collecting special as
lSSmentS, its faults and drawbacks:
he collection of local assessments in
le city of st. Paul is different from
~ other city OF its size in the United
-ates, where any large number of i'm
'OvementS have been attempted.
l all these cities the special
;SeSsment, are either Immediately
aced upon the general tax roll, and
ELECTED or made due on certain fixed
ny in the year, well known to every
)dy, and occurring but once; or they
e turned over TO the tax collector at
NnT. IL