Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-08-03
THOSE LOANS.
Commissioner Ruth Is Excited
Over Something Which
He Created.
He Makes Strong Statements and
Rings in a Great
Big Bluff.

utttIiIlllluDlc. ne indlIltulnS Jlidt
Union county officials have exceeded
their authority and loaned beyond
the requirements of the law with
reference to the loaning of the per.
msnent school fund. As a result Of
the above. Commissioner Ruth has
cut off the loans in every county Of
the state, according to the tele.
graphic dispatches.
His first letter to the auditor Of
Union county IA as follows:
OFFICE oFCoMMIsIoNER OF SCHOOL
AND PUBLIC LANDS, PIERRE, S. ID.
To Auditor Union County:
Dear Sir: Mr.. Myers informs me
hat you stated to him that you had
Il letter from me advising you to
make larger loans than the law
authorized. You have no such let
ter nor has anyone else, nor had /
all idea that you and the county
commissioners would SO forget your
selves as to over step the pro-
vision providing for the investment
Of the school fund. The con.
stitution is plain in its provisions
and | will under no circumstances
allow it to be violated if | know it
and your board was one that
| thought would not for a moment
think of doing an act of that kind.
| will be in Elk Point as soon as l
can get leisure and il the conditions
are as bad as the examiner reportsI
will be compelled to place the mat
ter in the hands of the Attorney
General for such action as he may
deem best.
Yours truly,
THos. II. Ruth.
\ reply was sent by one of the
officials of the county and Maj
Ruth's able assistant, who apparently
knows as much about courtesy and
the proper use of language rs hog
does about Latin, hurls back the fol-
lowing answer:
OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF
SCHOOL AND Public LANDS, PIERRE,
SoUru DAKOTA.
To the Auditor of Union County:
Dear Sir: Upon examination of
the report Of yourself AMI the county
treasurer ofthe condition and stand
ing of loans Of the permanent school
funds in and by your county to say
that | am astoniShed but mildly
puts it. Your county has from APP
pearance, violated every provision of
the constitution and laws of our
state in the handling Of those trust
funds. The historical acts Of the
40 thieves OF Wisconsin did not ex-
coed representa- acts Of Union county
officials in an open attempt to defy
the letter and spirit of the laws Of
the state. Yours,
THos. IL. Ruth.
Union county possess land worth
from $50 to $40 an acre, has fine
farms which are well improved.
Taxes are light aud Ian. is assessed
ut one-third Gifts true value. Un-
der the provisions of the school fund
loans equal to ! of the assessed val
uation can only be placed out upon
a farm. This places the amount to
be raised at only one-sixth of fhe
value of the farm which amounts TO
II cents on the dollar. Anyone do
ing business must know that no
money can be loaned .out on a II
cent basis andthe loaner derive any
benefit whatever. These facts were
presented to Major Ruth and he
agreed that insomuch as the county
stood back of the loans made by
its officers no apprehension could
exist as to the danger ofthe loan.
Union county, lie declared was a
wealthy county and amply able to
see after the loans. So upon such
conditions the loans were made.
There is not a loan made that is not
backed by collateral worth double
She face Of the loan and back Of the
collateral is the guarantee Of Union
county. The majors tempest in a
tea pot is hard to fathom.
Farm loans have been cut off and
the other day the county auditor
received the following communica-
ton on an application for a loan
upon school bonds, from Major
Ruth's assistant:
Dear Sir: l return your applica-
ton for $3.50 for the reason that
Mr.. Ruth is in Pennsylvania, called
there ty sickness of his wife. Until
he returns no further investment of
school funds will be made.
G.. L. BOWMAN.
1t is to be hoped that the major
will not be gone all summer.
Union county financially is as
solid as the rock of ages, and the
vicious attacks Of the major in try
ing to heap upon the shoulders Of
Union county commissioners and
officers such unwarrantsd accusa-
tons, deserves the condemnation
OF all fair minded men.
In the last two months Mayor
Comfy has been beseiged by travel
ing laboring men out Unemployment
for somethingto appease their huger.
In these two months the city au-
thorities through the mayor have
fed between 400 and 500 hungry
men. Those who have been fed
have been deserving candidates for
the city's charity and a dissemination
has been exercised between the ho-
Doe and the wage-earner. No town
in Dakota has done more than
Elk Point and the citizens have OF
their private means given to the ex.