The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-03-09
A Communication in Relation
to the Controllership.
MR., WIhHELM'S CLAIM
He Relieves on His Construction That the
Act Whioh Created itho once Of Con
trsllsr in schuTlkllI County is Uneon-
stitutional-Soms Plain Talk
special HERALD correspondence.

GOIISN Lille, MArCn ..
william WilhelH, Esq, as solicitor for
the County Auditors, took column space
last night in one of the papers published
by part Of the 5000 syndicate to say he
believes hs has discovered that the law
which created the Office of Controller Of
Schuylkill cSanty is unconstitutional
1t nust be admitted that the boldnsss Of
the stroke, Wpon first reading caused a
sensation, bat l can assure you that the
official against whom it is aimed need
have no anxiety 1t Is one of those far
fetched legal conclusions that outreach
themselves.
However, the question will be settled
upon the hearing on the 18th inst, fixed
for argument of the writ of quo warranto
issued last Monday at the instance of the
Attorney General to show by what au-
thority the County Auditors claim to ex-
ercise the authority of their said Offices
Controller Severn left Pottsville last
evening before | could see him relative to
the claim made by Mr. Wilhelm, but
learned from a gentleman who had seen
the Controller before he left that that
official was by no means worried on ac-
count of the announcement.
/ may say there is a belief here that the
people who feel aggrieved by the policy
OF the County Commissioners and Con-
troller relative to the printing contracts
and other patronage growing out of the
''hilp administration place great faith in
Mr. Wilhelm's opinion and are praying
that it will hold water before the proper
tribunal
may at the same time say that should
Mr. Wilhelm, or the County Auditors,
need any aid to strengthen the fight to
| oust the Controller they Will find no more
willing assistants than the demoralized
| bogus reformers. They are moving
| heaven and earth to make a change. The
reform given the taxpayers is not the
| kind they want. Their ideal of reform is
one having teat-and one teat at that
so that they may suck, and suck it un-
mOlested.
No one residing outside of the county
seat and having an opportunity to daily
watch the movements OF these con
spirators can wholly appreciate the situa-
tion.
So far as Mr. Wilhelm is concerned, 1
wish to say that he is TO be commended
for the zeal he has shown in behalf of his
clients. | believe he is acting in good
faith and conscientiously in line with his
view Of the law. As to the County
Auditors, | believe they are hinging their
battle against an custer of themselves in
the honest conviction that they have a
right to serve this county as County
Auditors for term of three years, in
pursuance OF their election.
But let me say that since an attempt is
to be made to show, apparently, not why
these Auditors should retain their office,
but why the watch dog of the county
treasury should be removed, | am forced
to the conclusion that some other fingers
must have been stuck into the pie since
the matter was last discussed before the
public, and that those fingers seem to be
attached to the arms of that printing
octopus which is so studiously working
for revenge.
No doubt your readers have observed
that the papers of this place which so
zealously impressed upon the minds Of
the people the fact that the County Com
missioners and County Controller were
indictable for issuing illegal election
ballots have been silent on the PROPOSE
tion for over two weeks, Notwithstanding
the fact that the Grand Jury has been at
work since Monday, Isituot quite evident
that these buffers and bulldOZers reached
| the conclusion that there was more bonn
bast than logic and legal reasoning in the
| arguments made at that time
Mark you The IS, 600 beauties are on
the alert, night and day, to grasp the
slightest preteNt upon which TO drag the
County Commissioners or County Con
troller before the courts, either on Grim
| inal or civil proceedings, or Writs of
| custer, and they will cling to the first
| straw. And, mark you they are also on
the alert for others than their own who
may receive any patronage from the
| hill This is an indisputable fact
give il as a warning These desperate
| people are watching for the first slip, and
| should one occur, whether it be per
| chance, or intentional, il Will be pounCed
upon and attempt made to- mould it into
an offense of some kind whereby those
who have offended them, or have con
| doned the acts which have offended them,
| shall be punished
For the sake of honest, fair and econo-
mical government, | hope my prediction
that the CoRstitutiOnality of the Act
creating the COntrollership Of Schuylkill
! county will be firmly established on the
issue raised. ! would like to see one full
| year at least under the present admins
| tration because believe it would be
| twelve months of the best government
| this county has ever had