The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-23
HERE IS THE ANSWER.
MR. DoOLEY's QUESTION sATIsFAC,
TORILY REPLIED TO.
Secret Caucuses, at Which Accounts
Are Presumably Audited-The Law
in the Case of Accounts and Rec
ords-DiIls Which Are Illegal.

When the taxpayers mass meeting was
held in the city and county building to con-
slider the best means of assisting the coun-
~ court, the question was asked of The
Herald man. by John E Dooley, why the
newspapers did not print list of the eX-
penses of the county, and let the taxpay-
ers know what was going ON, as is done
in case of the city. The answer TO this
is plain. The accounts of the county are
not accessible. When one wants TO look
at d bill which has been fled with the
city, all he has TO do is to go TO the city
auditor and il is produced. 1t is different
with the county clerks office, Accounts
are taken from him by the selectnen I'M
der the pretext of their wanting TO audit
them and kept an indefinite length OF
time. They have at this writing peck
of accounts which are not accessible.
There is no possible means of getting
at the affairs of the county except at the
pleasure of these dark lantern session
men who are in secret caucus all the time
practically. Under the guise of doing
committee work they HE themselves to
their room and caucus for hours
1t is safe to assert that there is not
proposition which comes up that is not
decided upon ere the members meet. AS
yet there has not been division on any
question save when the matter OF the re-
noval of DIR. Allen as superintendent of
the infirmary was under consideration,
and then, marvel of maryels, Christopher
son held out, and, with Blair, prevented
a removal until Judge McNally was in
stalled.
The law in this case is very plain. too
Section 1S6. page 2aS, vol. /: All meet
books, records and accounts must be kept
at the office of the clerk open at all
times during business hours for public in
spection, free of charge.
The court seems to be pursuing
Scratch my back and 1 will scratch
yours" policy. Mr.: Geddes as secretary
and treasurer of the firm of Barton g.
Co.. sells the county blankets for the use
sophomore selectman from the ward
named Farmers, supplies shoes. 1t is APP
parently high time that Mr.. Roberts open
some kind of business in order that he
may get chance at the funds also, al
though it is possible that his having the
advantage in the matter of mileage may
have something to do with this matter
Among the many. accounts which are in
the possession of the Selectmen are those
of witnesses which were at the sessions
of the court which the decision of the
district court declared was illegal Why
they should be held in seclusion and not
acted upon is one of the many mysteries
which surround the action governing the
rule of the county. Under the ruling of
Judge Bartch, according to competent le-
gal authority, all accounts contracted by
the court acting in the capacity it did, are
illegal, and an action on the part of any
taxpayer would have the effect of nulli-
flying payment. Perhaps this is the rea-
son why the selectmen are so reticent
about making the affair public. They too
have accounts for services rendered at
the same time. and if they allow their
own bills. they lay themselves open to
even more criticism than they are receiv-
ing at present.
Until all the members OF the court show
willingness to have all their official acts
open for the inspection of the public,
there will be dissatisfaction; and possibly
legal proceedings TO compel them TO do
business in business-like manner may
be taken.