The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-18
wHATCoM COUNTY WARRANTS.
Eject of the Recent Decision of the
supreme Court

supreme court.
Nhatcom. April i7-Special.-The su-
preme court having affirmed the decision
OF the superior court here in the county
warrant matter. the treasury is again op-
on. and the treasurer has issued a call
for warrants 10 the amount Of about S37-
090. or within 5000 OF the total funds on
hand. The warrants called are mostly on
the various school and road district funds.
though there are n considerable number
Of general road and bridge funds and
salary fund warrants included The de-
cision Is hailed with the greatest salts
faction here hy all except the POpulists
who supported the commissioners In the
unprecedented order of February II
which gave rise To the case The order
referred 20 was based upon the populist
commissioners construction OF article
Z Of the constitution. relating 10 the levy
OF taxes They argued that all taxes
must ne levied for specific purposes, and
that as the levy Of 1894 was Ia ased unon
the commissioners estimates Of the f.
nancial requirements Of the county for
1895. the proceeds could only be used 10
defray the expenses az the fiscal year
1895. beginning April !. isaS, and ending
March 81. 1895. They accordingly directed
the auditor TO make all warrants issued
between the dates mentioned pavable
from the proceeds Of the 1894 tax levy
The effect Of compliance with this order
would have heen 20 indefinitely postponc
tha payments Of all outstanding war
rants, amounting In the aggregate 10
about SIs5 coo and give preference 10 tho
warrants or 1896. which would nc worth
par as long the funds lasted. The com
rnissloners didn't like 10 have the order
called repudiation but to most peoDle I.
seemed 20 be q distinction without a DIFF
ference. The treasurer fatty refused 70
pay any warrants issued in compliance
with the order. on the ground that as a
matter Of law a = well as equity the coun-
~ should redeem It's obligations as they
were incurred. and pay It's warrants in
the order of issuance, o., as I'm the case
OF school warrants the order Of registra-
ton. In fact he refused 20 pay any
warrants whatever until the question
should be passed upon hy the supreme
court So the matter drlfsed along for
weeks. neither the two Populist com
rnlssloners nor the county attorney tax
ing any steps 20 bring about a hearing.
Finally the hoard of trade took the mat
ter up and n hearing was had in the
superior court mon a restraining order
20 restrain the treasurer from paving s.
certain warrant. held hv a Papulisf hv
tho way. which had heep called "a long
time before and uron which interest had
stopped. and which had beeu' pre- santea
for Favv7ant on the 18th Of February
nnd ravment refused bv order Of The com
r,,isslonsrs The treas0rers attorney
FLED general demurrer setting forth
al the facts and the case was argued
With marked ability by .he attorneys for
both sides Judge Winn promptly ses-
tainad The demurrer. and an appeal WAS
taken - the supreme court which af
f~ffaea the decision in Ar opinion handed
down 0u the 18th 3nst. The court holds
that section 8 article : 81 fhe ceusti-
t,ltlan. has no reference % taxation for
county purposes. The object for which
the taxes shall ~ levied provided hv
section z. article az the constitution. IS
not 20 fefray the expenses - 1he county
o. state for any particular u1ae- l. has
been .hp custom ~ counties. Nphtl1 hE
every department cf the government, -
carry sheir Indebtedness in the shape -
,sa~rsvtz and - provi$e for their pay
,,,at. sa accordance with their date ~ S.
Srtar.ne y viii uot - presumed, thers>-
- .ha+ .hs Legislators intended 80
make the radi-sl change eonte2l7d for
BY appellant