The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-07
The FACTS IN THE CASE.
EX-Treasurcr~ Phelps and Mitten Tear
the Charges to Pieces.

Ex-TreasurcrS Phelps and Mttten Tear
the Charges to Pieces.
The letter directed TO eN-COunty Treas
urtrs Phelps aud Mitten by the school
board upon Information Douglas Young.
the high-priced expert accountant Is cred
tied with giving. has brought forth clear
and concise statements as 10 the customs
Of the treasurers Office during their terms
of incumbency, and also OF former treas
urers. They state 10 the public what a
majority of taxpayers have always known.
II has always been a practice 10 receive
large sums of money during the last days
OF the rush TO pay taxes, and as opportun-
ity offered itself make out receipts and
mail them 10 taxpayers. What system
could be adopted TO AVOID this course
neither Mr. Phelps nor Or. Mitten can
imagine. 4 taxpayer certainly has the
right to delay making n tender until the
last day allowed by law, and il Is the duty
Of the treasurer to either accept or refuse.
4 person who knows anything about the
treasurer's office knows that 1t is imposs-
b(e for more than one man 10 work at the
same book Of tax rolls making out re-
ceipts at one time. No matter what pro-
vision the county commissioners might
make for clerk hire during the last days
Of tax collections there would stin be- a
vast amount OF tenders made for which re-
ccipts would necessarily be delayed
Mayor Phelps was asked yesterday for
an interview concerning this matter, and
said:
y have received the letter you mention
from the school board. While I was in Of
fee tried TO follow the law and precedcats
established by my predecessors. My acts
are open 20 the inspection OF the public.
it was customary in this. as well as other
counties, 10 audit penalty and interest in
one lump sum to the county fund. / did
THIS after consulting the auditor and coun-
rfenIe "a .,.~ss
accordingly. An there is about IL Is this:
II that is not the proper way. then the
county owes certain amount of the pen
atty and interest 10 the state, school ana
other funds. and tn, various funds which
appear upon the tax rolls. This does not
apply alone TO my term but 10 all Of my
predecessors. II appears that the supreme
court has decided that each fund is en-
titled to rs share of penalty and interest.
Tho most particular point. however. / wish
10 mention Is the statement relative TO my
emitting to collect penalty and interest
Any one who is at all acquainted with the
workings Of the treasurers Office during
past years knows that the last few DAYS
before taxes become delinquent the rush
60 tho office 20 pay taxes made II a physical
lmpossilAity 20 make OUT tax receipts as
fast as money was paid IN. Hundreds Of
taxpayers. on the very last days OF tax
paying. would come 10 the office ana de-
ot the property on which they desired 10
pay. II "a taxpayer stands with money in
his hands ready 10 pay. the treasurer must
accept or refuse. II was simply imposs .hle
81 make out tdX receipts as fast as The
| money WIS deposited. While the moaay
was actually paid INTO he treasury the re-
o".pts were not written up untn there was
Hulc 20 do it. The receipts bore the date
on which they were actually written up.
ana this fact Is fully explained in the tax
rolls themselves that the date 81 the re-
CSipt dtd not always correspond with the
date that the money vas actually deposited
with the treasurer. There are thousands ~
dollars ~ taxes PAID hy mail from every
part ~ the EGited States. and ln order Is
accommodate the taxpayers who We're
present {u the office waiting for rereir;s
the mail femitiances were deferred As
many As possible were written up at uiEh..
hut iu many Instances the taxes had i,--
come delinquent before tHr receipts caul
ho made ~. ~ a psrspa sent in arsf.-
money orders or postal orders vr cash lis
express or mail Tor the payment of taN-s
Is statement OF ~h..h had been previously
sent him. provitus the rrmitt8nc, va.
dated before tpe taxes t.,ajna deiiugu,l..
hr Was furnished q receipt as soon rs ttrra
was time 60 wrt, It up The same sja.,-
nt,uts arIiy to thv question ~ rebates IT
ttc mooney was deposited before Jhe .1fa
af rebate bad expired the rebate was ii-
lsVrt
'Tht simple facts are. uas tNt-e ,l.-.-
90 treasurer ~ klnE county. snl #i sass
H,rn.st .n taf Itur ~ aHte as p.ai.a sons
want. ami . have no OBJECTIONS ts .he
.irst.sI s.rf.t.Ty ~ fnN aHf-. On uuf know
~ single instance c4t rf The Tens ~
thousands ~ faN prr-pts issued hv mes
Natte 3 proper accounting was ust ua.t.
7 yseu- lrto at1ee as t1- INST treasurer uf-
a-e an" Stare law. anJ largely .nau-urages
~ & II Is