The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-01-11
JUDGE M'CAUsLAND SPEAKS.
He Explains Some Matters About the
Court House Question That the
Taxpayers Should Know.
70 The editor of the IntellIponcer.

To the editor of the I~ntelligencer.
viii you kindly allow me space II
your paper to give some of the reason
which prompted me to vote the appro
priation of $4,000 to repair and i'm
prove the court house, and also to cor
rect some of the erroneous opinion.
which are entertained by many of the
citizens of the county in regard to this
matter. say %roneo opinions,
because / believe that the great mas:
of the people have been wrongly in
formed and imposed upon by designing
persons who have selfish interests t.
subserve and are not working for the
lettering of the condition of their s'deal
down trodden and oppressed brother
taxpayers" as they so loudly and
vehemtly profess.
In the first place, / have been of the
opinion for years, and am now more
fully convinced that the present our
house is not large enough for the trans
action of the business of as large and
populons county as this, and hence it
should be enlarged so as to meet the
demands made upon it by its rapidly
increasing business.
gu LhCh II IL was lhiEC CuOuSug
l am sure that no decent, cleanly man
will claim that in its present dilapldated
condition it is a suitable place for the
administration of justice or for the
gathering place of an intelligent and
respectable people, such as this county
possesses. Hence, it should be cleansed,
repaired and enlarged.
Sd. Lexington, now at least is the
county seat. The court house is the
property of the whole county, and
should be cared for and kept in good
condition by the whole county, and l
one of the judges of the county
court, elected by the people of the
entire county, and when 1 was indicted
Office took an oath not only to
observe the laws, but to guard the
financial interests of the county and to
preserve and protect all its property.
In assisting to make this appropriation
| am simply carrying out my convIc-
tons of duty, and attempting to fulfill
The obligation then assumed. The law
gives the court power and authority to
make all needed improvements and
repairs; when the money is on hand to
pay for them. The $4,000 appro-
priated is now in the treasury. Not
cent will be levied to pay this
appropriation. Nor is il the Intention
of this court to make any further APP
preparation for this purpose Or to spend
a dollar more than this appropriation.
| feel and believe that this will give all
the room and convenience for the
transaction of the business of the
county for the next twenty or twenty
years, and | am fully satisfied that
qnless these repairs are made, that it
will not he five years before the county
will be called upon To build q court
house at an expense of at least $780, |
300. Relieving this, | am confident
that the spending $4,000 nov will
from $75, 900 to $50, 900 in the
next five years, and this is another
that prompted me to vote for
The appropriation. Many people urge
hat as the county is in debt that the
court should apply this money upon
he debt. This cannot be done. The
.aw forbids under penalty of fiQe and
Imprisonment, the using of bney
raised for county expenses in an other
way than the expense of the county,
~ 10 StANisp% Shtt ttiO ONNiO IthS bCCu
making excessive levies so as to have
The money on hand for this purpose.
This is not true. The money now
in the treasury and available for
The purpose has been accommodating in
small amounts for several years. The
court has made but one levy,
he one for 1895, and that is the
smallest one hat has been made for
years. BY comparing the leyles for
1892 and 1898 it will be seen that
s27 ,714 will DC or nave been left in
he pockets of the taxpayers. In
olher words this large sum is just that
much less than was collected in 1894.
| quote from the records of the court,
so that anyone who desires may satisfy
himself that | do o mlsrepresent.
For 1894 the county and state levy was
s1.05 on the 800; in 1895 it is 50
cents on the 800, and the taxable
of the county $ll, 194 1863. For
1894 the levy for bonds and interest on
Lexington township vas 60 cents on
he 800, and for 1895 il is 80 centa.
The valuation is 81, a04 ,23Q. Wash
ngtOn township for 1894 was 80 cents,
for 1895 it is 60 cents; valuation
81 .043, 1855, Sni-a-Bar for 1894 was 60
tents and for 1895 it is 80 cents on the
'aluation of $780, S5.
And now in conclusion | desire to
that | have not written thus as an
Ipology or Gus for hat haye done.
ut simply to give tho true statement
If facts so that the people among whom
have lived for more than sixty years
who have been wonderfully kind
nd generous to me-, may Judge me
right. | have no apology to make;
ny conscience approves what | have
.one, and on that | stand or fall.
Very respectfully,
w. &. MCCAUsIANp.