The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-31
County Commissioners Will
Take it Up Monday.
SHALL OLD AGENTS ACT?
HALL INTRODUCES A REsoLU-
TIoN on TIE MATTER.
Erroneous Delinquent Tax TitIes-
Murray to Have a Jail Gage
County Bonds-Routine Matters
Discussed by the Board.

Tor the approaching city election will
be made an entire new set of Demo-
cratic registration agents, or whether
the Republican vote enumerators APP
pointed last year viii be permitted to
remain at their posts of duty, de-
pends upon the action OF the board of
county commissioners to be taken next
Monday. One of County Attorney Van
Cot deputies he's already Informally
ADVISED the board that the registrars
appointed last year by the Republican
board obtained no vested rights under
the law authorizing their appointment
and that the law of 1897 pertaining to
registration and elections repealed all
OF the 1896 law ON the subject, even if
the manner of making such appoint
ments was not modified. IL the county
attorney himself formally advises the
board in harmony with his deputy's in
formal opinion then all the appoint
ments made by the old board viii count
for naught.
HALLS RESOLUTION STRUCK a
SNAG.
The subject was preached at yester-
days meeting of the board when Com
missioner Hall offered the following
resolution:
Whereas, some of the registration
agents Of this county have expressed
doubt as to their tenure of office;
Resolved, That in the opinion of this
board the registration agents ap-
pointed in 1886 are the legal registra-
ton agents Of their respective districts
and should perform the duties of their
office as required by law.
The Introduction of the resolution at
Cnce provoked 2 discussion.
Commissioner Hall did not wish his
resolution 10 be voted upon until next
Monday. 1t was his belief he said
that it would be the better and safer
plan to let the registry agents ap-
pointed by the old board under the old
law TO serve out their full two year
terms. notwithstanding that they were
subject TO removal at any time by the
board. There would be no house to
house canvass made this year, only
ONCE revision from a. m to 9 D. m
on four days (Tuesday and Wednes-
DAY, Oct. and 3; Tuesday, Oct r.
and Tuesday, Oct. 26.) There would
he less confusion. he believed, in let
ting the old registrars serve out their
fun terms. and if he understood the
law correctly he believed it would be
right and proper TO adopt his resolu-
ton when it came to vote
RAwLINs WAS DOUBTFUL.
Commissioner Rawl4ns was fearful
the law intended that all of the old
registrars were legislated out of Office
by the new enactment. and in fact he
oeheVed the new appointments should
nave been made al the meeting of the
board held nearest the first day of
June, as the law directed. While not
wishing to take any advan4a age of any
party OF set of men. he. stated his be
lief that the courts would decide there
was no election if the approaching reg
sstTarion is not -snade by new ap-
rointees.
ARMSTRONG FAYORS NO CHANGE
Chairman Armstrong said he was not
a Democratic partisan enough to re-
move Republican registrars if they
We're competent and trustworthy. ana
Of the law did not require the board to
appoint new ones. There would. he
added. be but little compensation in
the positions this time, and ne would
favor no change now. as he understood
the law, save to fill any vacancies.
p ANTICIPATED PROBABLE ACTION.
Clerk Spencer stated that the Demo
cratic committee had filed its list of
recommendations and that he had been
directed by his chief. Mr.. Dunbar. to
request the Republican city committee
10 also send IN their recommendations
from which to appoint registration
agents in anticipation of the board s
probable action.
Finally, on motion of Commissioner
EaWlins, the resolution was referred to
County Attorney Van Cctt for a formal
opinion as to the requirements and in
tent of the law in the premises.
THE EFFECT OF CHANGE.
If the county attorney advises that
an entire new set of registration agents
should be appointed, Salt Lake City
and Sandy VIII he the only two places
in the county affected. bus by reasoA
of the fact that both precincts in
Sandy. Nos. e. and 6S. returned a Re
publican majority on the vote for con-
gressnan both of those precincts will
have Republican registrars for their
civ election.
However she result IN Salt Lake City
will prOba. g be quite the reverse, be-
cause out u the 50 election precincts
sn this City, only one precinct, No. 50,
gave Republican majority on the
vote for congressman at the last No
Yember election. The law emitting the
party in the majority in a precinct, as
determined on this vote at the Dreced-
ing election, TO have a registrar from
among the majority party when new
appointments are made, IL follows that
if a clean sweep Of the Republican reg
iStTags is made that party viii save
from the wreckage Just one registrar,
and the Democrats Will get the other
81 in this city. Even a change o. pre-
cinct boundary lines on a basis a, 300
voters to each election precinct would
not change the result.
WRONG TAX TITLES.
Among other business transacted by
the board yesterday was The action
taken on lGe petition Of Eyles & Reese
Tor relief from an erroneous delinquent
tax sale and subsequent execution of a
tax deed to J. ]. Smell of property
owned By petitioners. The matter had
been referred 10 the county attorney,
who reported thereon as follows:
Answering the demand of MeSsrS-
Eyler & Rees. we have to say that the
authorities are very clear 10 the effect
that county in making tax sales does
not guarantee the title nor the conduct
Of its officers, and that the rule APP
plies strictly that purchasers must
look into the title themselves and
make sure that II is correct before
buying and that if it should after
wards develop that the title is not good
the risk is the purchasers and not the
countys. The authorities are also to
the effect that public officers have no
right to make refunds Of public money
in such cases unless expressly author
ized by statute.
The attorneys report, which is in
conflict with his predecessors reports
on similar matters and whose advice
governed the boards action on petition