The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-05

which prevents the clerk Of courts OF
Hennepin county from issuing any GER
tif1cates to the sheriff for his deputies
in the court rooms, and, according to
the statement Of the sheriff, they, have
not had any pay for several weeks as
a result. Just why it is Is that dep
uties hired by the sheriff, and to be.
paid by him, and upon which he makes
a handsome profit, should be without
pay simply because Hennepin county
is stopped from advancing the money
to the sheriff to pay them with, is a
question which has almost a ludicrous
side. To give a man contract py
law, which nets him a profit, and then
advance him the money to carry OUT
the contract is droll.
However already the agitation is
having some good, effects. For months,
almost years, it has been pointed out,
not only to the county commissioners,
but also to the world, how money was
wasted in many ways, and yet the COM
missioners have made no move. In
fact some of them have actually said
that they didn't care what the public
thought. Now that the matter has
been given official notoriety, some Of
the commissioners are prepared to act,
and they were quite contrite yesterday
when they asserted that they would
strive to do better. 1t was arranged
between Mr.. Ryberg and Mr.. Conroy
that motion would be carried through
asking for bids for all printing. In the
past these printing bills have been
enormous, and there have been no
questions asked. Printing bills have
gone through the board and have been
paid without any proof that the print
ing has been received. In fact, it has
been so, lax in this way9that it would
have been possible to put bill through
for work. which never had been done,
and it would have been allowed with
out questioning. The method of pass
ing bills has been a joke among Of
ficials for many years, and yet it is
kept up.
Not long ago County Treasurer Hast
ings received a draft for $500 and a
note accompanying it to the effect that
1t was conscience money, because Of
money received from the county that
was not due.
One Of the moves which the board
will make at the outset will be an at
tempt by certain members to have an
attorney selected to whom salary
shall be paid. 1t Is figured that a man
who is above reproach can be secured
at a salary of 81, 900 per year, who can
give the board at least two weeks of
his time each month, and pass upon
all the items In all bills that are ques-
tionable without allowing one of them
to escape. The commissioners say that
the record of the past shows positively
that they cannot rely upon the advice
of the county attorney. He has not the
time to devote to looking up these mat
tiers, and then his time is all taken up
with Investigations of criminal law, and
he is not in shape to give advice upon
business matters or else he thinks they
are unimportant and Sights them. The
members of the county commission are
not lawyers, nor do they know any,
thing even about business law, and
they feel that they need assistance at
every meeting and assistance on every
bill. Therefore, there will be an at
tempt to have one to act for the board.
1t will be especially necessary in the
present case. For the state officials
order one thing, and the county attor-
ney will advise directly against that
order With matters in this shape, the
county commission will at least be
obliged to have an attorney to advise
them in that one matter and pass upon
the bills as they are presented by the
sheriff. AS it is pretty certain that the
matter will have to be settled by the
courts there is litigation which some
attorney who believes that the matter
should be pushed should have in hand.