Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1898-11-04
Office OF County Auditor,
III NEIcnN A udifnr

per distribution of interest collected
on delinquent taxes having been cal
led to my attention | desire to get
your opinion on matters touching this:
and ask that the following questions
receive your CAREFUL CONSIDER
ALTON: SO that if the interest has
been Improperly apportioned the
County Commissioners may di-
rect the treasurer and auditor to ap-
portion to the several townships their
share of the interest.
l. To what fund should the inter
est collected on delinquent taxes be
apportioned?
On what law is your opinion based?
2. Should the interest collected on
delinquent taxes be treated as fine?
On what law is your opinion based!
3. Are cities that are organized un-
der special charter entitled to inter-
est collected on delinquent taxes?
On what law is your opinion based?
Your early attention to this will be
appreciated.
Yours very truly,
j. II. NELSON
County Auditor.
The above letter would seem to in
dicate that Mr.. Nelson and Mr.. Bur-
CESS are feigning ignorance and would
like to saddle their neglect of duty
upon the county commissioners, the
states attorney, or some responsible
party who is willing and able bodied
enough to stand up in front of a Justly
indignant people. If they are feign-
ing ignorance of official duties, it
stands to reason that Mr.. Burgess is
not as competent as some republican
newspapers are reporting him to be.
IF, on the other hand, these gentle
man have had guilty knowledge that
the transaction was not right and
that the people of the county were
being unjustly dealt with, it proves
conclusively that Mr.. Burgess is not
fit man to again put in the court
house.
Mr.. Nelson, in his letter, speaks as
though this was the first time his at
tention had ever been called "to the
question Of proper distribution of in
terest collected on delinquent taxes"
At the time the dumping" process
began Brookings city Jared the same
as the other townships and villages of
the county. If this is the first time
the matter has been called to Mr..
Nelson's attention, how does it hap
pen that Brookings city is getting her
share of the fund now? When was
the change made? How could it take
place without the knowledge and con-
sent of Mr.. Nelson and the county
treasurer? Why was it dumped into
the county fund in the first place?
These are pertinent questions and
should not be answered evasively.
The people demand that they be an
swered squarely.
Mr.. Nelson and Mr.. Burgess must
have known, that when Brookings
city was receiving her share of the
fund and the balance of the townships
and villages were not, that there was
an unjust discrimination there some
where. Why have they not applied
for legal opinion before? Why do
they wait until the matter is dis
covered and then consult an attorney?
Is it matter of competency or in
competency? Is it a matter OF neg
lect? Or has some ulterior motive
governed their action in this matter?
Mr.. Nelson must also know that
the county commissioners do not "di-
rect the treasurer and auditor to ap-
portion to the several townships their
share of the interest" If he don't
know this his eight years residence in
the county court house has been of no
value to him. But he does know it
and so does Mr.. Burgess for they have
never applied to the commissioners
for advice of this character, and If
they have, why don't they address the
board at this time instead of consult.
ing the states attorney?
The fact that, at times, the col
lections are small and that it is con.
siderable work to properly apportion
them, is no excuse. IL they don't
want the work they need not have the
Office. The people expect that their
public servants Will DO the work OF
their Office, and do 1t right, or know
the reason why,