The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-02-10
MANDAMUS THREATENED.

was not marked for either a large attendance
or great enthusiasm. At 80 p. M, the time
announced for the opening of the session.
there were not more than a half dozen present
and it was an hour later before President
Oscar Lindsey raped for order. The
audience had increased to about twenty, III
Guiding reporters and some VINO were not
farmers
Albert Bum of Washington township said
he was not a member of the present county
board, but was present 20 a farmer interested
in what affects himsei. and others of his voca-
ton. Mr.. Bum is well Informed and pre-
sented some good common sense arguments,
He complained of the increased taxation
when there was not increased valuation, The
speaker, as well as all present, agreed that the
increase in county expenses and not of town
ship was responsible for the present high rate.
Mr.. Bum urged that the farmers organize and
demand some legislation in their behalf. He
was opposed to having, paid speakers to tell
how farming should be done. There are sue
cessful and intellectual farmers In every
locality and 1t was q waste of money to pay
speakers from distance who knew nothing of
local conditions.
l.. o. Stiles, also not member of the board,
accepted the courtesy of the floor. He be-
lieved the farmer should begin at the prlmar-
les and select only men who would have the
interest of the farmer in mind. Mr.. Stiles re-
ferred to the present extravagant Board of
agreed IN this p sentiment e Over 500 DC had
been spent on county roads and nearly all of
these had needed repairs in six months The
speaker did not believe one OF these ROADS
was scientifically built, and he appealed to
civil engineer present. who was OF the same
opinion. Mr.. Stiles offered a resolution that
1t be the sense of the meeting that Morris
county would be more economically governed
by five supervisors than by a Board of Free
holders" He did not express an opinion in
the matter, but simply offered the resolution
to get it before the farmers, The matter was
laid over until the next meeting.
Mr.. Bum hoped the county would not have
another Board of Freeholders as expensive as
three
watched their record carefully and could not
understand how some members received seem
ingly more than the law allows.
A resolution was passed declaring 1t to be
the sentiment of the meeting that the surplus
now in the State treasury be applied to public
schools
On motion, the president was authorized to
appoint a committee of five. with power to
act, to confer with Lawyer w. P. Savage rela-
tive to mandamus proceedings and the course
the county organization shall take to compel
the State Board of Agriculture to comply with
the law as embraced in resolutions demanding
an accounting
The report as submitted at the meeting fol-
lows:
Report of the committee appointed by the
Morris County Board of Agriculture on Jan
16, 1899, to prepare and draft such statement as
1t may deem proper to be printed in the papers,
and sent to all the other county boards in the
State, that they may fully understand the
truth, that this board has not accused nor did
at any time accuse the State officers in any de-
partment of spending State moneys for wines,
mand, and do demand, no more, no less. than
that the State board comply with the statute,
requiring an annual itemized account:
MIR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN-At the
annual meeting of the Morris County Board of
Agriculture held December 20, 1897, there was
passed the following resolution:
Whereas, In the act creating the State Board
Of Agriculture. we find the following: Treas
urer to submit statement. Act Il-And be 1t
enacted, That the treasurer of the State board
shall annually submit an itemized statement
n
with the vouchers for the same, to the Auditing
Committee of the State board, who shall
make report of their examination to the
State Board Of Agriculture at each annual
meeting, which statement shall be published
in its annual report Act of 1887.
Therefore, Be 1t resolved by the Morris
county board. that we ask and demand that
an itemized accounting be made and pub
lished In our next annual report, Of the expen-
ditures of the year 1897 of our State board, as
declared must be done under said act.
This resolution was READ before the State
board at Trenton at the annual meeting In
January, 1898, by the Morris county delegate
Mr.. Fish, discussed then and there, and
adopted.
In the annual report of 1898 there appeared
resolution, neither did there appear the reso-
luton, this being the first time any resolu-
ton presented by the Morris county board had
been expunged from the record.
At the following annual meeting of the Nor
ris county board, held November 20, $685. the
same resolutions were again passed, demand
the SO. 600 State appropriation and the print
ing of the same in the annual report. as the
law demands; also resolution condemning
the action OF the secretary (Franklin Dye) OF
the State board in expunging the resolution
from the annual report OF 1898. as aforesaid.
Immediately after this meeting OF the Morris
county board, there appeared notices In all the
county papers calling for a meeting to be held
at the county hall in Morristown, on Decem-
Der 20, 1898, for the purpose of reorganiAing the
Morris county board, which call was signed
by J. A. Casterline and others, who stated
that 1t was called under the direction OF
Franklin Dye, state secretary, by order of the
Executive Committee of the State board.
This meeting. which was largely attended.
after hearing the matter discussed passed the
following resolution by large majority;
Resolved, That we, the citizens of Morris
county In meeting assembled do hereby en-
dorse the action of the Morris County Board
of Agriculture at Its last annual meeting held
at Alton ON November 20 last.
The meeting then adjourned. 1t was very
evident throughout the meeting that the Nor.
ris county board had the full endorsement Of
the farmers of Morris county.
At the annual meeting OF the State board
held at Trenton January IL, IL and 10, 1899, w.
F. Ely attended as the delegate from Morris
board In response to the resolutions OF the
Morris county board, made statements TO the
effect that those resolutions cast reflections
upon the honesty, of the State board, and in
support of themselves went back Into history
to show the different prominent citizens of our
STATE IN the
appeared, and stated the reason why the Item.
ized account had not been published in the
annual report was. there were not sufficient
funds for the purpose, but that they had COM
piled strictly with the law; and II any one
wished to see the recount itemized, together
with the vouchers for the same. he urged them
to go to the comptroller'e office, where Mr.. Nc
Nicely would be glad to show them the &C
count and vouchers for the same In full
On January 10, $780, the Morris county board
held a meeting at New Vernon, at which meet
ing resolutions were passed UNFOLDING their
delegate. w. f. Ely, in his course at Trenton,
and this committee.
W. p. Savage. q member of this committee,
went to Trenton on January 70, 1899, to look
over the itemized statement, together with the
vouchers, filed In the comptroller's office, &C
cording to the request OF Franklin Dye, secre-
tary, made before the last annual meeting OF
the State board.
Mr., Savage saw Mr.. McNeely in the comp
troller's office, and requesting to see the item
lied statement, with the vouchers. was in
formed they were not filed with the comp
troller nor with the treasurer, but that Frank
lin Dye had them. no doubt, in his office.
This resolution, creating so much antagon-
Ism with the State board. and, as 1t appears.
driving them to acts unworthy of their emil
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