The Monte Vista journal., 1899-03-18
A FUNDING SCHEME.


ing against them. So far as we
can learn there is no opposition to
the bill and in case 1t passes, this
county will in all probability avail
itself OF the provision and fund
such judgments as have been final
ly adjudicated. BY funding these
judgments, which the people must
pay, there will he n saving ot
taxes and more time will be al
lowed in which to meet them. So
fnr so good. But on top of this
reasonable and business like prop
osition comes another proposition
which is very much different, and
that is 10 confess judgment Oh all
of the Illegal warrants now out
standing and fund them also. The
illegal warrants, so called, are
variously estimated Mt from ;i40,-
900 to 100000. And Just why
the holders of these warrants have
started in to rush them in,o bou,.s
before the bill above referred 10
becomes law, we are not informed.
The editor of this paper has always
taken the position that the pro-
visions of the constitution, which
is the highest law, ought to be en-
forced. That provision is thns
when county reaches sl,0GG,C coo
valuation it should not be nllowc 4
to go in debt beyond certain
limit. That is very wise pro.
vision and one intended to save
the taxpayers from the acts of eX-
;rnvagant or dishonest county
officials. 1t is known when the
county reached the million dollar
valuation, and everyone who has
given the matter careful lnvesti-
CATION knows. approximately, what
warrants were issued contrary to
the highest law. But the holders
of the warrants say the county
cannot prove these things by
competent" or technical evidence,
aud herein they base their hopes
of defeating the intention of the
constitution. The warrant hold
ers say that n bill which was al
lowed by the board OF county
commissioners on certain day
might have been contracted one
year or six years before it was pre-
sentcd, and demand that the county
shall prove the exact date that u
bill was contracted. They refuse
to admit the records of the board
to show that it met every month
aud allowed all bills that accrued
between sessions. They insist
that courts must be governed by
different rules than govern the
ordinary business affairs of life.
These so.called Illegal warrants
have been outstanding for more
than n decade and so far not dol
lar of tax has been paid by any,
body on their account and no taxes
will be levied by reason OF them
until put into Judgments or bonds.
We ask why this seeming haste
TO put the warrants where the tax
payers will be forced To pay mn nn-
, nual interest on them aud by 80
doing add largely to the burden Of
taxation which they already bear?
1t will be time to double our tax
alton when we nre obliged to. and
II We do have to pay twice tho
present amount of taxes, let the
courts be responsible and not the
taxpayers themselves.
Judge Hnll.tt stands by the con-
stitu,ion mud the taxpayers, aud
not for tho warrant traders and so
long M the suits are in Judge
Hnlletts court or in Judge IIol.
brooks court, the taxpayers should
rest content. ID" not be bulldozed
by the tlirents OF costs or by nny
other threats the warrant holders
or their agents may mike, but net
like men battling for their rights
aud never surrender until We have
10. II the courts and the laws mr..
against us iher" mny sometime be-
n change for the better, aud tax.
dodgers may sooner or later he
reached by an smcndmcn. Of the
laws.