The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-13
SHUT IT UP.

:. The resignation of the abstract clerk,
appointed to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation of his predecessor, again
directs public attention to the county alb
stract Office. What should be done with
that institution? What good end Is Sc
cured by its maintenance? How long will
it continue to be public scandal and
drain on the public resources? 1t is of
no earthly value to anyone, public or
private. 1t represents the control of
public records which are fast becoming
valueless through misuse, records which
it will cost the county something like
reproduction becomes imperative
The history of this office is the his
tory of shameless political Iog-rolling.
The taxpaying community has been milk
ed through it in the payment of official
salaries and perquisites. and through the
endless litigation which has resulted in
the effort to construe the rights and in
terests of those who have been asso-
ciated with its administration in one way
or another since It's establishment.
There will no doubt be a renewal In
the next legislature of the effort to fix
up some arrangement whereby some To-
cal Republican politician shall be able
to work the county treasury through the
agency of this official excrescence. That
effort may succeed or fail according as
the country members do or do not close
their eyes to the fraud on the commun-
ity which is involved In its main
tenance. OF course the local legislative
delegation, composed as it has been from
the beginning in the majority of Repub-
ican politicians, will readily give their
approval to any scheme which promises
to make the office harbor of financial
rest and recreation for one of the faith
: full ca
There is one thing which can now be
done to advantage to the public interest
in connection with the abstract office
That thing is to close it UP and keep it
closed. If the public could look with
any success to the board of county COM
missioners for such action in any given
direction as would be most promotive of
it's welfare, there would be no need to
urge this course on that body. But as it
is, it is useless to do so. The Office will
in all. probability be kept open and it's
records will conLlI lie to be abused as
they have been for so many years The
county commissioners will put in the
man of their choice, no doubt, and he will
find the Office just what it was found BY
its latest incumbent No man who seeks
to run the office on business basis can
go in there, meet its expenses and pay
himself a living wage, without calling on
the county treasury to help him out
This is so because it has been reduced to
such condition Of ineff1cency that no
one will resort to it when he can go to
private abstract Office or title insur-
ance concern.
The Clio b e last winter frequently.
and strenuously urged on the del
egation to the legislature from this coun-
ty to put an end to this Office, or to merge
it in the Office of the register of deeds.
Of course our urgency was. of no avail
The office is still there, water-1ogged and
worthless. If the county commissioners
have not the good sense to c.ose it up,
let them take care that they do not take
any such course of action toward it as
may render it any burden whatever fnan-
cially to the taxpayers of the county.