The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-02-05
4 Dual QUESTION.

Drought suit against the county Of Of
ter Tail to compel it to pay ever to the
city all penalties and interest on taxes
on property in the city The case was
decided in favor of Fergus Fails by the
supreme court, and when the matter,
was heard by Judge Baxter some time
ago he gave decision in favor Of the
city. The city charter Of Fergus Falls
expressly provided that the taxes Of
the city should be collected by the
county in the same manner that State
and county taxes are collected and that
the penalties and costs should he
turned over to the city: The PROPOSE
ton seemed plain and specific enough
and the question is why should there
ever have been any question as to the
city's rights in the matter. In the
case that was brought by the village of
Princeton to mandamus the county au-
ditor to compel him to pay over to the
village all the county road and bridge
money raised on the assessed valuation
OF the village the question was some
what different. The charter of Prince
ton specifically provided that the county
auditor should do this, or at least i'm
piled this much, but the charter pro-
vision ran against a snag in the shape
OF general law that made the charter
provision null and void. The bill now
before the legislature to give to all in
corporated villages and also all cities
and boroughs such portion of the
county road and bridge money as is
raised by the taxes of the municipali-
ties, would make it obligatory on the
counties to pay over such funds in full.
If the bill should become law it would
make some great inroads on the road
and bridge funds of many counties.
When the legislature enacted the CEN
eral law providing for a general road
and bridge fund it was of course pre-
sumed that the boards of county com
missioners would be eminently fair and
reasonable in the distribution of such
fund to the various road districts Of the
counties, and here is where the rub
comes in.
Especially in the newer counties
there is such a clamor for road and
bridge money and it is very difficult
matter to know what lisa fair and equit-
able division of the funds. In the case
Of Princeton there is no question but
! that the county should have appropri-
ated reasonable sum each year for
road work in the village. The village
has built and paid for two steelsbrfdges
at ~.zss.1kr tp1e aexpen,D ;snd-ssnse
bridges are just as much county better
ments as village betterments and lin
provements. On the other hand the
village ought not to expect all or a lar
ger portion of the road and bridge tax,
under prevailing conditions in this
county, and the same is true of all the
newer counties. Princeton with its IL
cense revenue is we'll able to take care
of it's streets. It has not for some time
at least, maintained road and bridge
fund as its charter provides for, and
has gone on with no, street commits
sioner part of the time and with a COM
mittee of the whole part of the time
and part of the time with no committee
at all, in this way it has gone on mon
keying with it's streets. and wasting
money on the same. It ought TO- get
down to business and set apart sum of
money for street work and improve
ments each year and spend the same
like business. man would spend his
own funds. When Princeton gets her
streets in as good shape as good coun-
try road then perhaps it might be well
for her to ask the county board to .ap-
propriate few dollars to help good
thing along: If Princeton can't keep
up her streets on the revenue she has
how can she expect the county commits
sioners to keep up the miles and miles
OF county roads and build miles and
miles OF new county roads with the
money in the county road and bridge
fund. .... NJ -. 49,. !.
THE Swedish famine has reached
such stage that universal move
ment has been started throughout this
country for tho ,aol;of e =.