The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-09-02

connected with them in any way, it will
lay itself liable to the charge of conni
vance with mal-administeration and of
placing premium on carelessness and
incompetency.
We charge that in many instances
favoritism, not good business principles
control in the expenditures of the funds
of this county This is general charge
but one which we have proven by fig
ures in times past.
We charge that in January OF this
year the present board passed. a bill, pay
ing out county money at what every
member of the board knew at the time
to be an illegal rate
We charge that in the year 1902, the
board of supervisors paid to Sheriff Bell
not less than S25O.O0, over and above the
amounts allowed him by law. That the
facts as to this overpayment have been
admitted and known during all the year
1903, and that up to this time Sheriff
Bell has not refunded the money to
which he was not entitled. nor has the
board undertaken to make good the a.
mount lost to the people by their igno-
rance of the code.
We charge that the board has, from
time to time paid various sums for ad
ditional clerk hire for county officers,
and that each and every payment OF the
kind is illegal and contrary to law.
That they accomplished this illegal
design as follows:
/ The law provides that no purchase of
real estate in excess of $1,000 shall be
made by the hoard, without direct
vote of the people approving and order
ing the same.
The board of supervisors two OF
whom, Messrs. Schroeder and Molter
are now asking denomination, de'iber-
ately and with purpose aforethought as
clearly shown by the records defeated
this wise provision of the law III that
they did purchase a certain tract of
land. for sum but little short of 81, 00O
That the purchase OF this land was
authorized in one resolution, but that
in order to defeat the clear purpose of
the law two deeds, each for a tritie less
than 81 600 wee given and accepted TO
the land, We assert the purchase as
conducted by the board to be illegal, not
binding upon the county, AID that at
any time the said board could be com
PEELED to accept the land as their own
and to refund to the county the money
thus Illegally expended.
We charge that the record OF
the board of supervisors as entered upon
its minute book and Published for the
information of the publicEs misleading
in that. the total amount of the warrants
issued is not given,
We charge that on account of the in
competency and carelessness of the
county treasurer sum amounting to q
number of hundred of dollars was lost
to the county in affecting the sale OF
the court house bonds.
: Weassert that while unnecessarily rails
ing the salaries of democratic deputies
the board has refused to make any allow
, ance whatever to the republican county
superintendent, so that this imp rtan1
, public office might remain open while
the superintendent should be absent ir
, performance OF that part Of his public
!, duty which includes the personal visi-
tation of the schools of the county.
, The above e:direct charges there has
been no buster in them. no statements
I other than that of facts. Facts tina
may be proven by brief consultation
of the county records, the code of low.
and the public statements of the Officer
g concerned.
/. What will democracy do in the prem
: Uses, will it follow the example of the
: lodging Bulletin and insert abus
in the place of facts. viluperation IN plac
: of argument, will it attempt blanke
y denial without the support of facts, u
will it join in the demand for good gov
eminent and rebuke those careles
s and incompetent servants who after
# record of maladministration seek to bt
: rewarded for their misdeeds.
Respectfully we admit that democrac
will probably, resort TO abuse, deny tn
II charges without seeking the grounds t
% support the denial, seek to smothe
d discomfort by words of false praise an
;, renOminate the men whose record c
carelessness. incompetentcy. incapacit
u and wilfnl.purpose TO violate the law, w
'e have in this article pointed out.