The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-07
VOTERS LEAGUE
SECOND REPORT
It Deals With the Candidates for
Board Of County Com
missioners.
Tells Of Importance Of Positions
and Makes Recommen-
dations.

The second report Of the Voters
league, herewith submitted, deals with
rns ian9rs . It Us IS as follows:
The Importance of the position OF
county commissioner from the taxpay-
ers' standpoint is much underestimate ed.
No less than membership in the city
council, this is position calling Tor the
honesty and capacity. and fidelity to
public duty. The position has too long
been the vantage ground OF mediocre
men, who find in it an opportunity to
play the game Of politics and further
their personal interests.
! \ The board Of county commissioners
consists of five men, elected for four
wears. They supervise the expenditure
Of more than 100000 a year on the
county''s account. They have general general
o ffce They actively direct the man
agement Of the county poor farm, the
courthouse and all road and bridge work
and lake improvements outside OF the
city. The board also has, important
jurisdiction in the !. matter OF taxes: Us ds
. the delinquent tax list. Upon the
hoard devolves the duty Of passing on
protests made against assessments by
!, the city assessor and the city. council,
both, real and PERSONAL including n -p IN
lie franchises, and II 1t deems IS ne IN e
, Sc.1~~AAoA~~
state auditor to reduce them,
The board has quite important duties
outside of the county building. There
is expended each year on the road ano
: bridge account about $4,000, and So, 0oC
a or more for lake improvements, The
:, condition Of all the county Highways
l. in LARGE measure depends upon the eff
t cheney Of the men constituting the coun
:: ty board. T.. .......
} Unlike the situation with the city
a council, the board OF county commits
e sioners does it's work almost wholly re
l not the same opportunity as in tn
i council for public knowledge of its at
7 fairs. Neither is there any veto cheek
y Whether county business is done RICH
or wrong, whether the public interest
served honesty dRa nnn the V
it men constituting the board. Combine
n, For personal, or political advantage al
le easily possible, and almost the rule.
in Recent laws hedging in the condue
It, Of county business have tended to max I
ed the board more Of a business bod
xa than in former. years, and to improy
m. the efficiency of most Of the depar
&c ments under it's control. There are M
n today the same opportunities as fo q,
he erly for politics and patronage. III
be eneouTagem men daa1a
"a seek service on tlyti county board.
ut In general, politics and patronae
he and not public service, have seeming
1T been the dominant influence 4 with TIM maj
ms Of the men constituting the 5oard
he past years.. The criticism will app
to some Of the members of the prese
Wn board.
sh- -Four Of the five members of the pr
are emf board retire this year. There
ire, a big field of candidates for the vaca
Wn eies and the situation in three OF
an districts is very unsatisfactory:: N 1
the wholly without qualifications for t
lief position, and, in some cases, with !
on toriously bad public records are acti
seekers tor The no% sat n Of Of on tn
ma respective parties. Some OF tnem G
un- have no other purpose than a desire
and get get close los to the public crib for tn
, is personal advantage. And it is an
,wn fortunate CIRCUMSTANCE that some OF
con- parties having the least qualificatit
d a for the office have, up to date, ms
ich, the most active campaigns for
din. nomination, and are best impresslng