Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1904-10-28
MORE NUTS TO CRACK
The Democrats Try to Explain by De-
claring that 1t is n "Lying Cam
Daignn

| paign."
When the democrats are confronted
with cold facts from the official records
which show that their principal Of
ficers are guilty of seriously neglecting
public duty and grossly overstepping
all authority of law they declare that
the republicans are conducting "a ly-
ing campaign" If they think for a
moment they can thus lightly excuse
their actions they greatly mistake the
temper of the people. The voters of
Fall River county know right from
wrong. They know that when the law
declares what shall be done that it is
the duty of the officials to do it. Why
do not the democrats show wherein ga
lying campaign" is being conducted?
What is the lie they refer to? The law
has been quoted showing that the tax
list ''shall'' be printed commencing
the first week in October" and it has
been shown further that County Treas
urer Craven failed to comply with that
law; he neglected his duty, thus max
ing the tax sale invalid-or so ques.
tionable that the courts must decide
the matter. Is that lie? The public
knows that it is the truth. The pub.
lication of the delinquent tax list is
one of the very important duties of the
treasurer's office, and the law is so
plain that there is absolutely no excuse
for his not complying with it. The law
specially and plainly told Wood Craven
what to do, but he failed to do it. Is
that lie? Can an officer ignore the
law and do just as he pleases and suit
his own convenience? Are those who
call attention to a public officers neg
lect of duty and disregard of law to be
denounced as liars, and the officer thus
be excused? Can the official and po-,
litical organ of Wood Craven and of
democracy calmly pass over rank
derel iction Of duty by declaring that a
imam who will seek to frighten the
taxpayers by such rot is an ass and too
unpatriotic for country like ours"
Is it "rot" to quote the law and show
that it has been deliberately ignored
and disregarded?
Is it "unpatriotic" to print the law
and state the facts showing that the
county treasurer did not obey the law?
viii the taxpayers and voters of Fall
River county agree with the Times.
Herald in it's opinion that a citizen
who calls the attention of the public
to wanton disregard OF plain law is
seeking to brighten" them?
The law has been shown to the peo.
pie. The fact that it was not complied
with has also been shown That neg.
lect at once puts the collection of the
delinquent taxes in jeopardy. Who is
to be blamed for this? The voter is
the judge.
The question of the amount paid for
publishing the tax list is not an issue
in this campaign. However, every tay-
payer knows that the list is paid for
by the description-ten cents for each
description. When the lists we're so
large few years ago, before the scav-
enger law cleaned up the real estate
taxes, and before the National Santa
rum was located here, of couse the tax
sale lists were large and their publica.
ton cost more money, but the property
advertised had to pay it. The printer
was then paid in warrants worth at one
time only 40 cents Oh the dollar, but it
cost as much to set the matter up then
as it does now. And even with those
lengthy lists they we're printed "com-
mencing the first week in OCTOBER
and the treasurer did not wait to ac-
commodate the printer. The taxpayers
do not especially care whether demo-
cratic newspaper or a republican news
paper does the printing, as the law
fixes the amount to be charged, but
they do want it printed as the law re-
quires, and if democratic treasurer
and democratic newspaper cannot do
it, and republican treasurer and
republican newspaper can do it legally.
the taxpayers have an interest in it.
Treasurer Craven has done nothing
out of the ordinary toward collecting
taxes. The people simply went and
paid their taxes. The law which now
provides for the sheriff collecting GER
tain taxes has made it still easier for
the treasurer and has helped in getting
some taxes, for which the treasurer is
entitled to no particular credit.
The conditions of the country gener-
ally, together with local conditions, and
the taxpayers sre entitled to the credit
of the taxes that have been paid, and
not wholly the county treasurer.