Morris tribune., 1905-11-11
The MORRIS TRIBUNE
J. C. MORRISON, Editor and Publisher.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER II 1905.
THOSE SEED GRAIN LOANS.

into the matter fully and IL lhe Times ed1tO
had read that opinion a little more carefully he
would not have fallen into the which he
did.
The county commissioners are trustees, anc
the purposes for which, and even the name,
in which, they can pay out the money of the
county is most carefully hedged about by laws
When the board expends money except in &C
cordance with these laws, they become person
ally liable, and should a taxpayer carry any
such matter into the courts, the commissioners
would be compelled to make restitution out OF
their own pockets.
Suppose the commissioners should pay
these seed grain loans from county funds and
then later be compelled to make restitution
who would repay the commissioners? The
county would be uuder more of moral obliga-
ton to the commissioners than it is now to the
state.
If the editor of The Times were a county
.commissioner-by the way, he would make a
good one-he would hesitate long while be-
fore assuming contingent liability of from
$4,000 to $4,000 for sake of paying these old
seed grain loans
In Blue Earth county few years ago, the
commissioners made contract with tax ferrets
to give them a percentage of all additional
taxes collected but after the ferrets had earned
their pay, the commissioners were stopped by
the courts from paying to the ferrets the money
justly due them Blue Earth county was nnder
the clearest moral obligation and AS a matter
of fact all but few citizens anxious to see
the debt paid, but the majority were helpless,
and, we believe, the debt is still unpaid.
Unless the people of Stevens county would
he unanimous in their desire to have these seed
grain loans paid, the commissioners would find
themselves in the same difficulty as were thel
commissioners of Blue Earth county In fact
one taxpayer by applying to the courts, could
thwart the desires of all the other taxpayers of
the county.
Argument, therefore, as to whether this |
debt is moral obligation the county is not
:germane- Grant that it is moral obligation,
zand We are right where were in the begin
ning. The only money the commissioners can
use to pay it is their money.
The Tribune stands ght with The Times
in desiring to have moral obligation recog-
nized tosthe last penny, but in the case of
county ~sbl CATION we want to know, how can it
~be>,dnne.
If the Times wants to "pass the hat" we
would like to head the list with our pro rata
share.
There is not going to be anything "handed
out" on a silver platter any other receptacle
by Minnesota republicans next year, and any
honorable gentleman who is sitting back wait
ing for some good fat office to chase him up is
going to be disappointed.
Republicans after having been shut out
tor two years, will have become hungry and
thirsty and greedy for any piece of public plum
der left laying around loose. The platter will
not be passed in 1906. 1t is more likely to be
the contribution box. Ortonvi1ie Herald Star, +
With Jacobson thc Republican cand1-
date for governor, the Democrats would have
These would be enough corporation cash to
satisfy even Sir Richard O'Connor.--St. Cloud
Journal-Press.
We do not know how it is in other counties
but we believe that here in Grant county Mr.
Jacobson would be the strongest vote winner
the Republican, could select for the party's
nominee for governor, Notwithstanding corpor
alton oppositon.--Elbow Lake Herald,
The disposition of the people tovote for John
son if the next Republican nominee for govern
has