Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-19
PETER ROBBED
IO PAY Paul
Common Practice Of Boards of
Supervisors to Transfer
Funds Illegally
THE LEGISLATURE MAY ACT
Attention of Next Session Will be
Called to Alleged irregularities in
Affair. of County Governments -
Thought They Are as Bad as Cit
ies-State Fair Land Transfer.
Special to- Times-kepublican.

Special to- Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept. 19.-As a result
of the disclosures or irregularities in
the government of the city of Cres
ton, and the likelihood that most other
discussion has arisen as to the affairs
of the county governments and the
next legislature will likely be asked
to adopt similar law requiring an ex-
animation of the financial affairs OF
every county in the state by an exam
iner from the state auditors office.
Persons familiar with the manage
ment of the affairs of the counties
claim that there is no evil present in
the government of cities that has not
its counterpart in the affairs of the
counties. 1t is claimed that board of
always do. accomplish anything in
spite of the fact that there Is specific
law governing their conduct and pro-
hibiting them from doing certain
things.
For instance the law prohibits cities
and counties alike from transferring
money from one fund to another Yet
counties follow the example set by the
cities. and continually transfer money
from one fund to another. Some of
them do 1t openly, and by vote of the
board, in spite of the law. More often
they do it on the SLY and in very in
genious ways. One of the most COM
mon is that of overdraMing one ac-
count For instance the insane levy
has no limitations and counties very
frequently raise the insane levy far
above the needs of that fund, because
they are short in other funds, and the
other funds have limitations. The
bridge fund, for instance, is limited
When county can not raise as much
money as the supervisors like, to put
in bridges, they raise the levy of the
insane fund, and then deposit both
funds at the same bank and overdraw
the bridge fund to the amount of the
balance in the insane fund. The rec
ords of the board show no illegal vote
transferring the money, and yet while
on the books of the county the insane
fund is shown to have lots of cash or
hand, and the bridge fund to be de-
pleted-in fact there is no money ir
the bank in either fund.
Another form of evasion of the law
lis in the handling of the permanent
school funds. The law provides that
the permanent school fund can be
loaned to counties at 4 per cent inter-
est, and the only thing county is all
lowed to do with the money is to loan
it on farm mortgages. Instead Of do
ing this, however, many county boards
of supervisors borrow the school mon
ey and deposit it in local banks, and
then overdraw the accounts of the var
ious funds to the amount of the sum
borrowed from the school fund. This
is clear evasion of the provisions of
the law.
Directors of the state f.lir are very
much put out over the opposition that
has been made by some of the Des
Moines people before the executive
council! against the transfer of some OF
the land belonging to the state and in
reach grounds and up in the hills, for
some of the level land down between
the grounds land the Rock Island
tracks. The land that it is proposed to
trade is very rough. 1t is claimed by
the directors Of the fair that it can be
farrned on three sides. There is coal
under it. the directors not denying it.
The land has never been used for state
fair purposes because 1t is entirely un
suitable and such a thing is entirely
impossible The land is inaccessible,
and it would be utterly unfeasible fo-
state fair purposes. There is something
over forty acres of it, and Isaac
Brandt ex-deputy state treasurer has
a plan for making a botanical garden
Of it at the expense of the state and
to cost some $50,O0O or 100000.
The directors Of the state fair have
assumed the position that they are
perfectly willing the state should have
a botanical garden, and will not OPP
pose any scheme the other people may
devise, but they claim the state fair
is neither in the botanical garden bus
mess nor the coal mining business. :nd
they therefore want to get rid of the
the present grounds and the Rock Is
land tracks The grounds are now
crowded. There is no more LAND ON
which to build swine sheds, and ev-
ery wear exhibitors of swine are re-
fused admittance to the grounds with
their stock because there is no ground
or space in which the swine can he eX
hibited If the trade is alowedAt1 GO
tnru the level ground between tf'
Rock Island tracks and the pcesen;
grounds will be utilized for .hase
swine sheds and the new swine pa
vii on that the legislature is to be ASK
81 to build, and new horse barns vii
be erected, relieving a further crowded
condition.
At democratic headquarters in this
city 1t is claimed that the only litera-
ture that has been sent out thus far this
campaign Is the circulation OF the op-