Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-02-27
Mt. PITT SCORES THE GRAI|OI CO. HERALD.
The Supervisor From Seville Gets nquve and Wants to Know
the County has Borrow Money Will the Banker Bondsmen
Come Forward and Let the County have Money at the
Same Rate the County has Been Letting the Banks
Have Money for These Many Many Years.
II Not Why Not?

is another mistake of the Herald Mr..
Lyon. attorney for Mr.. Munson, and the
bondsmen, said Mr.. Hicks would like TO
get away on the afternoon train, unless
the board wished him TO remain. Several
consented and no one objected to his
going, and he went. The Herald won
ders why an investigation was had.
When the board was called to order in
the afternoon, ! think all Of the bonds
men with one exception were present,
also their attorneys. Why they were
there and at whose request do not
know. They were questioned as to what
kind OF property they had that footed up
the amount they qualified for. ANYTHING
wrong about that3 Heretofore the Gus
tom has been, so far as my experience
goes, when the Treasurer presented his
bond il was referred to the committee on
county officers. After they had investi-
gated 1t, ii was then reported 10 the full
board and acted upon by them Why it
was necessary 10 rush this particular
bond through, while the bondsmen and
their attorneys were present, l do not
know. If the Board of Supervisors don {
investigate, and ascertain whether the
sureties are sufficient, who will. 1t is
not only a privilege, but duty every
supervisor owes his township and the
county, to take the necessary precaution
for the safety of the peoples money.
Only few years ago the Steel's of St.
Johns, considered very wealthy men,
were on County Treasurer Otto's O Id.
The Ithaca bank with which they were
connected failed, the county had some
$1,000 in this bank and it was several
years before the county got its money.
The same is true of several township
treasurers and school districts that had
money! in this same bank. The Herald
thinks the whole affair is an unfortunate
one and might have been avoided. That
is exactly what the people and the Board
of Supervisors think. The Herald says
the balance on hand at the January set
tlement was S34,4o3.37, but the Herald
does notsay that when the Board settled
with County Treasurer Smith last week,
Feb. 10Th, there was balance on hand
of 500, 6oS.I6 1t further says that the
monthly balance last year was S6I, ,433.eS
but it fails to tell its readers that Treas
urer Smiths report to the Board showed
balance of nearly $67, 900 for the past
four years; had this drawn 3 per cent
interest the same as depositors have been
getting there would have been saving
to the county of $1,000. The Herald
says if in the opinion of ex-treasurer
Smith and Treasurer Munson the county
will be under the necessity of borrowing
money TO pay running expenses before
the end of the year Should this happen
will the banker bondsinen come forward
and let the county have money at the
same rate the county has been letting
the banks have money for these many,
many years, if not, why not? The Gra-
tiot County Board of Supervisors have
been fighting i'll small way in the
county, what Roosevelt is fighting in
large way i'll the nation combines.
Who is benefited by this system. certain
banks in the county, with headquarters
at Ithaca, who are the losers, the People.
w. T. PITT.