The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-02-24
IeSleurs Endorsed - j
q \: +. " p Gohnsrtar Club
presirtent Of City Commission Gives Plain Tall,
al Rooms "Wednesday Night: Called
"1 4>' Spade Spade


by President LeSueur at the CONNER
cial club Wednesday night, before
4 crowd of nearly two hundred OF MI
uot's business and professional men.
Mr.. LeSueur had'been invited by the
club Ia give this address at the third
smoke talk" event, and so clearly
did he explain the working OF the
commission plan, that even those VINO
have openly opposed him did not
hesitate, when Major Murphy propos-
ed that: the club give Mr.. 'LeSueur
rising vote, and thereby acknowledge
that they were willing to stand at
the side of the commissions president
in the work which he had undertaken
TO do; to endorse his work.
Every man in the room stood
up. Mr. LeSueur, in his address,
was not afraid to call spade a spade.
He talked plainly, as man to man,
and did not spare the unvarnished
truth ne said that he realized that
Ne had been criticized for many things
that he did, and for not doing some
al the things which he should do. He
cu.,ia not help it, He made mistakes
but was willing to profit by them. His
purpose he said, in making this adj
dress, was to make plain, distorted
facts that had been made public, and
which We're hurting the city.
The Financial Condition Of, Minot
When the board of commissioners
took control of the city's affairs sew
en months ago, there was some none
in the treasury, but the records had
been kept in such manner that it
vas Impossible to tell into which
funds Gle money belonged. The COM
mission laws compel city to go on
a cash basis, for under this system
II is illegal for the president or the
auditor to sign a warrant on any
fund. in which there is not money to
cover the same. Here was the con-
ditIon ut the beginning; Of the com
mission. There: were approximately
S1l5,000 in warrants outstanding
. drawn without regard to appropria'
lions. For some time past the city's
disbursements had exceeded the ap-
preparations, and at the rate Minot
was going, the time would soon have
been at hand when it would have
been utterly impossible for Minot to
have legally, changed its form of gov
ernmefTt. The disbursements had ex
eeeded, the appropriations from $14,.
ooo. to $4,000 in a single year. The
heard Of commissioners went about
II soon as possible, to secure a dea'
with che state for the money with
which to- refund the outstanding war
r4ats. Today, there is plenty of mon
~ In. the treasury to care for all the
optitanding warrants, and not on
dpllar 81 the 1909 taxes has; beer
touched. The rate of interest thai
kinot is paying the state for the re-
funding bonds is 4 per cent of one
and a half per cent less than the
lpwest among the other bills.
important Comparison
During the first seven months un
der the commission system; MIno
1s.A out for the expense Of running
tAe Affairs of the city, and for wate'
nataEs> corporation cocks, and oths,
expe4ses,: $35,257, while during the
seven months corresponding, undel
the old council system, the city pait
eut for running expensessalone, SAL,
llE.fS- This is a .arge esum,in favor
II the present system;r, notwithstand
Ing the fact that there were many: e.
!. Renses incident to changing the. form
!, - government, the improvements
Y Aeretofore mentioned, and! besides
!: ibis amount includes about; $1,50(
lasiE cut FOR. making certain inves.
!. cations Besides from $1,000 to, 81 SOC
h<S been spent in auditing the old
bo0ns and in turning over the old
aExtem into new channels. 1t is safe
~ ,say that five thousand dollars were
Npeat daring the first seven months
~Atgh expense will not have to be
Incurred during the future. This
would leave . balance of more than
$4,000 in favor of the present sys.
tenn, In seven months Of the present
s1am IN seven months. The police
oxgenHtares during the first seven
months of the present system were
Rb1zt $500 less than during the same
period under the cid " ,'':
q 2nSueur Had No Platform
: The speaker said: when / came
ont. For office, I had no platform to
rzn On, and made no promises. /
ihink the majority of the people who
voted. for me, understood my senti-
na4ts. If not then it is their mis-
fortune, not my fault
III is unfortunate that all Of the
submission officers are not of the
xzzna mind M
- + h.ts cur Alleys
Owing to- the result Of a disagree
acnt an the board, the speaker said
the alleys are now full of combustible
-xfase and unsanitary garbage. The
health commissioner has been vigil
ana. but without the cooperation of
sse property owners, it will be Inn
poss7ke to clean up the city properly
\ Plea for Cooperation.