The daily sentinel., 1912-04-01

So per day and $110 per month be-
ing made up by overtime entries,
which he stated he had no authority
to audit. To comply with resolution
of the county commissioners gov
erning same the clerks in the treas
urer's office were paid at the rate of
SO per day in 1911 and given over
time for extra hours. which brought
their monthly salaries up to S1IO
and same was permitted and bills
allowed by the county commission
ers.
Need Most Efficient Help.
| In careful and comprehensive
examination of the duties of the
\ county treasurer, we find that there
has been marked increase in recent
years in the business of this office.
and that the work is of such charac-
ter that the help there must possess
more than ordinary ability to salts
factorily fill the positions of deputies
and clerks. Also, that there are new
| duties falling upon the office from
year to year as the result of the for
nation of numerous irrigations dis
| tricts, subdivisions. etc.
The treasurer is required to give
bond in the sum of $4,000 for
the faithful performance of his du-
ties and for the protection of the tax
payers against loss due to error or
neglect on his part or that of his as
sistants. For this reason, the treas
urer asks that the wages paid this
office force be such as will enable
them to secure competent help.
Advise Raise i'm Salaries.
In view of the conditions as stat
ed. we would recommend that the
Il Hoe a.N Ia.
in excess of S115 per month, and
one clerk at not to exceed S110 per
month, and one or more clerks as
necessity may require, at not to ex-
ceed 800 per month, and eliminate
the overtime practice.
we further suggest a recommen-
dation that the treasurer make a
special effort to obtain a fair rate
OF interest upon bank deposits of
county funds.
We find that in December, 1911,
the judge of the district court ap-
pointed committee to examine the
books of the county treasurer, and
report at the March term of the dis
trict court. Only one of the commit
tee has made report"
1t was at this point in the report
that the jury began to pay its COM
piiments to the commissioners. From
the dignified and precise wording of
the report 1t can well be seen what
the jurymen had in mind when they
made significant references to ap-
parent Irregularities in the conduct
of the commissioners and county
health officers.
In the monthly statement of the
proceedings of the board published in
an obscure weekly with a minimum
of circulation there has always been
large expenditures punched under
the general term of pauper accounts
and Red Mesa hospital" The fact
that the poor house has been closed
for several months, and that the
pest house on the Redlands has had
but few patients during the past
year was taken into consideration
by the jury when the report signif-
icantly reads:
Recommend More Economy.
"The sums charged to the pauper
account the past five years seem en-
cessive. We would recommend that
economy be practiced in the depart
ment and especially that of the coun-
ty physician and health officer"
I The important discoveries ex-
pected in the probe of the commits
sioners. particularly as to their ap-
pointing themselves to road over
seerships, were not overlooked by the
jury, 1t would have been difficult
for the report to have maintained
its dignity and used more forceful
and unmistakable language than
this:
Must Comply with Law.
."Our attention is called to the
! cOuuIy tDmmiSSipna a,t;np Il, .l,,,,t
capacity as road supervisors and COM
missioners. THE PRACTICE WE
| CONDEMN AND RECOMMEND TT
BE DISCONTINUED AT ONCE and
that the commissioners prepare the
necessary petitions and cause the
same to be circulated to put into ef-
feet the road law of 1911 entitled
An Act Concerning Road Districts
I'VE FURTHER CONDEMN THE
DUAL PRACTICE OF COUNTY
PHYSICIAN AND HEALTH OFF,
GER. AND RECOMMEND THAT
THE COMMISSIONERS ARRANGE
THAT THESE DUTIES BE PER-
FORMED HEREAFTER IN MAN.
NER ABOVE SUSPICION"
Just what the term above sus-
picion' signifies is not explained in
the report. The inference is mani
fest that suspicion did exist in the
minds of the jurors and only the
lack of absolute proof prevented dis
closures of more evident character
After expressing hearty approval
OF the conduct of the offices of
County Treasurer Benton Canon,
Sheriff Charles F. Schrader and the
county clerk. county assessor and su-
perintendent of schools. with an ex-
pressive oversight of any commenda-
tion for the commissioners, the re-
port takes up the particular business