Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1912-03-19
CARD FROM ]. c. MINKERT

Having been. solicited by great
many of the voters of Brazos, county |
to become candidate for the office
of county Judge, have decided to
submit my name to the democrats OF
the county for consideration, and in
doing so have but one ambition and
that is to serve the best interests OF
the county.
| believe that 1t is contrary to the
genius of democracy for any person to
hold the same Office for an indefinite
time, because it gives the incumbent
too much power and prevents the
people from being able to know
whether or not they are deriving the
greatest possible benefit from the adj
ministration.
AT the expiration of his present
term of office the present incumbent
will have held the county judges office
for a period of fourteen years, having
been elected to the office in the year
1898.
The county Judge, under the law,
presides over the commissioners
court and in great measure directs
the levy of taxes and the expenditure
of the public funds, and in this con-
nection | desire to call the attention
of the voters to the fact that the total
assessment of taxes for the year 1898
1.-THE year Judge Board was elected)
amounted to about $4,000, and that
III nc % tha county dir
ing his administration have gradually
increased from this sum to the amount
of about $50,000-an increase OF about
100000
With the exception of some repairs
which were made necessary by the
floods of 1899, there have been no iron
or steel bridges built in the northern
or eastern portions of the county; no
extensive repairs have been made on
the courthouse or jail, and very little
work has been done on the pubic
roads of the county, except what mas
been done by the county convicts..
The proceeds of liquor dealers
} licenses and other occupation taxes
I together with the fines collected in
: cash. are about sufficient to pay the
running expenses OF the courts.
Z believe that the revenues OF the
: county are ample for the maintenance
of the county's interests and that with
proper management all of the roads
I of the county can be put in first-class
condition within a very short period
s OF time, and that without any increase
: either in the rate OF taxation or of the
I valuations of taxable property.
! Safe. sanitary and comfortable quar-
I tiers should be provided for the juries
I of the county when they are required
) bv law to remain together for severa
{ DAYS at time and they should not Dt
buddled together in the courtroom ant
some be compelled to sleep on benches
mr. broken down. worthless cots.
Every portion of the courthouse
courtyard and Jail should be Kept II
a perfectly sanitary condition, ana I'M
buildings should be frequently disin
fected by the most approved metnods
There should be fair and equitaDl
distribution of the expenditures OF IN
public funds in all portions OF Tn
county. and the development OF IN
county should not be confined to on
or two localities.
I do not believe that it is profitabl
for the county to operate a steai
grader with the county convicts, pu
believe that If a force OF competeD
citizens were placed in charge OF sam
that at least double the amount {
work could be accomplished with IN
same machinery, and l further behev
that the citizens in the rural district
can always be depended upon 10 pc
form their duties as citizens ana Una
every road overseer in the count
should be supplied with suitapl
drag and such other implements q
can be operated with farm teams, an
that II the people we're provided VIII
such tools the roads which have Dee
graded would not be allowed TO II
IN and disintegrate as they nave
the past.
believe that the trial Of all case
both civil and criminal, in the coull'
court should be conducted Win
much system and decorum as the tri
Of causes in the district court, al
that the attorneys should be require
10 confine themselves to the esta
Ilished rules of practice. All process
should be required W NC iS'
court promptly and the Witness'
should understand that they must
in attendance upon court when SUI
moned. TIA
The tax rate of the county should
as low as is consistent with the 81
cessful administration OF the county
affairs and the upbuilding and MAJ
tenance of its public buildings ana Il
provements.
If elected shall endeavor to car
out the policies outlined above, a
will promise the democrats OF I
county that, it matters not now 81
cessful my administration may De
how we'll it may meet with tne
proval of the voters of the county
will under no conditions whatever
low my name to be submitted 10
voters of the county for more Tn
two successive terms.
WV ]. G. Minkert
Bryan, Texas, March 10, lsl2.