The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-06-18
To the Voters of Ward County:

You have during this campaign had
the chance to read my opponents ad
in the Ward County Independent in
which he has made some Of the most
ridiculous statements and untrue stor-
les that ever have been made in a DO
litical campaign. I have shown you
before that my opponent was incor-
rect when he said that l violated my
contract with the county for the COL
lection of old taxes. Later he said
that they had never referred to the
contract. They only referred to the
resolution passed by the board of
county commissioners. had moth
ing to do with that resolution. I sign
ed the contract together with the
chairman of the Board of County
Commissioners and this contract was
drawn up by the States Attorney, or
his assistant, Geo. MCGEE, or John E.
Greene. I do not believe that any one
of these attorneys who were at that
time taking care of the county's bus
mess would draw up contract con-
trary to law in order to defraud the
county of anything. If you will read
Section 1859 r. C. in regard to con-
tracts for the collection of taxes. In
this section we find that the law does
not mention that the county can con-
tract with private citizen as is in
simulated by my opponent but that the
county commissioners may contract
with the sheriff for the collection of
these old personal property taxes. If
you will read Section 1861 you will find
that the sheriff becomes responsible
for noncollection of taxes if he does
not collect them or file his affidavit
with the County Auditor the names Of
the persons he could not collect from.
The law on this matter is too long to
be printed in the paper but if you will
read this you will be satisfied that my
opponent is not telling the truth. I
also wish that you would read Seq
ton 1865 which also provides for the
collection of taxes and for the bene-
! fit Of the voters l will quote part of
this section: Section 1865. List of
Unsolicited Taxes. How Disposed Of.
IF the sheriff is unable to collect any
Of the taxes appearing in the list of
delinquent taxes delivered to him by
the Treasurer, he shall write on the
margin opposite the name of each
person against whom such tax is as
SSSSSU L1lc WOTO ONCOICSVSUS 0Au 0P-
pend to such list his affidavit, or the
ahidavit of his deputy intrusted with
the collection thereof, stating that he
has made diligent search and inquiry
for goods and chattels out of which
to make collection of the taxes so re-
manning uncollected, and is unable to
make or collect the same"
From this you will find that where
the people could not pay their taxes
the sheriff had to do this work for
nothing. When got this contract for
the collection of the old taxes the
commissioners did not advertise for
bids as is insinuated in my opponents
political ad but the law provides dis
tinctly that the commissioners can
make contract with the sheriff for
the collection of these old taxes. In
one of their political ads they use the
words 'hedge" and "duck" and it
seems to me that these words are
proper in this case as that is all that
they have been doing ever since they
started this campaign; "hedge" and
"duck" and try to confuse the voters.
I have shown you before by certified
copy from the Deputy County Auditor
that did not receive the amount Of
money that my opponent states that ]
did in his adj never received 49,
417.OO for the collection Of taxes from