Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-08-03
RECALL HAS new PHASE
GRAND JURY MAY HAVE TO
DEAL WITH ITS PROMOTERS.
District Attorney Sibley Now Inyesti-
eating Charges Made in Petit
tions Now Circulating.

tional developments in connectio
with the recall movement Distrio
Attorney j. S. Sibley is making
thorough investigation of the state
ments made in the petitions now Il
circulation throughout the count
with a view to securing signatures
and if he finds that they are gros
misrepresentation he will probabl
convene the grand jury and presen
the matter to the attention of it
members This, the prosecutor holds
is in line with his duty and he will no
shirk responsibility. The facts as Sc
forth by The Observer last Friday, il
which the records were quoted as tt
the funds in question, caused Mr.. Sib
ley to become interested in ascertain
ing whether the allegations contained
in the petitions are accurate, ol
whether Misrepresentation had beer
designedly made for the purpose o.
deceiving the taxpayers to advance
the interests of individuals who are
responsible for the undertaking to re-
place the present county judge and
the two commissioners.
According to the records, and also
according to statements made by both
Judge Teal and the commissioners
the charge made by the instigat-
ors of the recall as regards county
road finances are at variance with the
facts, but the prosecutor purposes in
vestigating for himself, and If he finds
the petitions faulty to any consider
able degree he will present the case
to the grand jury for its further con-
sideration. The law holds, in such
cases, that untrue allegations are ma
liciously made, and provides a severe
penalty for those responsible in the
premises. Mr.. Sibley has delved deep
ly enough into the matter to know
that the figures presented are at least
misleading, and also the sum of mon
ey remaining in the road fund is con-
siderably in excess of the amount CIV
en- in the petition.
During the past several days the
petitions have had rather hard sled
ding, the figures as presented by The
Observer, which We're taken from the
records, having put a different phase
upon the matter. 1t is not improb
able, however, that the petitions will
have a sufficient number of signers
to make the recall election possible,
but this lsstest move by the district at
tornet1, ~ have the effect of dampen-
ing tn ihs.1or of many who would
have seQsealp of the three county Of
ficials. A considerable number of the
petitions sent to different parts of the
county have been returned to Judge
Teal, and some to the commissioners,
with the statement that those to
whom they were forwarded did not
intend to participate in the move
ment. Others who had secured a
number of signatures have destroyed
the petitions after having become sat
isfied that the movement was started
from purely personal motives.
Those who are promoting the un-
dertaking appear to be satisfied with
the manner in which the recall is
being received in various parts of
the county, and aver that it will be
only matter of short time before
the required number of signatures
will be secured. Signatures are more
easily obtained in some parts of the
county than in others, which might
have been expected, inasmuch as
those are disgruntled over divers and
things sought for their respec-
tive localities and not forthcoming |
ing body will naturally wish the sue
cess of the recall, while those who
consider that the court has been fair
and judicious will withhold their sig
natures. The construction of high
ways is a problem with the court of
Polk county, the same as it is with
he courts of other counties of the
state. Polk county has upwards of
1900 miles of highways, and these
must be maintained, while permanent
are going forward. The
process requires the expenditure of a
arge sum of money annually. The
court contends that the most fire.
luented roads should have first con-
;ideration because the greater number
IF people are served by them. and
his naturally leaves those persons
esident of sparsely settled parts TO
tide their time. 1t is from these sec
ions that the petitions are receiving
he greater support from the stand
,oint of population.
So far as The Observer is able to
earn the petitions have not been
widely circulated in Dallas as yet At
the signatures of COM
few persons have been Sc
ured. At Monmouth the agitation
ppears to be met more favorably, ]
While at Falls City. the home of Judge
zeal, the number of names thus far I
ecured may be counted upon the fin
ers of ones hands. Spring Valley is !
trongly against the recall. and there
} not a likelihood of it doing a -four l
shing business there. There may be
eason for this, however. The three I
istricts there are getting all their |
Dad tax money this year for the {
uilding of a rock road. which is now I
nder construction II is one of the s
lchest sections of the county, and the [
eople there have been paying taxes c
or more than fifty years without hav-
lg their just proportion expended
Dr. the benefit of highways through
heir balliwick. They hold. in COM v
ION with others who stop to consider a
le matter. that they are but receiv- $
X that which justly belongs to them. Z
rom Afriie word comes that there's 4
othinz 10 it, A petition has been c
1T there for circulation among the Il
eorJehjdt the party who has il has il
one nothing with it. and Is being dis Il
,uraged by the populace as a whole. Il
ur informant there says the people D