Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, October 19, 1910, Page 4

GRAND RAPIDS HERALD-REVIEW WEDNESDAY. “CTOBER 19, 1910. Trane Rapias BerateRevien Published Every Wednesday By E. C. KILEY. TWO DOLLARS A YEAR IN ADVANCE Entered at the Postofficeat Grand Rapids, Minnesota, as Second Class Matter. —————————ee }» Bemember that a vote for R. A. fcOuat, Democratic nominee for eounty attorney, Means a vote for acleaer administration of that of- fice, something that has long been Peeded. Clarence B. Webster is making a slean fight for the office of judge af probate and is making friends wherever he goes. He is clean cut, possesses the ability and should be elected. The office has too long ween controlled by unscrupulous lawyers. eee ve T. T. Riley’s record, while sheriff af Itasca county, has been such that his friends can point to it with pride. He has made good in every way and will be elected by a rous- ng majority. He is certainly entitl- ad to another term. This issue contains a statement © the voters of Itasca county by M. 4. Spang, candidate for re-election as county auditor, which everyone should read. It is an opqn state ment and should be read by all and hen given caneful thought. ———_—— Hon. C. W. Stanton, non-partisan judiciary candidate from the 15th judicial district, stands so well with the people that his petition contain- ed double the number of names re- quired by law. Of his ability there te no question and as lawyers all ever the district are working for nim, it can be taken that his rul- tgs are absolutely impartial. ); In casting your vote, do not for- get to mark an X opposite the name of Chas. A. Warner, of Aitkin, one vf the Republican nominees for rep- rasentative from this district. He tke A. B. Clair, stands squarely wu og the platform of a square deal to northern Minnesota, and with two such mon in the legislature, much lation this sec- ou of the state can be assured. beneficial to 4 vote for A. B, Clair, Democratic nominee for representative from the | | district, means a vote for every beneficial to northern Min- An old resident, jy understanding the needs of the jistrict and with the ability of get- what he goes after, he will be the best boosters the dis ever had, Men of his stamp will be needed at the coming sessi, measure ane of wf the legislature. ALL FOR MRS. MURCHIE, From all parts of the county come -eports of great satisfaction that Mrs. james Murchie has become the inde pendent candidate for the office ‘of superintendent of schools. Mrs and Mr. Murechie are among the best known people im all parts of the coun ty, and a better selection could not have been made as a candidate for whis office, both from the point of strength and in point of qualifica- tion. There is no doubt that Mrs. Murchie will be eleeted by a very targe majority, for the prognostication. In the first gigce, Mrs. Murchie is known to he well equipped in knowledge and experience to fill this office; second- ty, her opponent, Mrs. Whipple, is known to have put little experience m school work; thirdly, Mrs. Whip- ple’s nomination was but an accident brought about by her campaigners who put up false stories about Mrs. Booth and the people finding this out, are now anxious to retrieve their mistake. In eastey~ Canada, where people do not put their names ander statements without careful cansideration, and where to become identified with educational work, means thoroughness in all its tenses, and there is reason |, CHAS. KEARNEY’S . STATEMENT Wishes to Correct False Reports Made About Him During Pri- mary Campaign. To the voters of Itasca county:— I wish to return my thanks to the voters that supported me in the re- cent primary election, for the Re- publican nomination for judge of probate, and I further wish to state that, though beaten numerically, I still consider that I won a great vi. tory, for each vote that I got was obtained by a clean straightforward and gentlemanly canvas. I saw as many of the voters as was possible for me to do, and had a personal falk with each one as far as I could, and in all my canvass I did inot say one word derogatory to the character of either of my oppon- ents. I wished to win by a fair, square fight and not by vitupera- tions or lies, which means were us- ed against me. If I was beaten fairly on the merits of the only the truth used against me, I would have taken my defeat philo- sophically, and said “all right, go ahead and win,” but such was not the case. The most barefaced lies were told and underhanded methods used to defeat me, worthy of the gang) who put them out and who were supporting Mr. Lefevre. One mistake they made. It was a little too early in the battle to use such means. One of the first pleas put forward pgainst me was that of religeon, which in my opinion is a thing that should be kept out of politics aito- gether—it is too sacred to be drag- géd inta such a contest. It was claimed by some of the supporters of Mr. Lefevre that I was a Protest- ant and he a Catholic, therefore all Catholics should vote for him. This was not broached te all Catholics, for they were wise enuvgh to know that it would not do. Some of my best friends belo;. to that religecn and TI have a great respect for them and it.. I was married by a Catholic priest. Mr. Lefevre was married by Judge Spooner. Next it was reported I had with- drawm and was doing all I could to ffominate Judge Huson. That, of course, was a lie and they knew it when they told it. was circulated that I was not in the race, at all, in Grand Rapids, that the fight was between Lefevre and Huson and that Lefevre would carry the town big. Grand Rapids is where we all three live and are known. I got more votes than the other two together. Figures speak for them- selves. A day or two before the primar- ies it became evident to Mr. fevre’s ‘‘worthy” not invent something stronger, which to win success and ‘brought forth the lie that did | business. thorough- | The day before election, men structed to lie as follows: it cost the county of Itasca several thousand dollars to straighten up my books. Such a lie is rediculous in extreme. There hever was one cent of the county’s money expend- that story was told they knew they were lieing. If it was the truth, would it be kept for the last mom- ent? I should say not. It would have been put out at first and pub- lished broadcast, and they would have had the proofs to show for it. auditor’s office would tell the story. They would not have waited until ‘tthe last moment to start it, when it could not be contradicted. I did |not hear about it umtil after elec- tion and then, of course, it was too late. It was a dirty lie used for cam- paign purposes and worthy of dirty gang who put it out. I have been im a good many poli- tical battles, both for myself and others, and have both won and lost but this one just passed has been the dirtiest I ever experienced, but nothing else could be expected from the crowd that was most manifest in its conduct. An old saying and a true one is “You can’t make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear.” ever the cap fits, let him wear it. A word now before I close. Do you think that a man who won the nomination by such means, whether he did it himself or it was done by his supporters, (he certainly was aware of it) is a fit person to put in the judge of probate’s office? don't. CHARLES KEARNEY. ” | Railroad Officials Here Tomoriow. and where Mrs. Murchie received Ber training and followed school work with credit, comes recommend- atiens and good wishes from high epthority.—Deer River News. A special train will arrive here from the west tomorrow afternoon carrying J. J. Hill and a number of officials ‘connected with the Great were stattered over the field and in-| They stat-| ed that when I was register of deeds | by ‘the ‘hoard and see that they are If it were true the records in the! opposing candidates and) . On the upper end of ithe range it} ed for #ich a purpose and when|°f the commissioners. the | TO THE VOTERS OF ITASCA COUNTY Continued from Pape One. anether honestly believes to.be unnec- essary. The merchant and business men have different ideas of proper expenditures to produce desired re- sults. Miners are at variance in their idea of how cheapest to bring forth the hidden treasures of the earth. Public officers have ideas remote as to how to perform the functions of their offices with the least expense to the tax payer. This is a truism as oid as the eternal hills—and tnese being facts it is not to be wondered that I might be censured for incur- ring expenses that to other minds are deemed unnecessary, but it can safely be asserted that few of our tax payers understand the amount of labor requisite in handling the busi- ness of the auditor’s office of Itas- ca county, and a resume of my stewardship in Office may not be amiss, to the end that the voters may decide clearly whether my past | services deserve your approbation on November 8th, 1910, when, you, Mr. Voter will elect your county auditor for the ensuing term. When in January 1905 I assumed | the duties of County Auditor, Itasca county embraced within its bound- aries all the territory now named Koochiching county—in fact Itasca county was an empire in itself. The election of 1906 brought about a div- ision of the county—about one half the original territory remaining. To the uniniated it would seem that one half the work of the county audi- tor’s office was thus removed, put such a deduction is without the sem- blance of accuracy, Strange as this may appear on the surface, it is nevertheless true. True it is that if Koochiching county had not been detached more labor and expense would be necessary to conduct the affairs of the county than at present but it should be borne in mind ‘that since Koochiching county was detached every dollar of taxes due up ta the date of the division is collected by Itasca county. This is the law, and amy voter who desires to know the labor involved by this ene item alone can easily satisfy him. self that it requires the time of a députy to a goodly extent in per- forming the duty. Itasca county has to pay the expenses of this deputy, and inasmuch as I do not make the laws, assuredly I cannot be censured for the expense incurred. by the laws’ mandate. This expenditure is but a small item of the whole, and to throw more light on the subject I will briefly state the following duties which devolve upon the auditer to perform. The auditor is the clerk of the board of county commissioners, and, Le-| as such, he has to prepare all claims supporters that | against the county in such shape they had not lied strong enough and that the board can intelligently act that they were beaten if they mses ‘thereon. When allowed he draws |the warrants upon the treasury to an | pay same, keeping a record thereof. the | | When paid the warrants are returned to him, checked off and then at- tached to the verified account and filed away. Then agai'n he has to issue all road and other notices required properly posted. All records of roads are filed with him and record there- of kept. He keeps the records of the actions of the board. He pre- pares the annual financial] statement He keeps the record of the proceedings of the board of equalization. When you consider the enormous amount of bills and the general business acted upon by the commissioners you can readily see it requires almost all the time of the auditor to fullfill the duty. The auditor is the compiler of th¢ | tax rolls—a matter that entails work of months. rates and spread the taxes upon the tax books for the treasurer to make collections therefrom—labor and lots of it, The auditor has to prepare the delinquent tax records and have a list of delinquents published yearly— a time consumer of no mean mo- ment. The auditor has to compile annual- ly a list of all the parcels of prop- erty, which come under the pro- visions of the forfeited tax sales, and when you take into consideration that thousands of parcels have taxes bor of compiling these forfeited lists can readily be seen—come into the office and see the size of the vol- umns necessary to contain these lists. The auditor has to conduct the tax sales and keep records thereof. He has to prepare and issue all notices of expiration of redemption, file same after service has been made and keep a complete record of each tax title issued, Thousands of tax titles have been issued, and thous- ands are issued yearly— labor, la- bor, and then some. The auditor has to keep the re- cords of the sales of state lands. Northerm road. The panty will stop | This occures only once a year, but it at Grand Rapids for several hours. takes a good Korce may days to! Asgurediy whomsoever makes such Laprairie, (Mian. The auditor has to make the tar) Who | against them for years past, the la-| : perform the work as the state audi- tor directs it should be performed. The auditor has to make all state- ments of back taxes. He must cer- tify to all deeds as to taxes of prior years. He must keep a record of all transfers of real property, and everyone who has had a deed record- ed knows it is a time consumer. The auditor has to certify to all real estate mortgages ere they are subject to record—and, incidentally, he has to prepare the statement of the amount due on the mortgage. The auditor has to make the ap- portionment of all moneys received by; the treasurer for taxes not of the current year, ahd when the treas- urer completes his apportionment of current year’s taxes, the auditor has ‘to credit the towns, villages, school districts and county funds with the total of both apportionments and then draw warrants in payment of the amount due. The auditor has to enter daily up- on his records the amount of moneys received by the treasurer as is shown by the duplicate receipts of the treasurer. The auditor is the custodian of all books and records appertaining to taxes and tax matters except those for the current year. The auditor is a member of the County Board of Equalization and ex- offico clerk of said board. It is the duty of the board of equalization to examine and equalize the assess- ments as returmed by the various as- sessors and town boards. This re- quires about a month’s work for the auditor each year, to say nothing of the time of the office force requir- ed to compute the changes made by the board. In this connection I wish to state that the work of our county board of equalization has been so carefully and thoroughly performed that the atate board of equalization in passing upon the assessment of the various counties for the year 1910, has made no change whatever‘ in our real estate assessment and only a few minor changes in the personal preperty. @his ts the re sult of experience. The auditor has to superfatend the bi-annual general _ elections held throughout the county; he keeps re- cords of all town and village elec- tions and acts of the councils and supervisors as to taxes and tax matters; he has to see to it that all jands and platted property are in- serted on the tax rolls when they be- come subject to taxation; he keeps records of all abatements of taxes; in fact he has labors galore to per- form which it is impossible to en- umerate. It takes help to perform all the duties of the office, and plenty of labor is always in their hands to ‘perform. Now Mr. Voter the state of Minne- sota provides what the salary of the county auditor shall be, and the laws of our good state also say how much the auditor shall pay out for clerk hire. It would, therefore, seem that the laws of Minnesota refute the statement that the county auditor’s is an expensive office. The law says to the auditor “You shall perform such work as the law provides, and you shall not pay out one cent more than the law allows for the conduc- tance of your office.” I have earn- estly tried to discharge my every duty and believe that I have made good. I have obeyed the law to the very best of my ability and understanding. No unnecessary expenses have been incurred that I have knowledge of and in this regard would it not be more honest, more conducive of re- sults, fairer, squarer and more busi- aess like for the promulgator of the opinions to have stated positively wherein unnecessary expenses have veen had? This broad assertion that al is wrong if absurd, do you not chink so Mr, Taxpayer?—Then again .t is an absolute fact that during the first two years of my admfnistra- tion I placed on the tax rolls taxes igainst property fer six years which edver had been on the tax rolls. from this course alone sufficient money has come to the county treas- ary‘ to more than pay the expenses of »very deputy in the auditor’s of-| ice in 1905, 1906, 1907 and 1908. Is hat extravagance? As to.the “Opinion” that I have drawn salary six years as auditor | and two years as deputy sheriff, and! hat should suffice, I have only this | to say: “If I am not a good, com- petent official then I should never nave been retained over one term.”| St. Louis county has had Odin dalden as auditor for eighteen years and Frank Seavey of Aitkin has | oeen clerk of court since the county | was organized. The great iron county of the state retains its public | servants im office for three times the number of years I have held of-| fice, and the farming county of Aitkin keeps a good servant e¢on- tinuously fn office. Therefore if I| have made good, the foolish talk of | holding office too long is rot.—| Have I made good? It fs up to you, to decide. It has come to my knowledge that some over-zealous opponents are making assertions that I should have assertions cannot have knowledge of those happenings in detail, or the manner provided by law for the transaction of business in the of- fice of the auditor amd treasurer. The records of the county auditor's Office are a daily check upon the treasurer’s office so far as the col- lection of back taxes and miscellan- eous collections are concerned, but the large item, the collection of cur- rent taxes is entirely in the hands of the treasurer, and the auditor in determining the amount of daily col- lections by the treasurer, of current taxes, must rely entirely on the stubs or duplicates, as they are called, of the receipts issued by the treasurer. In the matter of the collection of back taxes, or miscellaneous col- lections, the auditor has an absolute check upon the amount collected eacl day by the county treasurer as the person making payments first goes to the auditor’s office and the audi- ee issues a statement showing the amount to be collected; the state- ment is then taken to the treasurer's | office and the treasurer issues to the tax payer a receipt of correspond- ing number with that of the audi- tor’s statement. The statement is sued by the auditor is then receipt ed by the treasurer and at the close of each day’s business all such state- ments are returned by the treasurer to the auditor. The auditor thereby Wnows from his own records the amounts that have been collected each day {by the treasurer for back taxes. This method of collecting back taxes is prescribed by law and is followed in all the counties in the state. As a result, in the amount of the shortage of the ex- treasurer, not one dollar occurred in the collection of back taxes, avery dollar occurred in the col- lection of current taxes. If the law was amended so that the current as well as the back taxes were paid up- on statements issued from the. audi- tor’s office, then there would be an absolute daily check upon all collec- tions. But im the collection of cur- remt taxes under the law as it now exists, if the treasurer issues to the tax payer a bogus receipt and re- tains no genuine duplicate or stub in his office, it is impossible to make the discovery im the auditor's office unless the auditor is able to examine and compare the receipts actually issued and delivered ta the tax payer. I am informed that the pub- lic examiner’s office, realizing the necessity of such a change in the method of collecting current taxes, at the last session of the legislature recommended the passage of an act to provide for the payment.ef.current taxes upon statements.from auditor's | office, but such an act was not pass- ed. It is hoped that the next ses- sion of the legislature will make such an amendment, that the pro- visions for the collection of taxes on statements from the auditor’s of- fice will be extended to current tax- | #s as Well as back taxes and mie cellaneous collections, and there will then be an absolute daily check be tween the offices of auditor. and treasurer. The duties of all county officers are prescribed by law and all such | officers are under the supervision of the state public examiner’s office. If i had not performed all the duties of my office in accordance with the jaw, such neglect would have been reported by the public examiner, but fn all reports made by the public ex- aminer upon the examination of my office, I have been commended for the excellent manner in which I have performed all the duties impesed ap- on me as county auditor. Now, Mr. Voter, this communica- tion has been somewhat lengthy but I hope I have stated matters intel- ligently. I know that you desire only hon est, good and efficient public of- ficers. Do not let such foolish talk of a good officer being retained too long im office enter into deliberations of what your duty is this fall. I appeal to you for your vote on November 8th, but I admonish you to weigh carefully every matter bear- img on the candidacy of my opponent and myself, and in the quiet of your homes, and at your own firesides, to | make up your mind to vote intelli- gently and for the best interests of Itasca county. Every dollar’s worth of property I }own on earth fs im Itasca county— my interests are your inetrests. I stand first, last and all time for an efficient, progressive and intelli- gently economical administration of the affairs of the county auditor’s office. Ig you favor me with your support, or give it to my opponent, is a mat- ter for you to decide. Decide for Itasca county’s best interests and | you will decide right, and whatsoever your verdict I will ever hold the good people of Itasca county in highest personal esteem. Yours, M. A. SPANG. Wood for Sale. had official knowledge long ere I did. of the deplorable happenings in the office of our ex-county treasurer. Seasoned tamarac and birch in 16 inch length. Telephone A. M. Sisler, 194. but | ALFRED JACQUES Democratic Nominee for Congress from 8th Conogressivnal Minnesota. district of Speaks For Itself. This is to certify that I have known Mrs. Katherine H. Murchie for several years, As a pupil of the St. Stephen high school I regarded her as a clever girl, industrious, painstaking and thorough in her { work. From high school she went {to the provincial normal school where she received the professional | training for a teacher. That she Was a very successful teacher I | learned from Dr. Carter, now chief | superintendent of education, then ia- | dpector of schools, of this district, | who more than once referred to me | of her work as a teacher. Thorough- jly conscientious, of pleasing man- ner, I regard Mrs. Murchie well quali- fied, both in training and ability to to fill the position of superintendent of town or city schools. St. Stephen, N. B., October 8, 10. | " P.G. McFARLANE, ~*~ Prin. of St. Stephen schools. Dee eaetetetentetetetentteteterentnteteteettetete LEAVE ORDERS AT MILLER’S FOR Costello’s Ice Creams We also carry a fine line OF ee ee ee ee ee) » Lowney’s, Wessels’ and Roach, Tisdale & Co’s Candies i FRUITS, : ; NUTS, CICARS AND TOBACCOS REMEMBER OUR 3 :SODA FOU a i ¢ When in need of a cool, refreshing soft drink. We $ all have it in tlavors. sreaeiesioeioes ee Orders for Sunday Ice Cream ; Must be left on Saturday oe Settee 60 YEARS” EXPERIENCE A Trape Manks Desicns Copyricuts &c. Anyone sending asketch and Utd gentle may qaickly ascertain our 1 free Whether ab invention is probably able, Communica- tionsstrictly confidential. HANDB sent free. Oldest agency “for secu epenignts daken, through Munn notice, without charge, in the "Scientific Aimerican, A handsomely ly. Largest otr- dulation of any, yeseneig Seco ‘Terms, $3 a Sold by all newsdealers. WNW & Co,221=-0 Rew York 0. F &t.. Washington. D. WOOD and COAL I am now prepar- ed to take Coal and Wood orders for immediate delivery Order your Wood and coal at once and be prepared be- fore cold weather sets in. Wood in 16 inch and four foot lengths in birch, maple, tamrack and pine, also all grades of Hard and Soft Coal. M. E. WINSOR. Phone 274. Grand Rapids, Minnesota