Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 June 1900 — Who Pays the “Freight?” [ARTICLE]

Who Pays the “Freight?”

! "Should the injunction be granted and susi tained by the supreme court the loss would j fall upon the bond holders, who are innocent ( parties to the transaction.”—Rensselaer journal's comment oh the Nelson Morris injunction case. We hardly think the above opinion is worth a pewter damn, and doubt very much if it even succeeds in pulling the wool over the taxpayers’ eyes long enough to get another vote for the old ring ticket. Let's dissect this opinion a little. These bonds were issued and Isold by Jasper county and the money was paid over toeaid Jas- : per county’s treasurer. . j Jasper county levies and collects the tax to pay off said bonds and the bondholders know no other party to the transaction but Jasper I county. If the commissioners, auditor and treasurer are enjoined from levying or collecting any further gravel road tax in Keener tp., who will the bondholders look to for' the §23,500 still back, together together with interest? Must the bond buyer keep watch ,of the money he pays for his bonds and see that it is not squandered or illegally paid out by the county’s “trusted servants,” in order to make his bond good? It is his business to see that the bonds have been regularly and legally issued before he invests his money in them, but here bis supervision I ceases. The money might be all | spent for lager beer and pretzels or be divided up among the politi-j clans of the inner circle for all he - cares or knows, and we are of the I opinion that the courts would hold j his bonds good. With all due regard for the learned opinion of our neighbor! over north, we beg L> differ with { him in this case, anil the taxj>ay- I ers of Jasper county may just as well make up their minds first as last that there is another big lawsuit on hands and that they will have the costs to pay, with a good prospect of also having to pay the $23,500 still back on unredeemed bonds. Republican incompetency, reck lessness, criminal carelessness or rascality—call it what you please —comes high, but it takes some I people a lung time to see it.