Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1901 — COMMUNICATED. [ARTICLE]

COMMUNICATED.

Favors the Organization of a Taxpayers’ V' League. Ed. Democrat:— It is the honest opinion of many of our taxpayers that Jasper county is not managed ns economically as it should be, and that the laws governing county and township business are only partially obeyed. These opinions, regardless of party, are held by just as intelligent men as our county affords. They see mismanagement and violations of law exposed and punished in other counties.—in counties where the tax rate is far below our’s —and, seeing this, they j naturally conclude that things iu our county are likely to be a little j out of joint sometimes. Especial- j ly do so they conclude when they see the opposition that arises, among the governing class when anything as said about investigating county matters. The recent election shows us' that we can scarcely expect to ever have a thorough overhauling of the county’s books, but much could be done to prevent future mismanagement if the people would keep a little closer watch on their servants—county and township officers Experience teaches us that our officers need to be watched. The government has its inspectors and secret service employees constantly at work and many are the misdoings they find. It is not always premeditated fraud and willful disobedience that make things go wrong iu our county matters but ignorance, lack of knowledge, on the part of honest officials, often lose the taxpayers many dollars. Our commissioners are not always the wisest men in the county, and even if they were they are liable to be deceived. Their duties bringing them into business relations with men of special professional and business callings who know the value of their services and the worth of their wares much better than do onr -commissioners. To our personal knowledge Jasper county commissioners have either ignorantly or purposly many times paid double for professional services, treble for i special wares, and nobody, no taxpayer ever raised a single objection thereto. Taxpayers should not consider their work done when they hat e elected their county and township officers, but they should, ns they do in their private business, see that their “hired men” do their work properly. There is no harm in watching honest officials, but there is money, to the county, in watching dishonest and incompetent officials. What wo want in Jasper county, is a Taxpayers’ League—a non-partisan association that will keep a close watch on county and township expenditures. These leagues are working in many of the counties of the state and they have proven to be of great worth to the people. There would bo nothing wrong or unfair in our forming one of these associations in this county.! for both parties are represented in the court house and the township governments are just about m ; mlly divided betwei n the two. i'lii.V is the only wiy wo will c i be able to bv ngabout reform in this county. Things shamefai, ridiculous and criruual ha v r b-4 n allowed to go uupuni d just l;n. cause we have tried 1 i :t them

through politics. Let a nonpartisan taxpayers’ league be organized, let it be known that this league will prosecute all violations of law committed by county or township officials, will closely watch all county and township expenditures, and then such things ns the Keener tp., gravel road scandal, the Barkley township railroad election methods, the book and stationery deals and many, many other doubtful doings, too numerous here to mention, will bo things that dare not be repeated. Our new county reform laws have been of great benefit to us. Our county council has saved us many dollars, but these new laws and these new officers want to he backed up by the people. The purposes and benefits of our county reform laws have never been fully realized in Jasper county simply because the people have not attended to their inforcement. Let us try a Taxpayer’s League for n little while, if it proved to be “no gopd” it can easily be disbanded. Taxpayer.