Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1902 — THOMPSON’S EXPLANATION, [ARTICLE]

THOMPSON’S EXPLANATION,

Because I procured Mr. McEwen to print over the words “A friend of Drainage’’ my public reasons why I could not endorse Mr. Halleck for a third term I wus attacked unonimously in last evening's Republican, and falsely charged: Ist. That lam neglecting my official dutiesat Kentland. I have not been using the county revenue to keep open court when there was no occasion. 2d. That I owe overdue taxes. None are due that I know of until May next. 3d. That I wish to drain at the expense of others. I have paid my share of all ditching that has affected my laud. Under the act of March?, 1891, when a ditch' Hnprovment is ordered the petitioners are as other part owners, before the hoard. 4th. That I have failed in my duty toward the county as a petitioner for the Waukarusa, ordered November 15, 1891, and the Iroquois, ordered December 10, 1892. In December, 1896, when Mr. Halleck wa9 first installed in office, the Waukarusa was planned for letting and was pending under a mandate of the Circuit Court ordered the Boards to select a viewer to assist in making the apportionment . The improvement owed' the county J 3.053.17. The Iroquois was in the Supreme Court, but on Muy 25, 1891, the dismissal of the appeal by the Circuit Court woe affirmed and It was ready for letting, levy and sale of bonds to pay the county 53.646.10 V The said 16,699.87 is directed by statute to “berefunded tq the county out of the first money received from the sale of bonds. Sec. 12.” The members of the Board needed no attorney to collect said sum, For some reason. Halleck's friends, Hanley A Hunt, on November 22,1897, were promised *700.00 of the county's money to collect said sum. No citizen, taxpayer or part owner of either improvement asked such contract The republican convention of 1898 was held on March 18th. On St. Patrick's night the improvements were declared of record to be of no public utility. The Board could as well have declared that the county was of no public utility for its duty to the debtor of the county was just as sacred as to the county itself. At the convention the delegates were stampeded with the cry, "that the county would get its money" from the petitioners. Their obligation was no greater to assume the county*B credits than to pay its general debts. On June 15th litigation was commenced so that said convention trick might appear plausible. No wrong was imputed to the petitioners save their successful exercise of the right of petition. This litigation is still pending. The county's said credit of of $6,699.87, worth its face on March 18, 1898, is growing stale, and the county has received neither its credit, its public or its speciaU benefits. The official dam to drainage is* still maintained at the expense of the county treasury. In 1892 Mr. Halleck and his comembers were arrested just before the convention on a charge of having wrongfully paid once too often for printing a railroad election notice for Barkley township, The court held that the township should havepaid for the notice aud quashed the charge,' The cry of persecution stampeded the con-j veution of 1902. and Mr. Halleck's name le on the ticket for the third time. On Aug- • ust 5,1902, I was surety on the bond of 50 new ! applicants for relief from the overflow of the’ Iroquois Swamps. 4 That petition was granted ou September 1902. I prepared the order iu such form that there could be no occasion to repeat the action of 1897 and 1898. (O. B. 10, P. 551. Ditch R. 4, P. 47) These clauses were taken out of said order before it was recorded, to-wit: “Be dismissed for any cause by the Board of Commissioners. Sec. 2," No costs are taxable to the petioners. See, 12. And “A ditch improvement is ordered under this act. Sec. 25. It looked to me aa If a trap was set to tie up the new projeat also in litigation at the county expense. I do not believe that the public money should be used to promote the popularity of the members of the Board. A right to vote for the public interest is a sacred oue. I hold no personal grudges. If I can, by my vote, prevent Mr. Halleck from being a member of our county board after Jauuary 1,1908. iu my opinion, the Republican party will be helped aud not harmed, A copy of this is sent to every newspaper in the county. SIMON P. THOMPSON, October 30,1902.