The New Board Of County Auditors

THE NEW BOARD OF COUNTY AUDITORS

The appointments made to the new board of county auditors, Tuesday, appear to be generally satisfactory. Of course all are not pleased and that was to be expected. However the consensus of opinion is that the board will conserve all interests of the county. They are all men who have made a success of their own private business and all have had experience handling public business.

Hon. Byron C. Whittaker has been a successful farmer for forty years. During that time he has served the public in various capacities. He has served as justice of the peace, township treasurer and supervisor and member of the legislature. So acceptably did he serve his township that he was re-elected again and again. He has also made a very satisfactory member of the legislature for the past two terms. He has always been popular with his constituents.

But apparently the appointment of Mr. Whitaker to this position is in direct antagonism to a provision of the constitution which reads as follows:

"No person elected a member of the legislature shall receive any civil appointment within this state, or to the senate of the United States, from the governor, the governor and senate, from the legislature, or any other state authority, during the term for which he is elected. All such appointments, and all votes given for any person so elected for any such office or appointment, shall be void. No member of the legislature shall be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with the state, or any county thereof, authorized by any law passed during the time for which he is elected, nor for one year thereafter."

It would seem therefore that another appointment will have to be made in place of Mr. Whitaker.

Wm F. Riemenschneider of Chelsea, the republican member of the board is a successful business man of Chelsea and has but recently retired from the position of postmaster of that progressive village. For many years he has been connected with W. P. Schenk & Company. He is a good, clean and successful man of affairs and those who know him best say he will make a good auditor. The only thing, in fact, which anyone has to say against him is that he is closely identified with Senator Glazier and that being the case he will have to follow Glazier's lead.

James E. McGregor, the third man, is well known throughout the county and man who has opinions and the courage to stand by them. He was for a number of years a member of the board of public works at Ypsilanti in which capacity he proved a valuable man. He was also city clerk for many years and still more recently probate register. He is a successful all-round business man with experience in handling public matters which will be valuable in this new position.

Altogether the people, it is the general opinion, should feel pretty well satisfied with the first board of county auditors. It is a board before whom the grafter need expect no favors. The members are men of good business judgment and they will undoubtedly allow all legitimate accounts against the county but will scarcely be deceived or influenced into allowing bills that the people ought not to pay.

If another appointment has to be made in place of Mr. Whitaker, ought not Ann Arbor, which city pays in the neighborhood of 33 per cent of all the taxes, to have a representative upon this board?