The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-12-02
~ COMMUNICATED.
TAX COLLECTORS AND TREAsuRFRs OF
THE BOARDS OF COMMIBsIoNERs, Ann
THEIR COMMISSI0Na -
(rUBLIsllID ar Rgoursr,)

THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS, AND y
THEIR COMMISSIONS
(ruBLlsIrp ag Rsaursr)
DIR. Edtor-SlR l discover In tho last Ran.
ner, the article from Tax Payer, which appeafol
in your paper tho Sd February last. l suppose
you have ro.published II by rsqassl. Az the
author Of thut article, l hope you will permit mo
to nuke some explanation, unds further supxss
tions through tho columns Of tho Tanner. In
that article l assumed tho position that for the
last five years it had cost seven pcr orut. TO re
ceive and disburse tho Bridge Taxes In Abhe.
vile District, aud five por cent Of thut sum wus
paid to the Treasurcrs Of tho General Board.
This l regarded rs worry .xtrayn ngant, aud thought
the law which authorized il should bo anne eut,pI.
l have uscehniucd, since that wns written, thora
is no such law which requires tho payment Of
five per cent. either to the General or Sub.rrcus.
urers. But say some Of your readers why did
not the Judge or Solicitor so explain tho Inv
at our lust Court, when the subject was 40 fuirlv
presented in tho Report Of the Chairman of tho
General Bourd7 AS to that, um unable to say,
but from the authority Of Lawyer, u member
OF the Legislature, l am authorized to say that
no such law exists, aud that this matter of com.
Pensation is left to the Board of Commissioners.
The law provides that the Con,n,issioners ,nav
aHoto their 1redsurcrs reasonable comDcnsa.
f'o"; and as to the compensation now allowed
the Treasurers of the sSub-Boards, $3.50 each
annually, an average Of perhaps per cent" Ito
one, think, will complain. But when the Public
examines the Reports of the Treasurers of The
General Board for the last six years, they do
ana OF right ought TO complain. But some
persons say il is not for the labor SO much as
the responsibility of receiving and holding the
funds until they have an opportunity OF paying
itover to the Treasurers.of the Sub Boards, that
they should receive such large compensa,ion.-
1hat responsibility, however, ia of their own
choice; # they wish to avoid it, they may do
SO by drawing orders OIL ti5esTax Collector in
favor Of the Sub -Treasurers, for the amount Of
their respective claims, leaving in the Tax Col
iectors hands, to draw at settlement, enough 10
pay their own Commissions, and pay for pub.
lishing the annual Reports of receipts and ex.
penditures. This will, moreover, be more con-
venient for oil concerned, and save them of the
great responsibility complained of; for The writer
OF this article served as Commissioner of
Roads three years. and during that time was
The Treasurer Of the General Board. From nv
experience, consider the duty no more than
others of the Treasurers Of the Sub. Boards. oon.
sequently their compensation should be no more,
ny the hve per cent. system, however, the
Ireasurers of the General Board have received.
In the last six years, the sum of Twelve Hun.
dred and Thirty-three Dollars as commissions
The six yearR Immediately preceding, the same
Office was filled, and the duties discharged, for
the sum OF sixty dollars, $40 per annum Ii is
very natural for the question to arise-why has
the Commissioners permitted such extravapant
expenditure of the public funds, when the law
did not authorize it?
In justice to the Commissioners of Roads. il
Is proper ior me to state what some of them have
recently informed me. They were misled as to
what the law was. If am correctly informed.
the facts of the case are about this: Six wears
ago the Treasurer of tho General Board claimed
that he was by law entitled 10 five per cent.
commissions OH the total amount of Bridge Tax
annually; some Of the members of the Board
were of contrary opinion, and opposed if.sThe
matter was then submitted 10 th, judge. who de-.
cided in favor of the opin ion entertained by the
General treasurer, and Of course the Board re-
garded that as the law. l. think it time for the
Legislature 10 amend the law in relation to the
compensation allowed to the Secretaries and
Ireasurers of the different Boards Of Comms.
sioners in the State And I will venture to sup
gest an amendment; that in future the Commis.
s1oners OF Roads, Poor and Public Buildipps of
the State may allow their Secretaries and Treas.
urers compensation for their services, but in no
case shall that sum exceed p per cent. on the
annual expenditures. In regard 10 my sugpes.
lions IN tho original article on the Commis.
slons allowed Tax Collectors, have nothing
further to say. have no doubt that subject
will be before the Legislature 1 hope the Nom.
bers of the Upper Division of the State will sec
that in the reduction of the Commissions to the
Tax Collectors it be equalized. saw a plan or
scheme which was prepared for the last Istisla
ture. In it the Tux Collectors of the Upper !
Division Was more materially affected than the |
Lower Division.
have no doubt, Mr.. Editor. CRsfsStd have
been informed) that some Of your Ses6ders'rs. |
gard the whole article of Tax Payers as sma
affair, regular ten cent piece. There aFs Others
however, who think the dimes belonging to the
State should be taken care of, because ten dimes
make adolar, and it is for the benefit of those
have written.
En-.
THERHsCUE OF BR0wN-THE DUTY OF