, 1861-01-17

Of County Clerk $50, 900 that OF Register
the same, If not largcr-and that Of City
Chamberlain and County Treasurer any
where from $4,000 to 100000. In coun-
ties containing cities Of smaller population,
the fees Of the different offices arc some-
what less, but that they are out of all pro-
portion to the service. rendered aud the re-
sponsibilities incurred, there can be no
doubt.
At the last election Of officers in the
County Of Cook this subject was much dis.
cussed by our citizens, and the TRIBUNE
pledged reform in the matter, provided
the Legislature should be Republican.
That pledge we desire to see redeemed; !;
our people expect it. and we doubt not their
immediate Representatives in the Lecisla-
turc will labor to secure it, It is plain,
however, that tho object cannot be reached
through general law. In mos. OF the
counties Of the State tho pay Of county
officers is none too largc; and it would be
manifestly unjust in order to cut down
their cmo1uments in this and halfdozcn
other counties to reasonable compensa-
ton for their services and responsibilities,
to diminish the pay Of those who already
receive no more than their official labors
are worth. Such m attempt would be de-
feated, Us it ought to be. The case can
only he met By special lsw. Cook Coun-
ty should have law to meet her peculiar
case; while, perhaps, one law would answer
for such counties as Winnebago, Rock
Island, Mclean, 6angamon, Admins, 3radi-
son, and few others Of like population.
We have no means at hand for arriving
at the amount Of fees annually received by
the different officers Of this county. Esti-
mates differ in relation to the subject It
is asserted that some Of them are in receipt
Of SCI, 600 per annum- We do not vouch
for the correctness Of the estimate; but
that every feed officer Of the comfy re-
ceiycs vastly larger income from his OF
fee, than competent and responsible men
could be got to perform the services for, no
one can doubt Outsiders, to believe this,
need only be informed that at our last coun-
ty election, q candidate for one Of the coun-
ty offices offered as an inducement for votes,
to give one-ha1t the income Of the Office to
the two Orphan Asylunis Of the city, should
he be elected
Different views obtain rs to the best
method Of securing the needed reform.
Some favor the payment of MI fees into the
County Treasury; giving to each officer a
specific salary. Others are for reducing
fees to such point as will afford only a
reasonable income; while others favor the
idea Of giving a salary to those officers
whose fees are paid in advance, and retain
ing the fee system, with an appropriate re-
duction, in the case Of all Others
Without undertaking at present to dis
cuss the proposed modes Of reform, we
state our preference for the latter, for rea.
sons which we shall give hereafter. Our
object now is simply to re-awakcn interest
in the subject, to urge the matter upon the
attention Of our Representatives and to I'D.
wise the people Of Cook county 10 manifest
their wishes in the premises in manner
that cannot be misunderstood. The Re.
publicans are in power in this county; and
it becomes them to show the sincerity o1
their professions in favor of reform hy he.
ginning at home. The TRIBUNE is in
earnest in this matter, and will hold oul
public servants to a strict account.