The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-06-13

1. that is his business. not that of the city
council or any one else.
| The Union can hardly expect, however,
any special favor from maa it has constant
ly lied about and maligned, and even negleo,
ted the cemmon civility of correcting ITS
falsehoods when shown that they were false
hoods. But that is none of eur business or
the business of the council. If the clerk
chooses to become messenger boy for the
| Onion he has right to do So provided he
does not neglect the duties of his oihse in t he
meantime.
Il wa, only ths other day 1.-THE Ssh inst J
/, that the Union uttered a most outrageous
aud malignant falsehood. by saying that al
| the clerk had TO do was TO attend meeting
of the council once month and record its
proceedings. IL said I'VE think it rather
steep to pay clerk $50 an evening to record
its proceedings" Now, any man who is
acquainted with the duties of the Office, knows
that nearly the whole time of the clerk is
required at the Office, every day, and that it
requires a first class book keeper to properly
and correctly keep the complicated books of
the city and perform the other duties of the
ofhce,-such man as usually commands
thousand dollars year In business house :.
1t is known, too, that the person who accepts
the Office cannot engage in any other BUSH
ness. If, therefore, the city secures the
services of such man. he must be paid a
salary which will support him. 1t is m UGH
better for the city to pay such q man for his
services enough to support him than to take
a cheap and incompetent man and have the
business incorrectly and improperly done,
and, as natural consequence. be involved in
business difficulties.
The Onion of the 8th, also said Hereto.
fore the duties of the clerk and collector have.
been performed by the same individual -
This Is not true. in the sense the Uaioa
would be understood, nor is 1t true in any
sense, except for the past year. When Mr.
james M. Buford resigned the Office of city
clerk TO accept the position of cashier of the
First National Bank, Mr.. Geo. W. Copp was |
the unexpired term of the city clerk of about
three months. the taxes having then been |
more than half collected. Last year. in order |
to secure the services OF Mr.. Gilmore as
clerk, the council elected Mr.. Negus as col
lector, who got Mr.. Gilmore to do the bust
ness, thus increasing his pay to enough to
support him. But the fact is that the two
Offices never should be held by the same per-
son.-they are incompatible and it is i'm.
proper, for many reasons, that one man
should hold them both. 1t is better for the
public that they be held and their duties per
formed by different individuals. And the
story, of the Union, that heretofore, except
in the cases named, the duties of clerk and
collector have been performed by the same
is not true. The people under.
stand these matters, and the Union cannot
deceive them by It's falsehoods.
But We have occupied more space than we
intended on these subjects. If the Union
can treat the clerk with common civility aud
persuade him to do its errands, we have not
the slightest objection, for it is none of our
business, -but we very much doubt if it will
be able to get the city council to interfere in
the matter.