, 1869-10-31

The men who are In Office, and nra recslT-
ing from S15, 900 to sso, 600 year salariea
hpd fees, try to break the force Of their
astounding and enormous receipts by er-
claiming that "This is no taxi" that Frank
Wentworth receives $4,000 year from
the bnnk, and not out Of the Treasury that
Gaasette receives S75,0o0 year from fees,
and not ont Of the Treasury that Salomon
receives $35, 900 a year from fees, and not
cut Of the Treasury. An this may be t1ue
Lut these su1ns are not any less q tax be.
cause not lovioa directly in tho tax bill.
Whe1t does the money come from? Who
pays it? Is not the cost Of recording
deed direct tax upon the land or
properly conveyed by il? Is not every
certificate issued by the County Clerk
tax in como way upon the property in
vo1rnd7 Is not the entire e1pense Of tie
County Court ta1 upon the property Of
the estates passing through that court? La
it not tax upon the widows and orphans
Of this city md countys Dat that It is O
ta1 becomes moro evident when tho facts
are understood. By special Liquidation the
Clerk of tho Circuit Court il allowed To
collect certain fees which arc denied to
Clerks Of Like courts in other counties. 1s
not this special tax fur his benefit lowed
upon this eornty2 He is also; by special
act, permitted To have printed books Of
record, and recording in his Office is .norely
filing up these printed b'ankn. Tho county
Is taxed for printing these printed blanks
<.4Sr3. ho u -
nano fees for recording a. woro allowed
when Tho records wcro all written. TLo
comfy, therefore, L. taxed tor printing
fouz-1itha of tho records, for which
tho C1erk collects my for recording
with tho pan. After paying all Ills
expenses OH Clork md Recorder. 10 has
u surplus Of fees equal 10 ss75,000 n yoar.
lie has tho hn4ihool 10 say that ho il no
tax to tho public. Suppose his Aalasy was
fl1cd at $4,000 year, mud tho othe.
scs,0o0 wna1 1'aia into tho County 1'rcasuEy,
would not Tho s;5, ,0tO roycuuo bc con-
aidarcd a. 70 much received from n ta1
upun tie pullc Suppose there were no
fees IN hia o1Aee. and tha Supervisors wero
to propose to include In the tar bill n levy
of s75, 600 to bo paid to Gassc.ie, would
not that le regarded as a tai so infamous
that even the Ring itself dare not vote it
What difference in fact Is it If sfr. Gassette
receives $71,00o year as a salary, or gets
the same amount in the shape Of fees
He gets it, and the people pay it. The
same state Of facts exists in oil the other
cases. The County Judge, and the prosecut-
ing Attorney, and the law officers OF the
city, get their pay directly from the
Treasury, and have to bo paid by
taxation Of the public. The City
Treasure1 gets $4,000 salary, and receives
$50, 600 for the uso Of the public money.
II TINT $50, 600 were paid into the Treasury,
wonld it not be SO much revenue, and ha.
not that much revenue, now received BY
the Treasurer, to be supplied by direct
taxation? There is, it is true, no levy Of q
tar to pay the City Treasurer $50, 1000; but
there is a tar levied 10 supply $50, 900 Of
revenue, mado necessary because. that aun
now goes to the Treasurer instead of 10 tht
city. What difference is it to the Taxpayer
whether he is taxed to pay Wentworth I
sa1a1y of $4,000 q year, or taxed to rais'
| $4,000 to supply deficiency in the Treas
ury, caused by that sum not being roceiyet
BY The city?
Twist and distort the facts as these pen
sioners may, the mnip thing remains, IN
changed, and thst is, that these people re
eeiSo all this money mud that it comes on
Of the public. 1t is all tho proceeds o
ta1ation levied upon tho people. As We
say that the tolls on turnpike OF can,
, are not tax.
II the people Of Chicago elect the Cit
zena' ticket, it will be peremptory instrus
! ton to tho convention to repeal thes
inordinate taxes collected by these Office,
/ for their benefit, and it will also be an il
struction to tho convention to prohibit a
, future special legislation to increase foes G
. salaries.