Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-02-03
County Government.


change in the present system CT county
governments repeal of the law author
iEing district representation in the county
board, and restoration of the old sys-
tenn, under which, the board Of supervis
ors consisted Of the chairman Of the sew.
eral town boards, and senior aldermen of
city wards. These persistent attempts to
return TO system of government so ex
pousive. SO unequal in representation can
but provoke the thought in candid minds
that the promoters sad advocates of tbs
chnage have some Interior motive and
Rre not wholly actuated by q sense of
justice aud tight. Whatever may be
their motive they ought not to force upon
counties a statute obnoxious to some
and we believe the majority-simply be-
cause, for local reasons, these advocates
mny desire a change at home.
The first objection we have to the old
system is the increased expense it entails
upon the people, which can only be met
by increased taxation. Any legislation
that strikes our pocket hits us in ten.
der spot-noi because we feel anything
there, but rather because we don't. The
burden Of taxation is already onerous,
ard any increase to fnd favor in our
sight most show substantial benefit to
&c derived therefrom or what little iufiu.
ence we possess win be thrown against it.
By the present system, Pierce county
has three supervisors; by the old system
it would have eighteen--one more than
the county of Milwaukee with its grea,
wealth and large populstioa. Do we
want to support couIty government
larger than Milwaukee county would be
required to suPportl We think not.
Again, under the old system St Croix
will have twenty supervisors, Columbia
%, Rock 80, and Dodge 80.
The State Senate of this Common
wealth consists of 33 members; The Dane
county board of supervisors would under
The old system have 40 members-nine
more than that august body. To law
organizing these pony legislatures we are
diametrically opposed. They cannot
do the work as well or as quickly as
smaller number, and you increase the ex.
pense nearly in proportion as you in
crease The number.
Let Us take the past year in this coun-
~ and demonstrate the expense of the
cid systean with facts and figures. The
board last year had much work to do,
and their expenses were Of course larger
than usual. We find that the amount
paid them during that time for mileage,
per diem, expenses DC. is upwards $3.50
averaging sl75 each. BY multiply
ing lis by Is, (the number of supervis.
Ors we would have under the old system),
and we find It would have cost the peo
PIE Of Pierce cOuHty SO, 1Je 10 sup
port a one horse legislature that would, in
al probability, do no more work, and
what they did do would be no better than
the work done by board composed by
three members. With thi. single state
ncnt before him, can any tax payer ask
10 return to a system, as expensive as it
Is useless, and at the Same time preach
economy and howl aboxt high taxesl
Let il not lie understood that we adj
vocAie Tie present system against any
other, for We do not 1t has its evils as
matter of course, anu We are decidedly
IA favor of applying any just aud reason
able remedy. But to find a remedy by
going back to tho old system is, 10 oui
Judgment, jumping out of the irving
pan into tue fire."
NOTICE To OuIr-Two corrcsnon