The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-09-05
OUR COUNTY TREASURY.

ing.
Almost as soon as l arrived
there they desired me to address
them, especially in regard to the
treasurer's Office of this county.
In reply I said to them that upon
so short notice I could not make
any statement upon my own
knowledge, as 1 had not made a
personal examination of its condi-
ton, but would have to rely upon
the official report published by our
county clerk under the seal of the
county. 1 also stated to them that
could not vouch for the correct
ness of that report, but suppos-
ed it was true and correct, hence I
based the principal part of my re-
marks upon what was there certi-
fed to he correct.
Under the head of "Expendi-
lures of Lyon county for the year
ending July 8, 1S73," the following
item appears: Commissions, $4,-
127.5S." 1 stated to the Associa-
ton that but two officers of the
county are entitled to commissions
from the county, to-wit: the coun-
ty treasurer and county attorney,
and that only in rare cases did the
attorney ever receive any, and was
satisfied that but little if any had
been paid TO him during the official
year, consequently if the statement
of the clerk was correct, all or
nearly all of that amount had been
paid to the treasurer.
l also stated that if the basis of
my remarks, founded as they were
upon official statements of the
clerk, should in any way be incor-
rect, would correct them through
one of our papers, as had no de-
sire to do any one injustice.
Since that day have been inform
ed that the word commissions"
does not mean commissions at all;
that it means salaries, fees, ETC., of
other and different officers. Well,
suppose there is no law against a
man making his own dictionary,
but 1 submit that language that
has always received a un form and
certain meaning is properly to be
so received and treated, and that
no one is to be blamed for so re-
ceiving it. If official records need
an interpreter, then they cease to
be of any advantage to the COM
munity. If official language can
only be understood by county Of
ficials, then it would be well to
save the county the expense of
publishing reports.
1t has been suggested that I
should, before making any remarks
upon the subject, have inquired
what was meant by this language.
In reply have merely to say that
if record evidence is to be super
ceded by verbal statements then
the law and rules governing it
have undergone as great q change
as the word above referred to.
In compliance with the state
ment made that if any mistakes
were made, 1 would frankly state
them, I have now to say that upon
a partial examination I am salts
fed that the commissions" re-
ferred to did not entirely, if at all,
go. to the treasurer. But while I
admit that the precise basis of my
calculations were not correct on
account of reasons above given,
still the main features of my ar
gument are correct, that is, that
for years the county treasurer has
received much more than he was
entitled to by law. This 1 am Ger
tain will appear upon a proper ex-
animation.
Our statutes provide that in
counties of less than fifteen thous-
and inhabitants the treasurer shall
not receive more than $4,000 for
his services. This $4,000 is made
up of his commissions, and for is
suing warrants for collecting taxes
on personal property, for certifi,
Gates of sale and for redemptions
J The last three items are for ser
vices in his official capacity as
provided by law, and are not per
quisites for which the county can
not hold him responsible; conse
quently in my opinion he SHOULD
receive not over that amount in
! Guiding whatever he receives fol-
such service.
! For the information of thost
, who cannot easily obtain tn
statutes, 1 will say that the treas
urer IS entitled to a commission o
six per cent. on the first THOUSAND
Q dollars, five per cent. on the sec
O ond, four per cent. on the third
o three per cent. on the fourth, two o.
sixteen thousand, and for all owe
twenty thousand, one per cent
!, The statute then provides "Tha
d the per cent. allowed by this sec
d ton shall be computed on the gros
,e amount of money collected &c
is each year, and not on each fun
l. separately, but each fund shall b
L. liable for its pro rata proportio
ID of the fees so computed"
CT By this it will be seen that thes
e different per cents. cannot /
- charged but once. The diffsreI
~ township, school and other funt
lie are not subject to any greater p'
40 cent. than an average so far as Il
:. treasurer's commission IS concer
=. ed. For instance, for round nuI
III bers suppose we take the tot
amount of our taxation to |
tn $150,O00, which is not far from Il
Lts amount, and it is required to a
he certain wha: per cent. would bril-
n $4,000; you readily see that