Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-12-31
Fees of County Omcers.

A bill has been presented in the
House of Representatives of this
State, having for its object the reduc-
ton of the fees of county officers
from Is to 80 per cent.
Itmay be, that in some of the larger
counties the fees are too high, and
ought to be reduced. While we are
in favor of the strictest economy in
all our public affairs that the public
interests will admit of, there is fear
that the reduction of the pay OF our
public officers may be reduced to
point that will be insufficientto secure
the services of competent men to per-
form the duties required by the laws,
in a manner that will be for the best
interests of the public The lowest
price mechanic or the lowest priced Of
fetal is not likely to be the cheapest or
the most profitable man to employ
You find plenty of men who would be
willing to undertake to discharge the
duties of almost any of our county
offices, at a much less rate of fees
than is allowed under our present
laws, but we doubt whether you can
find men who are fully competent to
discharge the duties, to take the res
possibility and perform the work re-
quired in a majority of our counties,
for any considerable reduction of the
present rate Of fees. Such men can
make more money and have less re-
sponsibility upon them in other posi-
tions.
We know there is a great complaint
about what is called high fees for coun-
ty officers, and in some cases, perhaps
they ought to be reduced; but our
wise men in the Legislature should be
extremely ca utious in making reduc-
tions that they do pot make them so
low that the objects of economy may
not be perverted. Every man should
receive a fair compensation for his
services. A poor mechanic cannot
expect to receive as high wages as a
good one; nor can incompetent men
expect to get as high pay for their ser
vices in official positions as those who
are fully competent to discharge the
duties of Office to the satisfaction of
the people, whose servants they are.
There will be no trouble to get plenty
of men, as we have already remarked,
to fillall the county offices, at very low
rates, but can you get competent men
to do it for the same pay that incom-
petent men would be willing to take
the job?.
1t is not so much the amount Of
money paid, that we have cause to
complain, too Frequently, as the man :
ner in which too many of our public
offices are filed. If the fees are to he
reduced on the score of economy on
ly, we suggest whether it would not
be better to put the county offices up
at public sale and knock them off to
the men who would take them at ths
lowest price.
In conclusion, we say, let the fees o
our county officers be fixed at sucl
rates as will command the qualifca
tions and talent of men who are ca
pable Of diseharging the duties of tn
offices fully and faithfully; and WI
would suggest whether it is not true
that those who advocate a very 10y
scale of fees, are not apt to be thos
who know very little about the wor
to be performed, or those who woul
not be willing to perform the labo
and give the security required and TAX
the responsibility themselves.