Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-08-06

,ired change, desired alike both by liti-
gents and judges, because Judges
would gla'Ily avoid sitting again upon
Their oHn Judgment.
Let Us eaN in answer to objections
matte by some persons in regard to the
time a Supreme Judge is elected, and
his salary, that we think the objections
lre not well taken. >The proposition
is that his salary be 5000 a year and
his term OF office ten years A. to the
>, 900, ii is expressly provided that the
legislature may at any time reduce the
salary, but tley have no power TO in
crease tit cannot go beyond 5000.
\ man of sufficient learning and abil-
ity to occupy SO honorable and respOn-
sible position as Supreme Judge of the
State Of Ohio, can make that amount
of money by his profession; he has to
De in Columbus nearly all the year; at
Ter you take out the necessary expenses
Of himself and family for the period
of his Office, you will find that he will
retire from the Bench, with less
amount of money saved than is cleared
by any respectable grocery establish
ment in the County of Belmont; and
more than that he has given up his en-
tire practice, and has to start again in
the world in his old days, as he did
when he first commenced. We
think there are but few right-minded
people but what think he ought to
have something left over his expenses.
As to time, 10 years, Common Pleas
Judges are elected for five years, no
one objects to that. The Judges of the
Supreme Court of the United States are
not elected all, they are appointed by
the President, and it has always been
so, appointed not Toy ire or ten years
but for life. Yet We prIsune that no
citizen of the County has ever doubted
the wisdom of these life long appoint
ments. Some of the members of that
Court have been acting for twenty or
thirty years; however, you hear no OBJ
lection to the Supreme Court of the
Union, which is the brightest ornament
of the Nation, and whose legal opin-
ions are quoted as sound law through
out all the civilized nations of the
earth. We think then that an objec-
ton 10 q ten years term for the MEM
bers of our own Supreme Court is based
upon very slender foundation.
1t is provided in the new Constitu-
ton that certain Offices shall be sala-
ried, and not as heretofore the officers
be paid by per centage, &c.; they shall
receive certain fixed salary ,and what
ever comes into their hands in excess
of that amount, by way of fees, shall
be paid over into the Treasury tor the
benefit of the county; it becomes Il part
of the county fund. Among those of
ficers to be salaried, are the Auditors
Treasurers, Probate Judges, and Clerks
of the Court of Common Pleas. Let US,
for the sake of illustration, look for a
moment at the change that would in.
evit9bly result go far as the Auditor;
office is concerned. We venture the
assertion that at no time within the last
ten years has the Auditor CT Belmont
county received less than So, 900 year
and it has run over $1,000. By the
proposed Constitution this Office is tC
, have fixed salary attached to it-al
/ per cents and fees above that sum goes
into the county fund for the benefit OF
the Taxpayer. Let fair compensa.
ton be given-not an eXorbitant one
say s., 800 year, and are there not
hundreds of men of both parties in
Belmont county; accountants fully and
entirely competent to discharge the du
ties of that Office, to the perfect salts.
faction of the people, and do it gladly
for the snm OF &, 800, and be well paid
for so doing? Such reduction is certain
to be made upon the adoption OF this
Constitution. Th"n what becomes of the
surplus OF 5000 to $1,000? 1t goes to
the couuty iund, and reduces to thai
extent the taxes you nave to pay; he
cause, if 5000 of county fund would
have to be raised for some purpose
the half-or more than than the half
is raised from this excess, which here
tofore went to the Auditor himself
and the people, instead tf being taxed
directly on that item of $1,000, would
only be taxed 1000 to S3,0Oe, depend
ing upon how much is saved from the
Auditors Office by this proposed q
change. 1t is direct saving to the
people of that amount of money, and
does injustice TO no one. The same
rule applies to the Treasurer, Probate
Judge, and Clerk of the Court of Com
mon Pleas. The saving to the people
by this radical change, would Ue bu
little, if any, less than $4,000 every
year to the taxpayers of Belmont
county, and reduction to thai amount
| in the taxes to be paid. There arr
eighty eight counties in this State; this
county is considerably over the ave
ragein wealth and population. Ifit wa.
but an average, then by this arrange
/ ment, the people of Ohio would be the
gamers every year of $3.50, 600; tha
is, they would be required to pay tha
much less money by this change in thu
/ Constitution than they do under tht
present system. But it is scarcely fai
to make this county an average couu
1 ty, so that we may be under rathe
than over d correct estimate. Let u
take Just the one-half of that sum
which is greater reduction than ough
4 to be made-and we have $40, 900 il
the way of ecoEomy; a direct positive
saving to the people upon those fou
offices alone, as against what they nov
cost. Take il then Ia an economical
point of view, including the sljghtI,
, increased cost of the new Judiciary
t and you can put down safely that i
costs over $780, less to run the SyS
TEN proposed by the new Constitution
, than it d0tS u2drr the Constitution
: now existing. Ii this Constitution
Carried III leaves no question with IN
Legislature, ai to whether the office
: alluded to shall he silaried or not; n
f option is given them; the COnstitutio
2 itself makes them saIaried officers.
Anutticf step IN the way of ecouOm
t proposed, is biennial elections, instea
e of every year, elections shall be hel
[ only once in two years. Let US Sc
1 what that saves. Take our own cCuI
ty, VI ith hich we are all familiar
There are sixteen townships in it, BIT
z seventeen voting precincts; it require
e at each of them, three persons to act 1
3 trustees, and two tally clerks-five pc
D sons. Take what is paid each of then
5 cost of paper, rent of room, ten cents
mile mileage, for returning poii-bOo
: 10 the Clerk of the Court, and put it a
t down oiiy at the sum OF ten dollars ft
: each voting place; at the same time W
=, have 40 doubt it is nearer So than Slt