The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-12-29

represent that retrenchment u Al part
Of the admiuistration Il absolulaIg nscsI
aary; and We cannot doubt that f6e men
bers Of your body viii iniGiale lhis u
form, by fixing their salaries e the sun
paid before the war, which amounted
generally, to about $3.50 for two yfar
there bling but one session IN that time
This sum would be greater than Is real
lied, on the average By citizens. ID privat
life, and greater also than the avcrag
paid members Of the Legislature by IL
other States in the Union.
FEEs AND SALARIES or PUBLIC OFFICERS
The Governors salary might, be with
out detriment 10 the public service, fxes
at "a, 900 per annam, which Is far large
than is paid by other States Ia the Union
having no more wealth than Mississippi
The Lieutenant Governors salnry
might also be fixed at the price usually
paid TO the presiding officer Of the Senate
viz double the salary Of q Senator.
The salaries Of the Treasurer, Seere
T. Of State, Auditor and Attorney.
General, we ask, may befxed 8 they
we're under the Code Of 1887 ahd the
clerks and assistants allowed fheseb bfiicers
reduced TO the number and compensa.
ton with the salaries fixed BY that Code
And the salary aud expenditures Of the
State Superintendent OF Educs.l0n SHOULD
b. redoes,l y . very modersss sum Hn
Office should be a room in the Capitol.
And we respectfully ask that the sala-
ries Of all other State and District officers
should be fixed at the rate paid before the
war. The salaries then allowed were suf-
6cient to procure the services of able and
competent men, and we feel sure they
will be sufficient now. The truth is. that
all private pursuits are 50 depressed, and
all official positions so highly remunera-
tive, that the difference begeis a wide
spiead greed for office, and encourages
that bane Of all free government the
growth Of large class whose sole inter.
ests in the State consist in their reception
Of the emOluments of official position.
The compensation Of the county treas
urer should be fixed so as not to exceed
in any instance the sum of $500 per an
mum. His duties are light, and his re-
sponsibility will be small, if the county
levies are restrained as are hereinafter
asked for.
The fees Of the Chancery and Circuit
Clerk aud Sheriff are too high, and we
are sorry to add, in many instances, are
very much increased by exOrbitant aud
illegal charges. We ask that this subject
be carefully looked into by the Legisla-
ture, and the rates so fixed, that whilst
fair and Just compensation is allowed for
these services, the burdens of the suitor
shall not be so great as they now are.
And we suggest that the State, like the
United States, will fix a point in COM
pensation of county officers, beyond
which the fees shall go into the State
Treasury.
In many counties this point might be
fixed at $500, in others at 81 900 or
81 200, but in no instance should it be
fixed beyond $4,000 for CLERKS, and
81, 800 far sherifs, including their gains
as tax collectors.
The Jail fees are a great burden on the
people; they are now too high; and yet
in many instances extra compensation is
allowed by the Board of Supervisors.
They should be fixed at the cost of a
plain and healthy support of the prisoners.
Imprisonment in the county Jail as pun
ishment should be made less frequent.
Unfortunately, many who are guilty OF
petty misdemeanors, feel neither the bur-
den nor the disgraco of Imprisonment in
the county jail. We leave it to the wis
dom of the Legislature 10 devise some
other mode of punishment, which, with
out inhicting corporal pain, or bringing
forward any badge Of slavery, may yel
prove more efficacious in reforming of.
Tenders, and be less expensive to the tax.
payers.
ASSESSING AND COLLECTING REVENUE.
The cost of assessing and collecting
the revenue Of the State is out of al
proportion TO the necessary labor and
responsibility required in the discharge
of those duties. The gain of these off
GERS is enormous. Under the code O
1857 the mPximum which an Assessor
could receive in any one year was $500
aud the commissions of the Collector
were graduated according to the amoun
collected, 50 that il rarely happened tha
a collector received as much as 81 900 pc
annum, and he seldom, if ever, received
as much as 81, 500 in one year. w,
respectfully ask that the compensation
paid to those officers should be so regu
lated as in no case to exceed the sum
above mentioned.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
The law also should require the cor
viets, sentenced TO the penitentiary, I
be Immediately removed to the Stat
prison. Thoy are now, in many instances
left in the county jails for many months
, to the great cost of the several countief
{, The jail fees for a day should not excee
30 cents.
The salaries Of Inspectors of the Pen
tentiary ought to be saved to the Stat,
; by imposing the very light duties of thes
! offices upon other State officers, or G
competent citizens without salaries.
The trustees of the Insane, Deaf an
Dumb and blind Asylums, should be DIT
hibited from using any Of the funds a
; propriated to these Institutions, in Ii
way Of salaries or fees to themselves.
The appropriations to the State Uu
versities are beyond the means Of Il
: State to pay, and beyond the necessiti
: Of these Institutions
The salaries and mileage paid to Il
Trustees Of these Institutions ought to
: prohibited. The duties Of these Office
are extremely light and highly honor
. BILE; like services Of all other institution
: OF learning in the State, and throughO
: the Union, are rendered by the best ei
4 zens without compensation.
l. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
. Again, the expenditure Of the Stat
:. money-POOr as the people are--and
u boring under the most crushing taxati
for the board and support Of certa
students, is wrong. The State Is und
2 no obligation to furnish these favored f
r with what is denied to the children of t
W State at large. The State supposes $
|, discharges her duty to the great mass
'e her children when she furnishes scho,