, 1875-10-03

to the Recorder, there is an annual deficiency
of about $40, 900; that is, instead Of making
$4,000 year over and above its expenses,
it costs $4,000 q year over and above the
fees to pay the expenses. This is gross loss
to the county of $50, 900.
The Sheriff Office belongs to the same
category. h1r. HzsNo WAS Sheriff in 1861
and 1862, when the population of the county
was only about 15o, 600, and his profits from
the fees of the Office, which then belonged to
the Sheriff, enabled him, if We remember
arightt to buy half interest in the Stats
Matuny and to lay the foundation for hand
some fortune, which was only impaired by
fire and other private losses. It is prob
ably within bounds to say that, for
many years prior to the change in law,
the Sherif's Office was worth from
$4,000 to $4,000 a year to its possessor.
Now the population Of the county is over
500, 900, the business of the Office has IN
creased in proportion, and yet the county has
to pay about $30, 900 year over and above
the receipts to pay its expenses. In other
words, there is loss to the county of about
100000 year in the management Of the
Sherif's Office.
Thefactis that these three county officers now
costthe people Of Cook County about 500, 900
d year where they formerly earned $4,000
year over and above expenses, thus involv-
ing an actual loss to the county of 5000, 900
year. Why is this? We can think Of but
one explanation, and that is, TINT the officers
are used for the support Of surplusage OF
political bummers and dead-beats, and that
the exorbitant expenses come from two.
causes, viz ~ The employment of larger
number Of persons than is needed
to transact the business, and (2) the
payment Of a higher range of salaries
than competent men could be secured for
if the Offices were managed by private per-
sous for private gain. In this way the offices
are made as much vehicles for running pri-
maries and caucuses as they were before, with
the difference that the taxpayers are forced
to pay for their prostitution to these vile pur-
poses. It is said that, in some of the Offices,
there are persons on the pay-rolls who do
their work tt at home" It is also said that
not only private individuals but Institutions
like impecunious newspapers are indirectly
made the bene6ciaries Of this vicio system.
At all events, it is certain that, while these
Offices should yield an increased profit from
year to year, they arc, on the contrary, an in
creased expense from year to yea--
The contrast VIC have presented between
the management Of these Offices while they
were virtually private enterprises and the
management for the taxpayers is sufficient,
we think, to convince any intelligent
and candid person that there are
gross and infamous abuses which cost
the public, in actual deficiency and
in the loss Of the profits that ought to
be made, at least 5000, 1000 annually. The
management Of these offices on the part of
the public is in the Hands Of the so-called
t' Peoples Party," or the combination Of
tho Irish and Germans, assisted by the dis
reputable classes, to seize the Offices. This
same combination is proposed for this year
to seize the vacant Offices If the taxpayers
hope to protect themselves from continue
ton and enlargement Of the expenses we
have explained, they will have to do it ut the
polls There is little prospect that the Board
Of County Commissioners, controlled by
clique that naturally favors such manage
ment, will do anything to correct the fragrant
abuses so manifest and palpable on their face
that they need neither investigation nor
demonstration If the taxpayers do not
help themselves at the polls, they will find it
necessary at some future time to resort to the
extreme measures Of vigilance committee,
and to re-enact the law1ess scenes of early
days in San Francisco as the only means Of
getting rid Of the public plnnderers.