The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-01-05

/ greatest OutrageS pefpetIa1cu
| r;ghts. arise from the action OF the boaros
of Supervisors.
This court is really the most important
of any in the State, and should De com,
posed of the very best men IN the seVerai
counties. As a general rule, we are
/ sorry TO saw. the members of this board
are wholly unfit to discharge their dutles'
and are without responsibility oraccoun..
ability. This, however, is not the laui'
of the Legislature of the State; except III
so far as it encourages such men 10 SEEK
for thu position. The county levles, IN
large majority of the counties, are ex-
travagant and oppressive beyond all en-
durance. The contracts for public WORK
are made without economy or care, ana
with a reckless indifference to the interests
of the public. These Boards, in some
instances, employ their own members TO
do the work not authorized by law
merely for the purpose of making them
eStravaqant allowances. In many IN
stances these members are wholly igno-
rant, and are completely under the con-
troll of the clerks and Sherltts OF these
counties, to whom they make extrava-
CANT allowances. This is a great evil,
and we suggest that remedy which alone
seems adequate. Legislation should be
Immediately enacted, fixing the maxi
mum rate of taxation at so per cent. on
the State beyond which they shall not
go in any instance.
These Boards should also be prohibited
from making any contracts, or allowances,
or appropriations, except when there is
money in the treasury to pay them. And
every such order or warrant so made and
ordered, when there is not money IN the
treasury sufficient to pay it, should be
declared utterly null and void, and all
persons concurring in making or issuing
| them be declared guilty of a misdemeanor
in office and punishable for such, as pro-
vided by law.
There is another fruitful source of pecu-
lation and wrong in the power assumed
| by the Board to allow fer stationery, fuel,
etc., to the county officers. Under this
head large and unnecessary sums are
allowed for ink, paper, envelopes, seal
ing-wax, gold pens, pencils and printed
blanks. The actual cost Of these things
is very little, and the actual wants of the
officers very small as compared with the
amounts furnished. 1t is the habits Of
these officers to furnish their friends and
favorites with stationery at the public's
expense. The remedy for this is to return
to the old rule by which each officer was
required to furnish his own stationery
wood, lights, etc. at his expense, except
alone where bound volumes of record
books were required.
There remains another remedy to which
We earnestly, but respectfully, call the
attention of the Legislature. 1t is conf
IDENTIFY believed that either of the following
would tend greatly to the character and
responsibility of the Boards of Supervi-
sorS. To repeal all laws allowing the
members thereof any compensation for
their services. The services required of
competent and faithful Board would not
exceed ten days annually. and the
work would be done within that time, if
there were no inducements in the shape
of per diem to prolong its sessions. The
service would not be more burdensome
than the liability to work on the public
roads and streets, and the members
of the Board might be exempted from
the latter duty as well as from jury SER
vice.
1t is believed that if no compensation
were allowed, no citizen would seek the
office, but that the people could find,
without difficulty, a sufficient number of
the very best men to discharge the highly
honorable and responsible duties of
members of the Board of Supervisors.
But if this be deemed wrong, then we
suggest that the compensation of the
members of the Board be reduced to
twenty-five dollars per annum, and that
each member be required to give bond
and security in the penalty of two thou
sand dollars, at least, by which he shall
be bound to faithful performance of
the duties of his office, and in which he
shall be liable for all illegal allowances
for which he may have voted And it shall
be provided that in every instance where
an allowance or appropriation of money
Is made, the names of the members voting
tor and against, should be recorded, and
that such names voting for such
appropriation, be embraced in every
warrant issued on such appropriation.
And IN case the alternative Of a salary is
adopted, then it should be provided that
no warrant for such salary should be
issued in any case, except where there is
money III the treasury sufficient to pay
1t after first paying all prior warrants
ordered by the Board.