The weekly clarion., 1876-02-09
FnHE tETY CHATTER.
q Me E.lttor ~ he Tfnen

ter, and tie public EIinJl s-pms 10 be .srt.:,tl
excited on the subject
While the provisions of the bils introdue.s
In the Senate b. Judge Johnston are 10
sweeping we propose 10 suggest y haf "
th!nk viii be fair and just TO alt, and wha
We believe viii satisfy large majority O
the tax paying citizens Of Jackson Bu
The Legislature sholIiG tx bv iaw tIlt. SaIa
Ties, and not leave il 10 The Board OF Al,l-r
! men, Who hi ight Reduce. tt,-uay AMI n. crsas.
Tomorrow. The question should be per
manently settled, hot subject to change, ex-
cept by the Legislature.
| That a reduction o. salaries and a re1ue.
ton of taxes. is called for, and reform il
! city affairs actually demanded BY all eo5C
| citizens. no one can deny.
The office of Mayor has. for forty wears
| Deen hlied for salary not exceeding 81. 600
and one year the office was flied by jaime,
d. BOYD, Esq. for $500 and fees. and during
| mat administration there was universal sal
| isfaction in regard to the economical man
| agemene of civ affairs.
The present Mayors salary was raised 20
*l,SOO, besides his fees, after he acds elected,
very much to the sHrprise, and against the
Wlsnes OF the Taxpayers Of the city. The
present Impoverished condition of the coun-
cry, aud especially of the city, does not lus-
THY the payment of more than $500 or S.. 600
salary and fees for the Mayor. We think
the latter SUN would be ample especially
as S3,60O has been paid the present Mayor
Tor the last two years services. besides fees
In times past the City CIerkship WAS held
'Dy the late Mr.. T. A. Whiting, formerly in
the Auditors office, and as COM petent a
clerk as ever lived, for the sum of SIS per
annum. and by c. H. Manship, Esq, after
wards Mayor, for 800 per year. and no one
Will say that these gentlemen did not per-
form their duties.as well as any one has since
done. $3.50 or $500 is enough for this office.
Inc Office OF City Treasurer was, for many
years, filed by Thomas Green, ESQ with
out compensation and by the late c. A.
Moore Esq, Tor many years, and by d. N.
Barrows, Esq. for several years, for 500
per annum, and no one will question the
ability of these gentlemen, or assert that
they did not discharge their duties in a
business-iike manner. We hesitate not to
say hat many competent and faithful men
can be found who will gladly perform the
duties of City Treasurer for 800 per annum.
But few years since, and imm ed lately
preceding the election of the present incum-
bent, the Office of City Physician was file d
tinguished physician DR.. WIN. 5. Langley.
at salary of $500 in city warrants. Why
pay more now?
We think $500, with the fees, is full COM
pensation for the City Marshal, who, by
law, can act as constable for Kinds county.
Thirty dollars per month is fair com
pensation for policemen and there will al
ways be numerous applicants for the place
at that price.
The Collector now receives six and
quarter per cent. on ali cOlIectlOnS. Inc
assessment roll for last year amounted to
over S2l,000 The Mayor should attend to
the collection of licenses as formerly. The
principal deputy OF the Sheriff, Col. VIM.
IL. Taylor, was formerly Mayor for many
years, and the Chief Collecting Clerk 0: the
Sheriff Mr.. A q. Kerr, was once Collect
or for the city, and they are both well ac
quainted with city business. Now does
anv one undertake to say that the city
taxes could not be as well collected by
and nrol of the Sheriff and thereby a
large sum be saved and would il lot be
more convenient for tax payers to have to
go to but one place where they could pay
all their taxes at one and the same time.
The assessment of the city property has
been nothing but farce for some time past
for the book returned by the Assessor has
been so changed by the Board of Aldermen
that it could hardly be recognized by the
Assessor. The State law requires the As
SCISSOR to make separate assessment of the
property in cities and towns, and why the
necessity OF paying $500, when it can be
as well If not better done, for nothing?
Let us save this expepse.
We are sTOngly in favor of aboiishing the
office of City Assessor, and making the
Sheriff City Collector. 1t will be great
saving, and give greater satisfaction to oar
people.
Have not the Aldermen patriotism enough
to serve for LOO for each meeting, in these
and reform?
The proglsIons of the bill of Judge John
ston in relation TO the jail, should be
adopted. As it now stands, the responsi bill
ity is divided, and there is at all times great
cause for complaints, which. when made,
are shifted from one to another. Let the
Sheriff of the county control the Jail, and
let the city sailor be dfspensed with, there
is no earthly necessity tar hins. then
let 81 contract be made with the Sher-
if for keeping and subsisting the city
prisoners. This course, as you say in
Your paper of yesterday, was one pur-
sued for several years, and worked we'll.
1t will save the city a large sum of
money, and the responsibility for the safe
keepiBS " the prisoners will not be subject
to doubt and uncertainty.
The argument that the salaries are paid IN
deprecated warrants Is not a good one.
What makes them so, if it is not the amount
issued for large salaries and thrown upon
the market? When Mayor Barrows went
inCo oh4ce the warrants Weres worth but Ill
ty cents; when ne was Eemoyed by Gen.
Gillem, warrants were selling readily for J0
and % cents, and the city debt had been re-
duced TO $4,000, and the Jail and market
house had been built, fence around the
graveyard, and many other improvements
were niadS. Let AL the city officials take
their chances for pay as AL Others have done
before them. and as the mem bers of the Ley
isIature have to do, and If they can keep mp
the price of warrants by reducing expenses
thew will be the gamers.
the PRECISION of the bill in relation to
contracting for work on streets, etC., We
think is Il good one.
Let the bill introduced by Judge Johnston
beamended i'm conformity with the forego-
ing Suggestions, and We believe it will meet
the approb4tion Gf gll good citizens; then
let it become law.
In regard to restoring the CITY boundaries
itit IA @
is mistaken in supposinE that the limits
were extended on petition of parties then
residing outside the corporation. Our rec
objection is just the reverse. Certain 1t Is
Eta. the white citizens then outside strongly
opposed it. and we venture to say that not
one white person who was then taken into
the corporate lines is now in favor of re-
naming. The measure was carried. accord
ing to our recollection, over the remon-
stance of very large number of good clti-I
4enz by Radical Legislature, and If not
done for the SPECIAL purpose of making, a
strong Radical voting city, SUCH certainly
has been its effect
But we do not wish to deprive the colored
population of any rights which they have
Justly acquired; and we are perfectly will
ing that the LegislaCuFeStoUld be the Judge
of the propriety of restoring the bOdnda-
rles of the city TO their old limits. As we
said before, we care but little about this
part of the bill, SO we get the needed reform
and reduction of salaries and expenses, so
mueh desired by all taxpayers, that we may
then haze lower ta&es.
Very many of the taEpaYers of the city
are widows, who have no voice in elections.
but who cry loudly for relief from oppres-
sve taxation will the Legislature listen TO
their cry?
The measures herein proposed will save
the citizens over $1,000 per annum.
VERY MANY CITIZENS.
As very "Many Citizens" was so pleased
with his .spiece" that he though it worth re-
insertion in THE CLARION, / will be pardon
ed for asking you TO re-publish the reply
with some additional facts.