The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-02-16
A Lnas,ng correspondent OF the Evenins

Lansing correspondent OF tue EFenluS
News, unde- date Of February Sth says
Next Tuesday there is to be meeting Of the
County Treasurers, held at the Lansing House,
for the purpose OF taking some action with re-
g,rd 20 memorializing the Legislature to pass
aiaw providing for the more liberal compensa-
ton OF County Treasurers for services IN col
iecting State moneys and transacting other bu-
s,ness for tho State The Ireasurers are also
anxious TO have several amendments TO the IL
uuor law passed. At present the Ireasurers
two pes cent and the Sheriff 3 four per cent.
a-e.added Co the tax. The Treasurers complain
that At Is hard TO make the taxpayers under
staud the justice OF this addition. They moved
tnsrefoce, to have the law amended 30 that the
amount OF tax specified IN II should be collected
and the Treasurer's percentage deducted there.
from. at present, also, they are entitled to no
petc0OtAge for handing, as they have to do. all
the moneys collected by the Sheriff. They want
the Legislature to pay them tive per cent on
all liquor tax moneys which they handle. The
result OF these two amendments will simply be,
ia tao one case. the reduction OF the tax OF the
saioonists ust two per cent, and IN both cases
aIoss Go the corporation where the tax IL col
lected o. two Ier cent on all moneys collected.
In Wayne county this would amount to several
thousands CT dollars.
IF the County Treasurers are not sufficiently
enumerated for their services to the State, let
ths state provide suitable compensation by the
allowance Of a specific sum IN the nature oil
salary. so that the people my know exactly
how much pay their servants receive for their
serwcos. Tbs scheme OF taking percentage
for handing money coming into tho treasury ia
wrong III principle and should not be extended,
but should be discontinued in all cases. A spe-
ciic salary should be paid the officer, and all
fees aud percentages should so into the public
treasury
hg 60 Gh, taxes collected from the saloonlsts
aud 4 quor dealers, we have just this to say
Every Couu.y Treasurer in Michigan we'll knew
when 10 was seeking the nomination tc the Of
fee tbat ,his tax was TO be collected, go into
tho treasury and be disbursed, under the Jaw,
Just as al other taxes were-that for the hand
ling OF ths AID all other moneys the county
pad 81 specific salary. They knew just what
thai salasy was, and were very willing to take
nav. eought, the Office, and expected to fill al
the require rasnts for that salary.
We fail 10 see much force In the statement
that "the7 are entitled TO no percentage fol
handling moneys collected
by tho Sheriff he only money the Sheriff
coliecte that The County Treasurer is in any way
bound t. handle. - the saloonist's tax. And il
thus tho ;hariE IS no more than the TOWNSHIP
tressurer-a collector OF taxes that go into tht
public treasury. The township treasurer col
iscts taxes FOR County and state, and turns the
money Owe 20 the County Treasurer, just al
the ,Sher.f collects the liquor tax 1t Is tht
Trsaeurets duty to receive the money and dis
buiso II and sor this service he receives III
salary
We are IA .evor Of all public officers receiving
tar compensation for their services. Tha
compensation should be Ivy salary, certain II
amount, and not by system OF fees and per
centages, which are uncertain in the aggregate
sum they may yield, and which may, and some
times does, depend on the ayarice and greed o.
the incumbent,
IF ell public officers we're paid salary 70
th9ir services there would not be 80 great a dis
parity in the pay received by one officer owe
another discharging different set OF duties
IA as. the case under the existing mode. In tn
casoonder consideration, as all the duties ar
performed for the public, which ID always
party TO every transaction, the officer should b.
pad by one, and only one, method. Their
should not exIst the double mode of percentsg
and ealary. One or the other should prevail
The aalars ia the most satisfactory and Just.