The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-02-09

uow attracting considerable attention We pub
iish al these columns FOR the consideration OF
thetntelhgent reader. The article is from the
Detroit Free Press, and in the interest OF the
taz-burd ened people;
''Thece Is now pending in the New York Leg
Stature nlll - relation 10 a subject TO which
we have more than once called attention. and
which - we'll worthy OF notice from the Legis-
Iatu-o OF Michigan. II ia a bill which provides
for substituting IN place OF the fees now paid to
Corouere, Registers OF Deeds, County Clerks,
aui Other officers, liked salaries, to be paid out
OF the pGbiic treasury. No change Is to be
majs-at least none is cont emplated by the bill
referred ton the amount of fees or IN those
provis,cas Of law which require the parties for
whom Gervlce Is performed to pay therefor
But instead Of gong into the pocket Of the Of
fcss tho C3es ara 20 90 directly into the public
trolsrsy
no system :. .ong pursued III respect to the
paymaot OF certain officers by fees Is 80 thor
ougbly wrong IN principle that the wonder ID
1t has not long since been changed. not only IN
New York but ia every other State. In the
smaa and more thinly settled counties the
evil hSa perhaps. attracted little attention,
owng 60 tia Fact that the fees received by OIL
cers Of che class referred to have amounted to
little. II any more than reasonable salary
But 10 al tbo largcr counties, aud especially in
thoss that embrace large cities within their linn
It's Cus evil has .ong been felt as great and
growing one n many OF the great cities, which
al at ths sama time county seats, the SUM an
nuallv ,r,el7ed 0y tue County Clerk or the
Reeuter OK Deeds. IN fees, far exceeds the sal
any Of aoY Official in the country, not even ex-
cepting tas President. There have been years
IN Detroit aud those within the memory OF
very Young uhabtants when the Office OF Reg
tster Of Deeds Cor the county has been more
lucrative than aay two of the best paid Offices
ia tba STATE excepting. perhaps the Office OF
Cou1ty Olerii which 10 also very lucrative IN
the -so8rs when business is good These facts
are mot generally known or fully appreciated,
becappo the number OF those doing business
with tho officers referred to Is small when COM
pared with tbe whole population OF the county
and as Che burden falls on these few and makes
no appearance on the annual tax roll, the pso-
pie at large have not felt that vital interest
which - excited by an expense which touches
directly the pocket OF the tax payer.
IL the taxpayer viii reflect for q moment he
will 200 that even though he never had deed
orsmortgage recorded. nor transacts any BUSH
ness with the County Clerk or Sheriff, he is pc
cuniarily interested In the amount paid those
officials as fees, and is injured by their over
payment. For If the fees paid TO those officials
went into the county treasury, the difference
between tber amount and a reasonable salary
to each would be applicable to the expenses OF
tho county, and TO a certain extent reduce the
taxes OF each taxpayer. AS for tn taxpayer who
has business with the officials named, thero can
be no doubt ABBOTT his immediate interest in the
matter
.lJo one doubts, OF course. the propriety OF
LAYING The specific service performed in indI-
v;dus, instances pad for by the individual for
whom it is performed. The mistake is in as
suning that II 10 the Official who performs the
service and who should be paid for it, when 1t
,sueallY The public who performs the service.
Take the case. FOR example, OF Register OF
Deeds, under our present system. The county
owns or hires, warns lights and furnishes the
Office where the records are kept. Ii buys the
books used for recording deeds, mortgages and
ether instruments entitled to record. 1t goes
eyeu further than tbs. Much Of the matter
contained in ordinary deeds and mortgagesiare
purely formal and by printing this matter in
tho record books, half or more OF the work OF
trsne1ibng Is done away with. In many OF the
counties in the State the books are so printed.
When tbs county, out Of money furnished by
tho Taxpayers, has done all this, the Register
steps in, and every dollar that is paid for tie
use Of the Office and books goes to him. lie
even collects the lawful, and sometimes we are
afraid an unlawful fee. for copying the words
which the county mas bad printed in the books
at tho expense OF the taxpayers.
II should be remembered, moreover, that the
rea' service rendered is not rendered by the
Register. Il is not merely the TRANSFERRING OF
the 'nstrument in book kept in a reasonably
s"e place for which the patron Of the Regis
ters Office pays. That he could procure done
IN many instances quite az we'll and far more