Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-22
THE COMPENSATION OF COUNTY
-. 20 sr- OFFICERS.


~ Hon Andrew Mackey ,cl,air,na s.llat,
on retrenc,nient. and relurm:
Sir-l haze, the houOr- To acknowledge
receipt OF your letter OF the 9th inst.
asking my views on house bill M. 6.
now pending before your committee. en-.
til cd all act to consolidate the offices Ot
county collector aud county treasurer
and to Tx the compensation thereof, and
in reply will say that | am not livor,,lly
impressed with the bill. and doubt
whether 1t will, work as we'll rs is
claimed by its friends.
The bill requires the county treasurer
to perform all the duties Of county col
lectOr; WIN shall receive as iull co,npen-
sation for services as treasurer and co.
lector such compensation rs may be AL
lowed by law tu collectors, not exceed
ing $4,000 and in all cases where such
compensation exceeds that sum, its cx-
cess to be paid into the school fund OF
such county.
The state pays its proportion OF col
lector' 'sconlnissIons 5 iur collecting taxes,
and the result would be, some OF the
wealthy. poDulous counties (where the
commissions wUuld amount To more than
81, ,OOe) the state would contribute 10
the county school funds as certainly ~
il the lnoaey was paid directly on auu :
tors warrants. In large number o!
counties the Commissions would, not
amount to - 900. and although the in
ha.Atants oi such counties pay tho same
rate OF taxes Tor support oil government,
they would receive no beEetit from ex-
cess of collectors commissions This
would be an injustice to large class ui
taxpayers. ..rs4
To comp y with the requirements of
the revenue law many OF the collectors
in the state are comnellcd To employ one
or more deputies. Collectors must keep
an office ut the county seat and visit each
township their Counties ior the pur-
pose OF atforiing, the people an opD"r-
tunity OF paying taxes. In jackson
county TIE c0lte..tur must keep two OF
tices, one ut Independence and another
at Kansas City. When the time arrives
Tor giving notice. and IN default oil ply-
ment. seizing a.d selling property kr
taxes, numt,er OF special deputies
must be employed ami must be paid by
the COLLECTOR out al commissions they
are entitled 10 retain.
The tact is, it would COS: the treasurer
and ex-Oficio collector IN such counties
as jackson i'll ly $1,000, to employ COM
petcnt deputies. In ascertain the actual
coDpensatiOns of these treasurers, Tor
the heavy responsibilities imposed NV
law and tor devoting their whole tilno
to the public service. It's only neccss,r-
ry to subtract The amount paid deputies
from $1,000.
There are il number of counties where
don't think the necessary iorce of depr-
ties which would be required I" collect
the taxes promptly and cthcicntlv could
be employed for much less than 81 900.
II employed for $1,000. there would
only be lett to the treasurer and ex-
officio collector ST. 600. No competent
business man would accept the office in
such II county, as Buchanan, for instance
devote his whole time to the punllc
service and assume the heavy respunsi-
bilIties-discharge the duties of treas >urer
and collector for $l.OUO The idea is
absurd. and the adoption Of such sys
tenn would on second sober thought be
unanimously condemned by the people.
Such system would not, it seems To
me. be i'll the end. rctrenchment, reform
or economy.
Again. IS it not likely that in some OF
the counties where the compensation
would exceed $1,000. the lreasurets
would content themselves to remain in
their Offices and let collections Take their
own course. after their salaries were as.
sured. not expending much ui it in col
lectiny the revenues. .lo not say treas
urers would DO this. but it Is pertinent
n ri hat hnp
the same the world over. and in collect.
ing taxes above everything else. induce
ments should be held out to stimulate
officers to active and honest eXertluns
l am convinced that The better plan is
to give the collectors, without restric-
tions or limitations, all tue commissions
and lees they can legititnatelv make out
OF their offices. This would, in lhy
Judgment. be true economy in the end,
ior tho close collection OF taxes would
more than compensate the savings made
IN requiring the surplus TO be paid over.
In tact am constrained to remark ali
county officials shuu Il be allowed to re-
tain absolutely all tees, commissions and
emo uments which they can earn in SER
vices performed and responsibilities as
sumed without relunding any part. III
in the wisdom OF the general assembly
the present laws give the officials more
than they should have, why not read.
just the schedule OF fees and commits
classifying the counties,
50 that no injustice will be done
In i. lew counties the compensation of
certain officers may be too large, but
there Is danger in framing II law to con-.
vict the evil In u few offices, g,ievous
injustice may be dole to lar .e num-
l,er oi others. 1t must not be forgotten
that ices and commissions have been de-
creased by law from ,infe To time lur
the last eight years; that the business
has decreased within that time, thereby
dec reasinglhs compensation; and in
some couuties the officials can barely
submit.
A lurther reduction Of fees and com.
missions would in many Instances drive
business men out. of the pub.
lie scrS ce. Ii tho object OF this bin is
so reduce the numbrr oil office holders
would It not be better 10 consolidate. The
ohces oi sheriff aud collcctor2 Very
THoMAR HoYrAD.y