Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-08-10
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
TO JANUARY l, 1888,

Il" Published for People on Earth! H@
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
The statutes of this State provide
that upon the presentation Of a petit
ton, signed by 100 legal voters of a
county, its county conrt shall submit
at the next general election the .ques-
ton of an organization by townships,
and we understand such a petition
has been presented, and that our
county judges have directed such 8
vote to be taken at the fall election.
As this brings up unexpectedly a
matter of some interest, we have
made Il hasty examination, and find
that If authorized by a majority vote,
each township may be separately Or
ganizcd for opening and overseeing
and repairing roads, and constructing
bridges and ordering, assessing and
collecting taxes. When organized
each township will be a corporation
capable Of sueing and being sued,
with power to acquire, hold and dis
pose of real and personal property.
The officers of a township will be a
trustee, clerk, collector, treasurer,
assessor, two or more justices of the
peace, one constable, and an overseer
for each road district. The trustee
will be ex-officio collector and treas
urer, and the clerk ex-officio assessor.
The township board will consist of
the trustee and the justices Of the
peace, one of whom shall preside.
The trustee, clerk, justices of the
peace, overseers of roads, and judges
and clerks of elections will receive
one dollar and a half per day for
township duties. Besides this per
diem there are fees of office for the
clerk. The assessor is. to receive
fifteen cents for each list and ten
cents for each town lot. The collec-
tors fees will be two and a half pei
cent. on state and county monies, and
three per cent. on those of the town.
ship. Such township organization will
take effect on the first Tuesday OF
April next succeeding the election
ratifying it. and the county collector
will hold his books and papers unit
after an assessment shall have beer
made by the township assessor at The
time provided by law.
If such organization as the above
suits a majority of IL citizens, NJ
one ought to object to it. There
have been township organizations il
this country from the beginning tina
have worked well but they were or
CARNATIONS to be distinguished from
those of counties as better adapted t.
old and thickly populated common
wealths than sparcely inhabited state
as at the south and west. The plal
of mixed up county and township
government as is provided for in OH
laws is shovel, and how it will work il
the long run remains to be seen. S
far it seems to have been productiv
of township Indebtedness, and il
some instances Of attempted TOWNSHIP
reputation. 1t has generally prove
to have been a disastrous thing t
rush into township organization t
accomplish local ends, that did nc
commend themselves to an entir
county. Such organizations invaris
bly, complicate the governmental ms
ehincry of a county. They introduc
another taxing power that soon excl
cises its full constitutional perogative
1t is q great burden to incorporate
cities to be included in counties, a
they thereby incur city, county an
state taxation. and the support c
city, county and state officer:
Township organization will add
these already existing burdens
. towns by creating township taxatio
and township officers. They will ais
add to the burdens of those Twin
outside of towns by imposing on the1
similar taxation and expenses. 7
have economical governments tow
should not be included in townships
and townships should not be undo
county courts and other county par'
~phernalia. Our county is free fro
Indebtedness, and is capable of bein
managed with light taxation; but tt
debt of Mexico is constantly increa
ing. The council does not even r
duce city indebtedness when it nigh
Schemers are ever ON the alert vii
plausible takes, and it is easier
catch a small community than a mo
extensive one There is great pr
lection from Indebtedness in diversir
of local interests. 1t may suit farme
to have township officers, and tow
ship taxation on top of present levie'
they may desire better roads, mo
numerous bridges and other CONVEX
ences, township halls, &C.; but Il
real question ought to be: are o.
townships populous enough to me-
them, and ought such expenses to
incurred previously to complete abt
ishment of county organization
Under our statutes our county cor
and remaining county officers W
retain vast Jurisdiction. and in ma
cases through appeals much will
finally decided by IL county justic.
We have co implied the above
newsgatherers Ind for public inf.
nation, Our columns will be OBJ
- l. Ill II