Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-08-02
MORE ABOUT COLLECTOR.

MUht ADOUl OOu1hO
EDITOR INTELLIGENCER I'VE take II Tor
granted that every democratic voter III the
county knows of tine Importance attaching 10
the off &c of Collector, and the grave and res
ponsible duties devolving upon hat officer.
II may not, however, be out OF place 10 mere
mention some of the requirements OF that
office and some Of the duties of that offlcer.
1t is to the collector that every dollar OF our
tax is paid. Through his hands must every
dollar Of our tax pass. He is the book-keep-
err for every taxpayer in the county. On his
efficiency, honesty and promptness depend
that order, accuracy, eXactness and regularity
which must and will be found in this Office
when properly and efficiently filled, and the
people faithfully. intelligently and honestly
served. He must be firm and fearless in the
collection of taxes, and scrupulOusly exact IN
entering and accounting for the same. lie
must not only be familiar with the divisions
and subdivisions of our lands, and the mode
and name of assessing both lands and per-
sonal property, hut he must also be thorough
" acquainted with the system Of bOok-keep-
ing peculiarly adapted and belonging to tins
office. He must possess a thorough khowi-
edge of all the complex and complicated dll-
ties attaching to or growing out oil the
office. He must understand and direct the
work of his office in person. II VIII
not do to depend upon deputies. we all
know that such dependence is unsafe and
dangerous to both collector and Taxpayer.
The collector should collect all taxes, be-
cause it is gross injustice to allow those who
are willing and do voluntarily pay theirtaXeS
to bear all the burdens of taxation. We all
know that unless the collector possesses all
these qualifications, confusion i'll his Office,
disputes with the Taxpayers and discomfort
IN the part of the people inevitably result.
Knowing these things, should we not be care
full and cautious in the selection OF thiso officer:
We think so, and for this reason and .Ms
reason only, we write.
So much for the office and qualifications of
the officer. Now let us say something in rela-
ton to the candidates and their friends. We
have four honorable and honest citizens can
didates before the people, each asking ON
votes for the office, and We are reasonable
and patriotic enough to admit that each and
all of these gentlemen have IL perfect right
| under our constitution and laws and the
usages of the democratic party 10 make the
race and ask our votes. Each OF the -four
candidates has friends in all the townships Of
the county, and these friend have the right tC
| demand and do demand they be allowed to
vote their preferences in this important mat.
ter. and it is net for any one man TO ask OF
suggest that either one or more of these gen
tleman shall be Withdrawn from the race SC
that his pet candidate may have a better
thing, then B comes before C.
In this race we are for Mr.. Mountjoy, and
we are for him not because he is u personal
friend; not to give him a lucrative office; moi
to glorify an ambition to beat some other can
didate: not to confer a personal favor OF
be thoroughly qualified to discharge all the
duties and requirements of the office. And
that If reelected, he will in the future rs he
has done in the past, collect all taxes that can
by the greatest diligence and effort be col
lected, thereby dividing the burdens of taxa
ton, and making each taxpayer pay his pro-
portional part. And we know further, that
whilst in Office the books of Mr.. Mountjoy
will be so kept that conflicts and disputes
between the collector and taxpayer can moi
occur. The record of Mr.. Mountjoy as col
lector proves conclusively every statement
herein made and we defy and challenge con-
tradictiOn.
Mr.. Mouatjoy was in the first place select
ed and elected by the taxpayers of the coun.
ty because of his peculiar fitness md quail
f~icatlons for the Office, and now that he has
insisted by some that he should be defeated
simply because he has held the office four
years, and that he was in office some six years
prior to his election as collector. Experience,
qualification and honesty count AS nothing
with some of those who are opposing Mr..
MountjOy. We suggest to this class of voters
that it would be bad policy to swap horses in
the middle of this stream, as well as in some
other streams of the county. In the selcc.
ton of officers we must consult our interests,
the interests of the people, and not the inter-
ests, ambition or wishes of any candidate.
The offices belong to the people and the Off
GERS are the servants of the people, and so
long as a county officer serves his people well
and faithfully and efficiently, they can and
will ~re-elect him, it matters not what may be
said or desired by other candidates or their
friends. We know that the three opponents
of Mr.. Mountjoy are honest, reputable gen.
tlemen, and stand deservedly high as good
citizens in their respective neighbOrhOOds.
But we do not know that either OF them is
qualified to discharge the strange, mixed and
complicated duties of the Office of collector.
Honesty alone is not sufficient. 1t requires
both honesty and capacity, and what we here
mean by capacity is u thorough knowledge of
and familiarity with all the duties and re-
quirements Of the office. 1t may be said. and
it may be true, if elected, either of Mr..
MountjOy's opponents could learn such duties.
But would it not be II dangerous experiment
to elect a man to the most important office in
the county, simply relying upon the hope or
belief that he could or would qualify after
election. Confusion in the affairs of his and
every other office, always follows such cleo
tons, and the taxpayers of the county know
it. The good old democratic rule demands of
rs AOuCoCy uIlu CbICtClCy dilu lue
candidate must possess these necessary quail
fications before. and not depend OH irrcsponsi-
bic deputies after election. We have heard
much very much through the press from ner-
and erratic correspondents as to the peculiar
claims of Messrs. Harrison and Chambers.
Let us look ut these sO-called claims Il little.
Judge Harrison has been one Of our county
judges; the office did not seek Judge Harri-
son, on the contrary Judge Harrison sought
the office. He worked and spent his money
in ~electiOneering for the place, well knowing
ut the time what burdens and sacrifices
the position would dcvolve upon him, and
what the people would demand and require
at his hands. lie promised and agreed that
if elected lie would carry out the wishes of
the people on the bond question. lie was
elected and as county Judge has lone no
more than he agreed to do; no more than any
other COOL citizen under the same circum-
stances would have done. Surely then his
action us county judge alone does not give
him any claim to The Office of collector; If so
to be consistent we must set this Office aside
to be held only by %eA-cOunty judges rcsuId-
his friends are making the Office of county
Judge a stepping stone to that of collector,
then he and they are robbing his official acts
US county Judge, of all merit and credit. A
maj does not deserve much for performing
his duty, and especially when he expects and