Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-03-22
LETTER ON VARIOUS TOPICS.
H1Ga1Ssv1LLE, Mo-, March 10. 's4.

Mo-, March 10, "a.
EDITOR INTELLIGENCER: - On Monday,
Sd inst, 1, with many other unfortunate NOR
tails, left Higginsville by the early morning
train to attend the courts in Lexington, and
we were surprised to see so many in W
We we're in nearly all the clerks offices, and
must say were treated with the utmost cour-
tesy and attention, particularly by the
county clerk and deputy, Capt. Andrew, ana
bv the collector, but is it not strange that the
county court judges, who seem to me to nave
really the most important matters OF the
county to attend to, are not better paid: Ger
tsinIy any one in that court, last Monday
would soon find that we had honest men
there, and If they have to suffer for doing the
will of the people, and the people agree to
sustain and reimburse them for their time,
why not reward them by electing them to
some one of the many paying offices about to
become vacant? Say for instance the treas
urer or collectorship.
Now, Mr.. Editor, can you tell me il 1t IS
necessary to have any treasurer: Surely the
business of that Office can be united with the
collectorship and not increase the salary OF
LuC lhLtCI my OuG saw ~ SAS SSA~y ~
or 81 800 ayesr. Or what would perhaps be
better, abolish both the collector and treas
urer. Would not any bank In Lafayette coun-
ty willingly undertake the collection of the
taxes without any pay for the use of the
money! And n they make as good Sc
curity az any Individual? Ii so, 1t seems to me
we ought to sgitate the question and see If II
Is feasible. We will then have more means
wherewith to make better roads and also to
paw OUT county judges more in proportion
with the other officers. 1 ask these questions
In NO captious spirit, but hope to see then
fairly agitated.
I see In one of your last papers. some one
advocating q. grange revival. Let the next
| county grange take hold of this matter, Il
there are not too many candidates present, q
| should Judge by the number out for the treas
uryship that it was considered the best AND
| easiest position), and If we cannot abolish
| what seems to ne useless Offices, let us re-
ward our county judges by electing them.
We had to wait nearly an hour before oul
train started for Higginsville at night, and
undertook to rest in the waiting room Of the
Missouri Pacific but were completely smoked
out. I have been in many waiting rooms, buI
| never saw ladies have to endure smoking like
I did In that one. I think the railroad officials
should attend to this. Wishing success to thu
| candidate for secretary of state from this
county, I will close. Pro Bono PUBL1co.
In reply to what is said as to the county
treasurer and county collectors offices WI
may reply that the suggestions are old ones
and have been frequently discussed. The!
must be considered without reference to thu
pay of county judges, which should stant
upon its own merits. 1t would. in our opin'
ion, be unwise, impOlitic, and impracticabl'
to place the collection and disbursement o
the county's finances in the hands of an!
bank. There is as much work in the collec'
| tors office as there is in any bank in tn
county. The pay of the Office is in the hand!
OF the people. The less government ant
banks are mixed up together the better, to al
extent that salaries cut but little figure. A
to the treasurer, in this county he has fol
years been the county's financial agent
| Every year, If he had been a banker and no
the officer of the county, he could have ,nad'
more in commissions on bonds compromised
| and coupons taken In than his salary. Il
| seems to us better that he should be the sworl
officer OF the county, and not a banker, who's
| legitimate business it IL to make margins ant
commissions on paper. Whatever may b
said as to the amount of salary that the ohice]
should receive ia another thing, and mus
rest on the character and value of his ser
vices to the county under our peculiar situa
ton. We have seen in that Office three o.
four hundred dollars saved to the county in
moment by 9 little vigilance in the interest o
the county. Our county court Is zealou'
enough of the expenditure of the county
money not to pay more than the services ar
worth. It would be unwise to make the col
lector and treasurer one officer. The treas