Morning journal and courier., 1885-12-05
CONFIRMATION.
Not ssToo Previous.s,

To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER:
 It seems to be impossible for anyone to make any investigation of town affairs, or to exercise the right in open town meeting of advocating measures of economy, without some public servant alleging personal mo- tives. So regarding the vote fixing the compensation of Town Agent Reynolds, which he and the reporter of the COURIER decide to have been ''too previous" As a matter of theory, MT. Reynolds has no right to say to the town what pay he shall have. As matter of practice he seems to demand the right.
 This is no new subject, and was introduce ed at the suggestion of many taxpayers, among whom it has long been matter of discussion. Until the advent of MT. Key holds as town agent Gas I am informed) it was understood that the salary of town agent covered also any service as selectman.
 A few years since the town agent with one clerk did ali the work and kept the books. Now two clerks at the town agents office and two at the almshouse keep all the books and accounts and MT. Reynolds keeps none, merely having general supervision.
 Notwithstanding this, soon after his first
  hance his income by charging extra for meetings of the selectmen, but being sub iect to doubt, the opinion of Judge Bronson was procured, but l venture to say never was circulated till now, and many people will be surprised that MT. Reynolds is drawing his published salary of &, 300, and in addition an unpublished one of S5 per day and g. 50 per evening, when sitting with the select men.
 Now as to the legal aspect of the case, in which I and the majority of taxpayers in town meeting assembled are ''too previous" {" Conceding that where one is acting for anoth- CT in two capacities with an agreed sum for is mentioned for the other that he may then have reasonable pay for the latter; yet if it is stipulated at the com mencement that the amount agreed upon for one shall cover services rendered in both ca pacities nothing more can be recovered.
 MT. Reynolds claims to serve the town in two offices-as town agent and as Select man. Heretofore the salary has been fixed for the former and nothing said about the latter, 80 he has charged additional and collected it. Now the town meeting says to him that for the next year we will pay you $2, 300 as town agent, but it must cover your pay Selectnan also. It is an indivisible contract. Is it not legal ones
 Can Mr Reynolds split it in two and say, t'I will take the whole sum voted and per form only part of the serviee?''
 Suppose that he was not a Selectman, would not his duties as town agent require him to be present at meetings of the Select men to consult about the town afairsa
 Is he not expected as town agent to de- vote his whole time to the interests of the town2 It is said he was absent from three to five months the past year. He drew his whole salary and the taxpayers made no complaint, But they do say that under the circumstances he can afford to devote one evening week to the Seleotmen.
 Whatever personal there is in this oontro- versy MT. Reynolds has brought into it. If he did not vote for me {as he statesl I have