The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-02-13
FEES FOR CITY OFFICERS


thought that since our taxpayers all
want it done there would be ordinances
introduced and passed to take effect
after the next city election making the
pay of Recorder and Marshal salaries
and repeal the present fee system.
AT the last meeting of the Council an
ordinance was introduced to give tho
Recorder a salary of $500 per year and
800 additional for assessing the city.
$500 is big pay for the whole work of
Recorder, and if it is to be divided in
to two parts s4O0 per year and $lOO
for assessing the city is more than
ample, because there has never been a
gooo active Recorder elected for the
city where his official duties could not
he performed in less than half his
time, and it's duties interferes but lit
tie with other kinds of business in
which Recorder may be regularly
engaged. There is hardly an election
occurs but what there is half dozen
men out running for each Recorder
and Marshal, which shows that the
pay is excessively dispreportionate to
the services rendered What was the
most surprising thing of the same meet
ing an ordinance was also introduced
and read enacting new fee bill for
the Marshal. Why make fish of one
officer and fowl of another, is what no
living soul can explain in a sensible
way, unless it is to legislate in the in
terests of the officers to the entire dis
regard of the tax payers. Why the
city officers should not be salaried
when the entire tax-paying people re-
quire it except part of the Council
men there is no living man can explain
except it is to favor few city officers
and deputies in drawing out all the
tax.s paid in by our citizens. We do
not blame any officer in making all the
law gives out of any Office which he
may hold, but on the contrary it is
his duty and privilege to make all the
law gives him, bht when it comes to
writing in the interests Of the people
and taxpayers, we would like to in
quire if the fee system is to be kept up
what is the use in allowing a Marshal
cne dollar per nj ght for attending on
the meetings Of the Council2 What
good is his attendance there to the
tax-payersa He has no vote, and there
ought not be any officer paid to be there
to influence legislation. Ceuncilmen
should be left uniniuneced to pass or
not to pass sidewalk ordinances with
out the influence of any paid officer be-
ing present and especially one who is
directly interested in the operation Of
the ordinance in the way of the fees it
distributes. 1t has been said that if
an ordinance for salarying officers in
stead of fees is passed that officers will
not pursue their duty so well as if their
work depended ON fees. and in reply
to this it is Suficient to say that all
cities of any size or consequence when
they begin to be extricated from bank
ruptcy always adopt the salary system
to pay their police and Marshals.
Portland years ago when it was, bank
rupt like our town had it's feed Mar
shals and deputies but when her Coun-
Gil men determined to cease legislation
in the special interests of the officers
and to pull the city out of bankruptcy
she established her police on monthly
salaries and done away with the fee
system. Does any one pretend to say
that the police of Portland does not
attend their duties better than any
feed officers will do, if so let one 60 to
Portland and step over the legal
bounds of her city laws and see how
quick her salaried officers will do their
duty.