The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-07-28
The Tnerensed SnInrles.

Editor Regis.n In the Gazette d
last week is an article signed BY
], a. Gibbons, which treats of the
county finances, &C., and among
other matters makes some state
mpnts concerning the County
Courts Of 1881 To 1886, that are very
unfair, anduncalled for anduntrue.
| do not object to criticism, that il
fair and honest, but to MI G. OF
any one who says that the action
Of the County Court in the years
named, in fixing the talaries Of
county officers, was influenced 10
any way by political motives, / cay
il is false. II is well known that
the Legislature intended TO leave
the fixing Of the sums to be paid
county officers, to the County Court,
within certain limits, the various
acts authorizing the courts 10 in.
crease the pay, we're obtained by
The persistent and united action in
the Lobby Of those directly interest
ed. The Legislature merely says
to the counties, Gust as in the case
Of the stock or dog laws if you
want It you can have ii, If your
court and people are willing.
We all know how bitterly The
contest for the office Of Prosecuting
Attorney WIS fought, when the pay
was but four hundred dollars per
year, and that but a few years ago,
and l have the authority Of an ex
States Attorney of this county that
at s4OO per year it would pay some
thing like twenty dollars per day
for work actually done, and | be.
lieve this Is not out of the way.
Mr.. G. asks most pathetically,
"why the County Court should take
the bread from his chiIdren's
mouths and a roof from their heads,
and money from Mr.. Nease and
others2" Now what did the court
take from them," they had moth.
ing to take, until their salaries
should have been fixed, and then
no power could deprive them of ii.
As 10 whether the sums then Fixed
we're adequate to the services per.
formed, | have only this 10 say,
that it was, is and always will be
a difficult matter for three farmers
sitting as a court, to determine the
exact measure of justice in these
matters, to the satisfaction Of both
officers and taxpayers; butt should
always be remembered that when
this question is before the court,
the pressure is all on one side, and
unless the court looks after the tax.
payers interests no one else will do
it; and as 10 whether it is better to
tax the bread out the mouths of a
hundred families to pay one lawyer
u salary nearly double tina! ever
paid by our county before, and more
than double the value of the ser.
vices performed, or to fix a value on
those services that in my opinion,
our whole county irrespective Of
purity, believes sufficient, and all Of
those who know the man, to be ex.
travagantly liberal, l leave the
public 10 determine. When this
matter was under consideration in
1885, the court was composed of two
Republicans and one Democrat,
and each member Of it expressed
the opinion that if any of the coun.
W officers should be paid the full
amount allowed by law it should
be the County Clerk, who is more
emphatically the servant Of the
people and is treated rs such by the
people than all the others Combin.
ed.
1t did seem like q shame TO offer
in exchange for the brilliant legal
0ttainmeuts of the eloquent Mr.. G.
the pitiful sum Of FIVE hundred and
fifty dollars per year, only some
forty per cent. more than was paid
such lawyers as Simpson, Tomlin.
son and others, yet as Mr.. G. insi8,
ted that our county was right then,
at least twenty thousand dollars in
debt, the court thought it. was all
the people could afford just then. :
Another matter Of surprise 10 me
is, that Gas the acceptance Of the
salary Of $3.50 per year was likely
to take the roof of his head and
the bread from his children'g
mouths he did not resign the
place at once. Seriously, if any
other man than Mr.. Gibbons thinks
he (Mr. g. is worth to this county
FIVE hundred and fifty dollars per
year, in any capacity, l would like
to hear from him.