Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-07-30


present officer, including large station
cry bill, amount to the aggregate sum OF
S4S1 "a for tie fiscal year, against S574 SO
paid to Mr.. Harvey alone for the preced
ing fiscal year. The attorney to the COM
missioners receives 500, against $175 for
the preceding year. The jaior receives
S175 against 5000 paid Wash Burch in
the last levy; and in this connection it
will be observed again that Burch, the re-
firing jailor, receives the same compensa-
tion for the period between July and Nov
ember as Smoot receives for the rest of the
year. The per diem of the county com
missioners for the fiscal year, including
the retiring and succeeding boards, is
$627 40 against 1863 80 for the same pur-
pose in the levy of 1885.
In the matter of the compensation OF
judges of the election the commissio .ers
have iraugurated very proper retrench-
ment. Heretofore it has been the custom
to allow the associate judges and clerks
per diem for days and the return judges
for days. This old custom was predi-
Gated on the theory that whenever puo-
lie officer finds it necessary to alight a
lamp to complete his days work he there
by becomes entitled to per .roctu,a as well
as per diem. But the board very proper
ly decided that this old custom is more
honored in the breach than in the obssr-
vance, and allowed the return judges for
two days each and the associate Judges
and clerks for one day each, the time they
actually served. This is the rule in all
the counties of the State where they ap-
ply business principles to the management
of their county affairs. In view, however.
of the expenses of the special election, held
in August last upon the prohibition ques-
ton, the amount paid out on that account
during the late fiscal year was in excess
Of the ordinary expenditure in that behalf
In the accounts of magistrates and con-
stables too, there has been perceptible
retrenchnent effected. The aggregate
amount allowed to these officers in the
levy of 1886 is $3.50 20 against $263 IS in
the levy Of 1885.
In the case of the registration officers
the commissioners increase, instead of di-
minishing their compensation. This ac-
tion was not only just but necessary on
the score of economy and retrenchment.
While allowing all the republican func-
tionaries extravagant compensation, the
former board of commissioners had exhib-
tied very decided spirit of retrenchnent
toward the Democratic registration Off
GERS, SO much 80 that their compensation
was cut down to $52 year, being little
more than half the compensation allowed
to similar officers, for the identical SER
vices in nearly all the other counties of the
State. Suit was brought by the registra-
tion officers for additional compensation
and Judge Stone sustained the commits
sioners in their action; but an appeal had
been commenced to the Court OF Appeals,
and the present board of commissioners.
after being convinced that the county
would lose the case in tine Court of Ap-
peals, arranged compromise with the reg
istrars whereby they accepted $72 year
as their compensation. This is still much
below the compensation received by those
officers il other counties of the State, ex-
cepting those Immediately adjoining this
which were until recently under Republi-
can domination.
An examination of the statement, in
connection with that of last year, will show
that, while incurring additional expenses
by reason of the necessary increase of the
compensation of the registration officers
for the last, and several preceding years,
and by reason of the special election held
last year, the present board of commission
ers have reduced the expenditures of the
county several thousand dollars under
those of the preceding year. 1t should be
source of great satisfaction to the citi-
zens of the county to know that their at
fairs are now being honestly and carefully
administered.