Morning journal and courier., 1891-11-24
Assessors, Salaries once More.

Tothe Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: Somewhat after the fashion of the fe- male portion of the community, who are said to be pleased in having the t1ast word" in an argument, would once more ask your indulgence and that of your read CTS by few remarks further on the sub ject of assessors salaries, in response to the last "shot" from Outsider" make the present retort solely in "self defense" and not from any motive of blood thirsty revenge.
 Now, MT. "Outsider," think you have ''let the cat out of the bsg'' completely, or 'spoke right out in meetin'" very point edly, in thus proclaiming to the world the various little ''ins and outs" of our official friends, the assessors, but I cannot say whether those gentlemen will feel like thanking you for the revelation or not. Of course, Mir. Outsider" you have struck it just right in saying that am not properly posted evidently in these politi- cal intricacies. Most people are not-do not "grasp the situation" like people of greater experience, and I am, therefore, | under many obligations to you for the in formation imparted, which I shall proper ly paste in my scrap-book. The point J 1 assessor, before he is an assessor, is obliged to ''bleed" pretty freely financially in or | der to gain the office, and after he is an assessor because of keeping up respectable reputation for open handed generosity, suiting all popular de- mands-because of all these little "outs" the taxpayers should reimburse him for the cash then parted with. Following the same line of argument we might say, give our worthy mayor few hundred dollars over and above his regular salary-or make his, salary enough larger to cover it in or der to reimburse him for the various little expenses incurred in ''tickling the boys," and thus ensuring his reelection to a sec ond term of office. But by all means let the salary account and the extra expense account occupy different and distinct places in the municipal ledger.
 And as to the assessors, why not, say, for instance, let the salary be set at $1 500, and let the 'sskirmish" and "cane ore. wreath" accounts be allowed $500 more, so that the taxpayers can know just where the money goes, and be prepared to ''pay the piper" without any unnecessary and unbecoming squeamishness and gambling. This would be great deal better than put ting down $2,000 to the salary account, when, in fact, it might be considered a false entry on the books. By all means let us have everything square and above sus- picion on the records. If we taxpayers are to pay for official ''skirmishing, ssgay pipe laying' and '1og roliing," to say nothing of funeral wreaths" and "cane presentations" let us know it, please. and don't let all go to the salary account, nor say, so much for salaries and so much for 'tsundries," for the latter is very in definite term and embraces good deal, in ''length, breadth and thickness" Please let us have the "bill of items" and we'll pay it or ttbust."
 Seriously, this whole business of buying political positions and popularity, whether individually or at the public expense, is a thing of rottenness, in comparison with which that which proverbially prevailed in Denmark is of greatly inferior quality: and the more see of it the more disgusted become at the very mention of politics
 By the way, MT. Outsider" who was the author of the political homily, ssThe office should seek the man, and not the man the ofice?" Did he live in the clark ages," or was he modern product? Being not sufficiently 'sposted" will make in- quiry. Now, if "the office should seek the man" instead of the reverse, what a saving it would be to the taxpayers of New Haven that little $500 ''skirmish" and ssetcetera" account of each assessor! An. we'll, the millennium has not yet arrived.
 z.