Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-08-17
How They Feel About IL.


To ascertain the effects of the boom
that fell in the Court house Saturday,
a STANDARD representative interviewed
the several heads of departments, the
other day, with the following result
Chas. NJ. Moore. Auditor: THAT
elects them. Think it was a political
dodge. Work will 60 on in this Office
as far as l am able to perfect it with
the force allowed me. The amount OF
labor, would, at fair fee rate, justify
the employment of at least three
men,"
w. H. Roberts, County Clerk: "The
work in this office requires two or
three clerks to discharge it properly.
1t should be remembered that the
duties performed by separate officer.
the Probate Judge, have been attached
to the duties of Clerk. When Court
is in session, the Clerk is on duty in
the court room, but the Clerks office
and the probate department must be
kept open for business. The clerical
work in the probate Office is not up to
date for want of assistance, and we
have always worked full hours. do
not complain Of the action of the Com
missioners, for 1 believe they think
they are doing their duty, but the SER
vice in this office will be greatly i'm
paired by the reduction made"
While George Gelbach, County
Treasurer, declares that "Tne less a
man says the less chance he has Of
getting into trouble, he realizes that
the cut in his Office will entail consid-
cradle hardship. Sixty dollars is not
enough compensation when paid in
the certificates which will doubtless
take the place of warrants. The sys-
tenn of bookkeeping in the Treasurer
Office is not complicated, and no more
labor is required than in any other Of.
fee of like magnitude. The work will
be kept up someway, until the present
depression is tided over"
Milo A. Root, County Attorney
"The Commissioners felt that the ex.
penses must be cut down on account
of the hard times, and the sad finan-
cial condition OF the county. As to
whether il was advisable in all details,
is not for me to say; but think all
must agree that public expenses should
be cut down to the lowest figure pos.
sib!e during these hard times. What
we most need is q radical reform OF
our laws, so that our public business
can be conducted without so much
red-tape and expense. The county
expenses are not so much the fault of
the officers as of the laws. The COM
ing legislature should amend the laws
in this direction"
G. s. Prince, Sheriff says: "The
cut in my force is unjust, especial.
ly as regards compensation. The
duties of Sheriff should not be con-
founded with those that are merely
clerical in their nature. The Sheriff
and bis deputies are always on duty,
their Office hours continuous, and
without a holiday assured even on
Sundays. The larger part of or
duties are not pleasant onee. 10 say
the least, and are fraught with the
gravest responsibility. Having served
the lawful limit OF two terms, / will
leave the Office without regret"
The deposed officials whose heads
have rolled into the basket, and those
whose salaries have been cur
tailed and whose nerve that leads to
the pocket has been 90 powerfully
convulsed, are still in q dazed condi.
ton and stand around like chickens
in a storm. They can find no Ian
guage in the English vocabulary to
adequately express their feelings, and
it is doubtful whether the twenty-six
letters of the alphabet could be so
arranged as to depict the lurid situa-
ton if they should attempt 90 hopeless
tool