Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-11-02


aries. The county clerks salary from
1872 10 1890 inclusive, was never less
than $500 per year, and some years
1925 and $3.50, besides the perquisites
of the Office.
In 1889 and 1890, the clerk also re-
ceived IN addition To salary and per-
quisiteS, upwards OF 5000 per year from
the issuance OF tax subpHnas, making
his salary practically 81 300 per year.
The salary was reduced in 1890, and
very properly, to 5000 per year, on ac-
count of the extra amount received for
the issuance OF the tax SubpWnas, and
IN 1891 and 1892 the clerk received
from that source Sl.179.G9. And it has
also been the custom for number OF
years to allow the clerk part of the
necessary clerk hire in addition to his
salary. At the fall session of 1892 the
board again, Tor the same reason, fixed
the clerk salary at 500, But the
legislature in 1898, repealed the law
authorizing the issuing Of tax subp~naS
by the county clerk; so for 1898 and
1891 the salary has been only 5000.
The board in 1894 put the salary at
$3.50, with proyso, that nothing
would he allowed for extra clerk hire,
or in other words, $3.50 should cover
the entire expense OF running the coun-
ty clerks Office. The salary is now
smaller than a majority of the counties
in this state of like population.
The treasurer salary was increased
to 81 900; an apparent raise of $500 per
year But this amount also includes
all clerk hire. In some Of the previous
years a high as $50 per year has been
allowed for clerk hire. The work in
this Office has lal gely increased by rea-
son of state legislation, and II Is now
necessary for the treasurer to keep a
clerk the entire year. The increased
work Is made up in part by the tax GER
titicates which ne is obliged 10 make.
free Of charge, for each deed recorded;
an average of about one hundred per
month. and the return of delinquent
vlll"ge taxes 90 the county treasurer.
He i also obliged 10 give bonds for
$l2O.OCO. and be responsible for be-
tween $50. 900 and 100000 per year,
and the board considered the salary
none 70 high.
The salary of the prosecuting attor-
ney was fixed at $1,000 per year, raise
of 500 The board took into consider
alton the amount of work done and the
salaries paid by other counties for like
services. and concluded that 81 900 was
none too high. This amount is also To
include Office rent and any assistance
he may need, and the records show
that as high as $500 has heretofore
been paid by the county in one year for
attorney fee in assisting the prosecuting
attorney. No claim for assistance has
been presented during the incumber-
ency Of the present prosecuting attor-
ney. The adjoining county of Clinton
pays its prosecuting attorney 81 900 per
year. and furnishes Office, fuel and
lights, and Judge Daboll says the work
in that county is not more than two
thirds what it Is in Gratiot.
Now, As to the appropriation of $500
for the grading, leyelin2. putting in
water works, and otherwise improving
the court yard, this is conditional. The
village of Ithaca is also 10 eNpend a
like sum upon the county property, and
the county actually gets 81 900 i'm
provement for S]s0. a tax of tritle
over cents on 81 900 assessed valua-
ton for the entire county, and an eX-
animation Of the proceedings of the
board will show that the resolution fix
inc the salaries was passed without
single vote against il, and the motion
adopting the report Of the committee
on ways and means, recommending the
full amount of money 20 be raised,
made by no other person than VIM L.
Pitt, candidate for congress on the pop
ulist ticket. and was passed by unan-
imous vote of the board. as is shown by
the proceedings.
Now, the aforesaid populist organ
charges that the passing of these reso-
lutions was a political scheme and
partisan measure, but we deny the
charge thus made, and careful exam
ination of the proceedings will bear Us
out i'm our statement.
BY authority of the Republican County Com.
mittee.J