The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-03
PAY FOR THEIR OFFICE
County Officers Put Up For Their
Jobs.
THEY DON'T COMPLAIN OF THIS

But object to Eeing Assessed Ont of
PropOrtiOn-A $4,000 Job is Worth
sI2S "a Year, While a So, 900 Job is
only $500 a Year.
There are a few clouds in the vicinity
of the county offices. There is a strained
feeling between soma of the county
officers and the Republican county cen
trail committee. County Treasurer Stahl,
County Clerk Charlie McCabe and Reg
lister of Deeds Frank Brooks are on the
war path.
These officers complain that their as
sessments for campaign purposes were
out of reason and were not justified All
the gentlemen were second term candl
dates and there was almost no opposf-
ton to their candidacy. If there had
been no central committee at all they
would have been elected by maJorltIes
Just as large they allege. Following are
all the assessments divided by the county
central committee:
County Clerk McCabe $125
County Treasurer Stahl. ......... 12O
Register of Deeds Frank Brooks. 100
sheriff Burdge. ........ -.---.. SOO
Scott Kelsey. county commissioner. 90
J. NJ Westerfeld, coroner. ........ 10
County Surveyor Bailey ,........... 10
J. W. Stout, county superintendent 20
Besides this there were primary as
sessments and the three officers mention
ed were assessed $50 each.
Whatever was done by the candidates
personally should be added to this. OF
course the personal expenses of the can
didates to be reelected was very small.
But these officers think that there was no
justice in taxing them such a large
to oTartiOr which yUal
absolutely certain, and Chairman harley
Elliott will probably hear from them.
There is no justice in our assess
ment," said County Clerk McCabe. We
were simply taxed to help elect Dave
Burdge. None of the money was spent
to help u.s. Then the assessments were
out of proportion. The sheriff was as
sessed $500, while his Office will pay
more than the three offices here. Now,
the county treasurer's Office ia not worth
more than $1,000 a year to the officer
after his clerk hire is paid, and he has to
pay almost as much as the sheriff, and
there was no fight made on the treasurer,
either"
County Treasurer stahl said: alt is
nothing more than an outrage. Our as
sessments were too high in an of year
when there was no contest l have paid
all that they have asked however, and
suppose can not u0lp UFS0l.
The salaries of the officers who receiv-
ed the high assessment are as follows:
County clerk, 2,4Oo; register of deeds,
$1,000; county treasurer, $4,000 The
treasurer, however, has to pay his clerk
hire, which takes the greater part of his
salary.
Scott Kelsey, whose salary is only $500
per annum, had to pay $50 for the priv
ilege of having his name on the Repub-
lican ticket.
The assessments are determined upon
by the entire central committee, and they
are supposed to be only what is necessary
TO defray the legitimate expenses of the
campaign.
1t is evident that county officers
look on their jobs as purchased" The
old fas hioned notion that the people or
even portion of the people choose a
man whom they want to serve them. and
he is persuaded to reluctantly leave his
business and attend to theirs is exploded
very much so.
Nobody is now expected to support a
man for county office because he is a
Republican or Democrat or a Populist.
1t isn't matter of principle at all.
AS the late lamented Ben Curtis, who
was elected county attorney, said: BOYS,
its just fight of plug lawyers as to
which shall get good paying job, and
! got it,"
It is funny that there are still few
stupid voters who think that there is any
great principle involved, particularly
among the candidates.