The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-01

the county officers pay the bill, and the
axpayer, or one who has no business to
transact, is relieved Of that burden of tax
alton. A straight salary bill compels at
least two-thirds of the population to pay
the expense of the number for litigation in
our courts.
I believe the proper course to pursue in
this matter would be to combine the two
measures to some extent. BY such act the
litigant and the taxpayer would each bear
their proper portion of the necessary exc
pense of carrying on the business of their
certain salary equal to the demands made
upon him. to attend to the legitimate duties
in behalf Of the interest Of the county, and
ficer, and requiring said officer to collect
the fees, and in consideration of said col
per cent. of said fees for collecting the
same, turning all the receipts over, less q
certain per cent. into the county treasury
paid to said officers, and to enforce said
collection of fees and the proper accounting
county Commissioners of the several coun-
ties, on the first day of their regular term
in March, June, September and December
a complete report of all fees collected and
unsolicited to date, said board of commits
sioners to issue their receipt or order for
the immediate collection of all unpaid fees,
and upon the neglect of said officer to en-
force said collections. deduct the same from
proceeding you will remove the Office from
the political pandering of the county Of
uCIdl ana the pOllLlcdl UtdOD6dl, WHICH edSH
county and political party has to contend
with.
most different grades of salaries, if based
only on population, while, if based on the
business transacted, they would be equal
fee, over one-third of the counties of the
State have neither free gravel roads nor
bitches; taking the central and northern
part of the State, there is a great number
Of free gravel roads and bitches, which
makes a great deal of extra work for the
auditors. Tax duplicates have to be made
of the same, sometimes recurring from one
to two extra men in the office, and to re-
o osigs. aa eat flls di ana p adaeFtlsiIn ana an aa safe te of
s sae aame I Il iape'i becomes 'n Necessary sar1
70 do justice to the office and taxpayers,
a bill should be passed based upon popula-
Stion and business done, in each office. Each
office can be so regulated that all extra
work can be paid from its own fund, with
out distressing other funds.
To secure the proper, efforts in manag-
some compensation should be allowed for
the proper care of such funds. TIL law CIV
ing a per cent. for the handling and man.
agement of the same is a good one, / think.
The greatest objection to the law of 1891
is the irregular and partial rating between
counties of about the same population, TAX
ing into consideration the business done in
their respective counties. Take into consid-
Grafton counties lying along the Ohio river,
which are billy, rocky and rough; there are
no free gravel roads or public drains; in
the southeastern tier of counties we find
their roads and bitches do not require the
work that is present in the rest of the
State, more especially the central part of
the State; also, in some counties of large
population there is comparatively a small
amount of litigation, while in some counties
where population is comparatively small
there is considerable litigation. These are
facts which I think should be taken into
consideration in framing a just and equit-
able bill, which 1 believe you will.