The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-04-10

Probate Register observation-disclosures SOC
County Treasurer - 1900
Prosecuting Attorney -------- 1900
Commissioner of Schools 1900
StenOgrapher. 925
County Clerk 1000
In the office of county clerk there are fees
for marriage and hunting licenses, for re-
porting to secretary of state, for deputy
clerk. ETC. So that it is hard to get at the
exact amount.
The register of deeds is paid entirely by
fees. 1t is thought by those we'll informed
on the subject that this Office pays over
$4,000 per year.
The sheriff was paid by the county for
the year ending last October 80, 160.l2. This
includes board of prisoners, and does not
include fees paid in civil cases.
am not going to tell you that these sala-
ries are too high; of that it is not for me to
judge, but there are some things connected
with them which, in my opinion, need re-
forming, and one of these is the fee SYSTEM.
believe officers should be paid fair salaries
and the system of fees done away with en-
tirely; then the people would know Just
what they were paying and there would not
be so many Office seekers, thinking they
were going to make fortune out of the of
fee. The county has paid out during the
year ending last October, for repairing of
buildings, fuel, light, jantor's salary, etc,
$1,555.51; for supplies for county offices,
which consist of books, stationery, pens,
ink, pencils, postage, ETC., 81, 3SS22. This
does not include supplies for the commits
sioner of schools, for which we paid Sl13.72
last year. This you see makes the salaries
received matter of clear gain to those re-
ceiving them, as their Office work is all
done and everything provided and paid
for by the county. Would it not be in the
way of reform for these officers to pay for
their own Office supplies, from the fact that
almost any of us would be apt to be more
economical in handling our own money,
than we would in handling that of the coun
ty. While on this subject of officers sala-
ries we should remember that the present
condition of things has come about by de-
grees, and salaries have been raised &C.
eording to the increase Of work IN different
Offices. find that the last increase i'm salaries
was made about five years ago. Now the
question will be asked: HAS the ability of
the people to pay, increased in correspond
ing degree"
find from an old account book that in
the year 1891, l sold wheat for S1.1O per
bushel; the present year it has averaged just
trife over one-half that sum. Oats sold
that year at 35 cents; this year, IS to 20
cents. Corn 25 to 80 cents; this year, Is to
Is cents.
1t would seem that the burdens of the
people should be borne by all as nearly &C
cording to their condition as possible.
County officers should be willing to &C
eept fair remuneration for their services,
and thus help to carry out the scripture
injunction, "Bear ye one another's burdens"
In times like these when people are obliged
10 deny themselves many things which they
need, should not our public officials be held
to the rule of strict economy in the handling
of the public money?
The care of the poor of the county for the
past year has cost the sum of Sl3,93 %.
Of this sum the care of the insane and the
temporary relief are the two largest items.
Tie care of the insane has cost SO, O96. 40;
the temporary relief, $7,359.97. In looking
over the items of temporary relief, which
you know is expended for the relief of the
poor in the different towns and cities we
find that $S,779. IL has been expended for
medical services, being $25. 90 more than
for food, fuel, clothing funeral expenses,
transportation to friends, supervisors servi-
ces and other expenses. Can 1t be possible
that the poor of this county need so much
more physic than they do Of all the other
pecessaries of life? How shall we account
scr this, as there has been no serious cpl
aemic, or unusual amount of sickness?
Simply that the physician, when he gets
chance to do some work for the county, say
ing to himself tdat 1t is to be paid by the
county aud that be pays part of the tax any
way, puts ia o good bill, and the supervisor
when he comes TO certify to 1t, although he
knows that thebill is too large, thinks that
It has to be paid by the county and not by
Ais township alone, and perhaps hating to
refuse the NJ. d., who may be an especial
friend, certl6es to the bill, it goes in and is
paid.
The unjust division of this temporary ne. |
lief fund Is another reason why there should |
be reform in this part of the care of the |
poor.
The reform which should suggest, and
which think would save to the taxpayers
Of the county at least 80, 900 per year would
be for each township and city to support Its
own poor. My reasons for this are: First,
the supervisor, who certified to bills, would
be much more likely to carefully scrutinize
them. II he knew that his own township had
It to pay instead Of the county. To be sure
the poor have to be cared for, but 4. could J