Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-04-02
A SALARY BILL.
Being Drafted by a Member of
the General Assem- bly,.

BeInS drafted by q MEMBER Oh
the General Assem- bly,.
The member of the General As
sembly, who has given the subject
careful attention and long considera-
tion, has given the outlines of "a bill
he is drafting with view of placing
all county officers on fixed salaries.
As basis for arriving at reason
able salary for the different counties
he has placed them IN five groups, as
| follows: 1. Counties with less than
25, 900 p opulation as shown by the
last preceding census, "a in number.
2. Counties having more than $4,000
and less than 10000 population, 40 in
number 3. Counties having more
than 0,000 and less than 10000 pop
ulation, 1S in number. 4. Counties
having more than 60, 900 and less than
1870, 900 population, in number. s.
| Counties having more than 1904
population, two in number. Counties
to advance or retrograde according
to each succeeding Federal census.
The offices are arranged in the fol-
lowing order of Importance, with the
following salaries, which include all
allowances for travelling and contin-
gent expenses.
Sheritf-First grade, 81 800; second,
50, 200; third, $4,000; fourth $4,000;
fifth, "a, 900.
Auditor-First grade, $1,000; sec
ond, s., 900; third, 81, 400; fourth $3,-
100; fifth, 1000.
Treaserer-First grade, $1,000; sec
ond; 81 800; third, 81, 400; fourth, 49,
100; fifth, $500.
Probate Judge-First grade, 81, 800;
second, $1,S00; third, $4,000; fourth,
SO, 1000; fifth, $4,000.
Clerk-First grade, $1,000; second,
81 900; third, $4,000; fourth, $2,4OO;
fifth, 5000.
Prosecuting Atty-First grade,
$500; second, $1,000; third $1,000;
fourth, 50, 400; fifth, $4,000.
Surveyor-,First grade, $500; sec
ond, 81, 100; third, 81 800; fourth, ST.,
800; fifth, $4,000.
Recorder-First grade, $700; sec
ond, 5000; third, $1,1OO; fourth, ST.
500; fifth, 81, 1900.
Coroner-First grade, $700; second,
$1,000; third, $1,000; fourth, $1,SOO;
fifth, So, 200,
Commissioner-Firs grade, $780,
second, 81 600; third, $1,000; fourth,
$1,000; fifth, $2.100.
1ntirmary Director-First grade,
$500; second, $7O0; third 5000; fourth,
$1,000; fifth, 1000
The author proposes that all the
fees now chargeabIe by law, or which
may hereafter be fixed by law
against litigants, corporation, coun-
ty, State or municipality, shall be
collected by each official within his
jurisdition and be paid into an Off
cial salary fund, to be kept by the
treasurer.
Each official shall name his assist
ants and the county commissioners.
on the first Monday in January Oh
each year shall IiX the compensation
for all employees in all the county
offices, which shall neither be in
creased nor diminished during that
year. If any county official shall
select greater number of assistants
than the commissioners deem necCs-
sary for the transaction of the busi
ness of his office, they may appeal to
the Court Of Common Pleas, which
shall forthwith decide whether such
clerical assistance is necessary. Ali
assistants and employees in each of
the county offices shall file with the
treasurer such bond for the faithful
performance of their duties as the
commissioners shall prescribe, which
shall be in addition to the bonds now
required of the officials.
As above stated that is a mere out
line of the officials.
"These salaries,n said the gentle
man, "are more liberal, much more
liberal than the salaries paid by the
Federal government to its officials !
located in Ohio, with but the rare,t |
exceptions, and yet for each Of these
officers there are ten or a score OF eX-
pectant tidewaiters.
"Aud then remember there are L.
320 of these offices, the lowest salary |
being $500 and the highest a. 200. |
The Prosecuting Attorney, Commits
sioners, Surveyor, Coroner and lntir-
mary Directors in 50 per cent Of the |
counties follow their ordinary oc-
cupations while in office, without
serious Interruptions and in the other
30 per cent the salaries are large.
IA system of this kind furnishes u
basis by which we can ready COM
pute the salaries paid to all the coun
ty officers in the State each year.
How can we compute it? Take the
groups of counties, or single coun-
Cy. Clark is an average medium
county. 1t is in the third grade, and
it is easy to figure out that salaries
of it's IS officials foot up 1872, 600. This
is less than half what the same otfic-
ials receive now. For the whole state
the salaries foot up 81, ,62t, 200.
"a big pile do you say? Why that
sn't half of what was paid for the
same official salaries or rather salar-
es and fees last year, and by salaries
md fees don't mean to include the
,av of deputies and clerks. which
'aised the grand total to S., 900, 900 or
more.
"The cost of administering the
county offices in Ohio can cut in two
n the middle under the salary system
propose, without impairing, but
'ather improving the public service,
IND still pay better salaries all
around and all things considered than
S paid by the national government,
where every position is industriously
sought for and eagerly accepted by
men, too. :,
Eyes, if such bill were passed IL
would go into immediate effect in my
opinion in all offices, where there is
no fixed salary. But it could be so
framed as not to affect present in
,umbents. But that is another mat
.o1. Of dntail y