Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-11
OFFICE HOLDERS AROUSED.
THEY DO NOT LIKE THE PROPOSED
SALARY REDUCTION.
On the Other Hand, the Taxpayers
Think 1t High Time for Them to
Declare just How Much Their
Servants Shall BE Paid.

The committee appointed at q meeting of
taxpayers in Independence Saturday to
draft new salary bill for Jackson county
will conclude its labors to-day, and the
measure will be Immediately forwarded to
jefferson City. The bill, as drafted, mas
been carefully worded, and If passed by the
legislature will tend to disprove the old
adage that Il public office is a private
snap The measure makes sweeping re-
ductions in nearly every salaried office in
the county. 1t makes Il slash at the sal
aries of chief deputies, and limits the num-
be, of chief deputies to be employed. The
bill eliminates employees of the county now
rated in class c, and concentrates deputies
into two classes. A and 3. The new meas
ure unequivocally places the compensation
of deputies in class B at S65 per month.
Chief deputies, or those rated in class A,
draw salary of 200 yearly, or at such Il
ratio while in the actual employment of the
county.
No official in the county, with the excep-
ton of the circuit clerk, can have over two
chief deputies. The circuit clerk under, the
new bill, is to be allowed four class a dep
uties. The section of the new bill which
regulates the salaries of county officials
follows:
..The following salaries shall be paid the
hereinafter named officers of all counties
in this state which now contain. or herein
after contain. population of 100000 1nha6. NJ .do.
sheriff, $500; collector of the revenue.
s., 400; treasured, s., 400; prosecuting attor-
ney 81 500; Teeorder o Of DEEDS 500; county ooTr
81, ,OOo clerk of circuit court, 81, 900; clerk OF
criminal court, $1,000; coroner, $1,000; coro-
Rs5 gs56C 000' assessor Sz000' county surveyor
other details bearing on the measure
will be completed at to-day's meeting. 1t
poor farm officials will be touched, and
that department will be left to the county
court. The new measure does not auect
the probate judge, superintendent OF coun,
ty schools, or the compensation to be PAID
criminal circuit judges. 1t IS claimed
that the schedule of salaries submitted VIII
save Jackson county over $4,000 annually,
notwithstanding the fact that there Is no
limit to the number of deputies TO be ap-
pointed in class b" The number OF dep
uties to be appointed in class b is left
to the option of the county, circuit and
criminal judges.
The committee, Messrs. S: II. Woodson,
o. p. Bryant and w. l.. Webb. has peen
besieged by county officials and deputies
who have thrown every obstacle in their
way to impede the work in hand Ihe
TRADE directed against the committee only
serves to show to what extent county Of
ficials of Jackson county resent any m
reference with their incomes. One of the
substantial farmers of Jackson county, and
a Democrat, who attended the meeting
Saturday. gave it out yesterday that un-
less the Democratic county officials We're
more circumspect in their abuse OF the
farmers of eastern jackson county the
large Democratic majority, which has al
ways rolled up heretofore, would dwindle
considerably by the next election.
T. w. Green, a prominent farmer OF
Brooking township. stated yesterday that
the scare over spotting the farmers by
can "spot, too." Another farmer was not
SO mild in his expressions as to the !ignt
that is now on.
IF have big farm and hire man at
S25 a month to plOw it, and at the end OF
the month cross over to the field, after
paying him his money. and find that the
work has not been done. l would call him
thief. Now, that's the situation. We
were told that the salary bill was just the
thing and that fees would more than pay
for the work. Now we find that the salary
bill was used as catch, and was framed
to take up all of the fees, and more. too -
1t is claimed that the coming financial
statement will show that Jackson county
officials have absorbed in the past year
$50, 600 more than the fees taken in within
the same length of time. The fight made
ton. Representatives have been sent to
the committee to show why the agitation
of salary law at this time will disrupt
the Democratic party and produce part
ing of the ways between the officials and
eastern county Democracy. It was charged
in the official mouthpiece of the ring that
it was arranged by goldbugs, but this went
through one ear of the farmer taxpayer
and out the other, for Woodson and w. L,
fear was expressed yesterday that the tight
would be made at Jefferson City in COW
ert way by officials. To prevent this a COM
mittee will go down to urge the passage
of the measure. backed with big petitions
and men of influence.