Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-12-08
S 1887 3!

General Fund ............. $500 90 5000 90
S 53,S97 So S 5o,25s 50
From the totals, it will be seen that
the amount to be raised this year is
So, 643.82 less than that raised last
year. This may not be absolutely
correct though, for among the bills
disallOwed this year were c. r. Krebs'
for $5S3.S1, and j. L. Hellen's for
$136 o. Lawyers say that both
bills can be collected in full. If that
be true, their sum suhtracted will
make the actual difference only So
923 81. Last year, however, the
county board was Obliged to raise for
bridges in the various towns S4.135.
This year, owing to law passed by
the last legislature, the board was
not Obliged TO raise anything for
this purpose. Had it been obliged to
raise IL like amount, this years taxes
would have been higher than last
years. Surely, the majority mem
bers OF this years county board are
entitled to no credit for what is due
to an act of the state legislature
But, the organs will urge, that diff
ference is more than offset by the ex-
cess OF the amount paid this year for
land Tor the poor farm over the
amount paid for that purpose last
year. True; but that offset is more
than equalled by the 81 200 more for
the court .und, the $1,000 more for
the asylum trustees and the $3.50
more for a vault In a county office
paid by last years board-all of which
were expenditures that could not be
escaped By men who were trying to
serve the best interests Of the county.
The truth is that, as any man who
devotes a moments thought to the
subject will admit, the county board
cannot affect the amount Oftaxes for
the current year, except by exclui-
ing illegal claims and by correcting
errors in claims. Illegal claims are
rare. Errors are usually tr1hng.
Hence, the expenditures for the year
are almost entirely determined be-
fore the board meets. Because in
one year the total Of these expendi
lures happens to be less than their
total IN another year, does not en-
title board that pays the smaller
total to any particular credit.
1t IS only In dealing with future ex-
penditures that county board can
show spirit Of economy or a lack
of that spirit. How did the majority
members Of this years board deal
with future expenditures? In making
provisions for the fixed expenses, the
amounts of which vary only slightly
from year to year. they followed Gus
tom and appropriated about what
has been appropriated for like pur-
poses heretofore. No credit and no
discredit is due them here When,
| however, it came to fixing salaries for
the county officers to be chosen next
fall, they showed a disposition which
| hardly entities them to all the praises
the organs have heaped upon them
| for the economical spirit manifested
! by them. The committee on officers
salaries recommended that instead Of
being paid 81 200 As now, t he dist riot
attorney to be elected be paid 81 ,OOG.
! That is, two Of the nnpmbtrs-Messrs
! john Whittet and Thomas Shinnick
J made that Recommendation They
were actuated by the belief that, in
view Of the small amount of labor
that is nowadays imposed upon the
district attorney of this county, and
| by comparison with he salaries paid
| by the counties larger than Jefferson
county and in which district attor-
neys have more work to do, 81 900
is liberal compensation for the labor
performed by Jefferson cOunty's dis
tict attorney.
W. H. Rogers, the third member Of
| the committee, did not sign the report
After it had been read, he moved to
amend the report SO us to make the
district attorneys salary 81 200 in
stead of $1,000. The amendment
was carried and the report was then
adopted. So, If AS an organ alleges
the board established a price fot
printing it's proceedings whereby $50
q year will be saved, it also elected tC
pay $2OO-and some lawyers say
$1,000 year more than what we'll
, informed people consider to be a fail
compensation for the work that The
district attorney is required to do
: This fact considered in connection
: with the report that G. B Rogers, W
l H. Rogers sor and law partner, will
again seek to be nominated for dis
3 trict attorney, ought to furnish foot
} for reflection. 1t ought, too, to serv
as the grain of SALT with which
| readers can properly digest the OF
gans' account of the actions Of ''me
l who have (only) the welfare of tn
: county at heart" and who had n
"selfsh schemes" to miscarry.-Je 1
> fersOn Banner.