Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1899-05-05
COUNTY OFFICE
One Man Should Not
Want It Always.

Circuit Clerk, County Clerk
Sheriff are Handled Gently
by a Prominent Republican.
Cedar Bluff Va
April Both 1899
Mr.. Editor:-Did you ever stop
to thinK-perhaps you have but
has the average voter stopped long
enough to think who has collected
the fees of the county Offices for the
last twenty years-into whose
pockets have the golden shekels fal
LENT Who have lived aud entertained
their friends at the publics expense,
or at least public generosity?
First comes the Hon. Sheriffs for
Tazewell, who have held Office con
tinually for twenty long years. The
voter who cast his maiden vote for
these gentlmen at the age of twenty
one years is now past the prime of
life, is beginning tho decline OF
life Perhaps this voter in his
younger days had bright visions of
day when he might be the high
sheriff of this grand old county. He
has stood by and waited for these
gentlemen to say enough" and
stand aside. He is now past Al
and surmises that the Sherlffalty is
probably worth $4,000 a year. So
these gentlemen have collected from
the good people of this County
some $4,000 besides other
good things they have had
showered down on them. They
are still candidates, and now ask that
you support them again. So to
speak, want to do som ething for &C
comodation. and are passing around
the hat, and ask for only $4,000 more.
They will see you again four years
hence. Next on the list is the
present County Clerk who has held
office Is years, or course Is years
is not long time when man holds
the best office in the county. That
maiden voter who began to vote
with the beginning of this term of
office is new verging ON 40 years of
age. He has no doubt grown up n
family around him His oldest son
is now perhaps almost voter, and
of course is expected to vote for the
present incumbent, as his father has
always done. Figuring on amount
OF salary he has collected we would
suppose his salary to be abou t
$4,000 per year, or $4,000 from the
public crib. But during this time
of office we had lively boom during
which every body bought and sold
lots, SO we can reasonably conclude
that his fees ran away up to some
5 or 6 thousand dollars per year,
making the grand total collected by
him and his deputies not less than
100000. Only 100000. and we hear
that some voters think he has had it
long enough, that 100000 ought to
be one mans share out of the public
crib. What think you, the voters OF
Tazewell County who earn your living
by digging in the ground? Do you
remember that during the last IS
years, whilst you have been toiling
early and late to support your family
and educate your children, Eyes
educate them by all means some of
these old fellows will pass out some
time, and they may have chance tc
get an Office that would pay them
something) the County Court
Clerk has been collecting, as we
figure it. about $500 each month OF
S12. day. OF course we admit
that our figuring is mostly guess
work, but it has been so long since
any other man had this Office, that
we will be pardoned if we figure i
too low.
He, like the others, is passing the
hat around, and only asks now for
SIX years more, or the little sum O
$4,000 more, Next on docket i
he Circuit Court Clerk who, like th
other gentlemen, have been worrie,
with office for the last 18 years, ant
still thinks he could stand anothe
six years. The Office he is asking fo