Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-03-16
1T PROVIDES THAT COUNTY or
FIcEs SHALL BE HELD ONLY
-FOUR YEARS.
BILL ExcEpTs TWO OFFICES.
The Clerical Force Question in the
House Settled Changes in the
School Laws Recommend
ed-St. Louis Police
Bill-Newsy
Letter.


See, OF Montgomery county, is a yer
short one but 1t is OF much impor
tance to the people. 1t reads:
"The length Of the term OF Office Q
every county officer shall be for th,
period of four years, except those O
sheriff or coroner, and such office
shall be ineligible to hold any count,
office, either by election or appoint
ment, for the period of four year
after the expiration of his term o
Office"
There are many good people VIII,
will approve this proposed law on tn,
first reading, who will not approve II
after due reflection. Laws are pre-,
sumed to be enacted In the interes
of the people, not In the interest o.
that small olass who want office. The
"outs" have been busy for many
years In their efforts to create q pub.
lie sentiment In favor OF the one
term plan or principle, hoping there
by that their time to be one Of the
Gins" will come sooner. In 90 doing
they have wrought up in some coun-
ties a strong public opinion, based
upon the idea that county office ia
a sort Of charity to be handed around
to the most needy; and this idea has
given birth to this proposed law. That
long continuance In Office leads often
times to evil results may be conceded.
That 1t sometimes aids the office
holder, when he has patronage to
dispense, to build up a personal ma
chine, that is detrimental to the pub
lie welfare, Is likewise true. On these
facts is based the provision in our
State constitution which forbIds
governor to succeed himself. In
former years, when the sheriff col
lected the taxes and got so many
people under 90 many obligations to
him for iavors extended, and became
responsible for 80 much public money,
a statute was enacted limiting him to
four years of Office for the reasons in
dicated.
Later, a similar statute was applied
to the office Of assessor for reasons
that are obvious to all. The reasons
are good because they affect the public
welfare and the statutes are good be-
cause they protect the people. In
this constitutional provision and In
these statutes there is no smack of
favoritism to ofiioe-seekers and no
Idea Of q charity to anybody. They
are bottomed on the public good and
protection to the people.
30 far as the office OF Sheriff ,s con-
,erned, the original reasons tor linn
ting him to four years of office have |
,eased to exist. He collects no tax
's-has no patronage, and why should
he prohibition OF succession in office
onger rest on him? Why take from
he people the widest liberty con-
Ilstent with the public welfareP So
much legislation and too much nreg-
llation" are destructive OF popular
liberty. The office of Probate Judge
8 confessedly the most Important
'fiice in a county for reasons that
ome readily TO every mind. Its du-
les are peculiar and far-reaching In
heir scope and effect. They deal
nth the dead and the living and with
hat portion Of the living who are
ften unable to take care OF their own
interests. To take from the people
be privilege of retaining In that Office
competent, reliable and trained man ,
Or more than one term of four years, :
'ill be regarded a severe blow to the !
ublic welfare by many good people.
! am not an advocate of long con-
nuance in Office, but to say by pos
i've law that all county officers shall /.
9 limited to one term Of four years, :
certainly cutting too deep into the :
ght of self-government. u
1t has been considered 3 matter of
reat pride on the part Of the people
lat their county officers are good,
'ithfuL competent, reliable and oour-
'ous men, and to win such praise
ont the people has heretofore been
'nsidered a "bIue ribbon premiumn
all county offers. This bill de- :
roys that incentive to duty and says !
thunder tones to the people; "You !.
I've done well In selecting your !
'unty officers. Their hands are !.
can and their skirts are clear. They :
I'VE won the plaudit Of well done, good :
I'd faithful servants;' but you shall 4
IT reward them by even q second =
rm. They shall not be endorsed.
ou must hunt for others to serve
~, II is true they have proved their Z
gh qualifications for public Office y
ID they merit public confidence, but y
N shall not have the best service = =
ON your best trained men," =
Public opinion should be left to !.
gulate this matter. Leave to the y !
'ople the widest liberty In selecting =
cir county officers consistent with Y
9 public welfare. 1t is better that +
me aspiring fellow should be 'sleftu : :
an that the peoples right OF self =
vernment should be hacked and :.
shed with the knife Of too much !
That incubus on the breast OF the Z
'use, the clerical force question, I,
me up Tuesday last upon the report -
the special committee appointed to d.
X into the modHs operdRdi OF r
ecuting the Dellzell reduction
'olution. The report cut from the "
y-ron Of the clerical force thirteen
mes and re-instated thirteen per- Z
Is known TO be the best and most
npetent clerks. So the original 10
olution, which cut down the pay. 4,
OF the clerical force, stfll stands. n
iouse BIZ s4s, Introduced by EIr.