The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-13
ATTORNEY FOR
COMMON TIL.
Important Official in System Of Coun-
ty Government.
DUTIES AND COMPENSATION
He is the Paid Legal Adviser of the
Board of Supervisors and Should
Keep Them from Making Err
rors-Dutics of the Board.

the system OF county government than
the Conference.-The attorney-more i'm
poTtant even than the judge, because ne
IS the retained and paid legal adviser
OF all the other officials.
4Iis compensation comes from the State
sn the form OF specified fees for the
prosecution of criminals. and. IN eScep-
ttonal instances. for services rendered
IN civil cases. See Code, 's52e-a52s
But his fixed chief annual allowance
comes from the board Of supervisors.
For this stipend he is to perform all the
legal services demanded for the protection
of The county and needed for the guidance
of tho board Of supervisors lie as ia
short. the retained legal counsel OF the
board. and is expected to attend all is
sittings. and 10 keep 1t from uolhs
an unlawful action. and to protect IL
from the unlawful actions OF others.
To a board like the board of super
yisors. rsl,ich Is composed Of men who.
neither nv education nor training, have
fitted themselves for dealing with intrl-
cate ACCOUNTS, or for deciding difficult
questions of law and fact, such an
assistant is inyaluable-supposing he does
mis- duty. If the matter before ihe
board be accounts, and the attorney,
when present, permits the board 10
audit and pay them when not IN proper
form nor sworn to. he consents to a
clear violation Of the law, which al Is
his duty to see carried out literally.
Code, S36.
1t As almost Incredible that such things
should happen. but It IS a tact OF amos.
everyday occurTence-that accounts tndI
arc not properly atemized. nor sworn 20,
are pand by boards Of supervisors; ana
a further very condenlnable fact comes
to itEht-tl1at many of the accounts SO
Maid would not have been presented IL
the parties Offering them hao oeeh
rouired to approve them by oath ana
stemize the particulars
When such things happen-and they 90
happen-pray, where was the Soiliiiioti1
ueafth's attorney?
Again. the board settles annually win
t.oe treasurer on account OF his recelpts
through the tax levy, and disbursements
TO warrants. commissions, DC.
Under levy there is a penalty or
per cent. upon taxes not PAID III before
December LIST Suppose the tax deferred
"a .,5 900. then penalty, at 5 per cent,
would be $3.50. upon which the treasurer
Sc entitled to a commission OF per
cent-ss7.5o Amount of penalty, 500;
treasurer's commission, s37.5e-anount OF
revenue to the county from peilaiy'
sue5o When the treasurer makes no
,,enalty, hut simply pockets the Whole
gum OF $3.50, instead Of his just commits
sion tssT 500 isn't 1t IN order TO ask. Where
was the commemorative attorney! Inc
failure of the Treasurer to account 10
Boards of Supervisors and to county
boards Tor money collected under penai!S
Is fact that may not pc olsputeo ~
the mast Of some of the counties.
SETTLEMENT WITH TREASURER:
ITnon the final settlement with the
treas urer, the attorney being present, 1t
goes without saying that the board mas
a rtsrt to expect from its PAD counsellot
such guidance and help as will protect II
from the evil and wrong or seLIe
,nent where assets and credits Claimed
t,,, the treasurer do not in reality exist.
Ne is or ought to be, familiar with
accounts. The board, being unskilied'
NAV not be. If, however, the SetIle-
unent which does not show the real state
of things IS by agreement between the
treasurer and the board, 1t becomes then
tho duty of the attorney TO protest
against it on behalf Of the people. Ihere
are cases of improper and wrong annual
settlements between SUPERVISORS anu
treasurers that do not appear 10 nave
been condemned or exposed by lhe
commonwealth attorney for the county.
IF the attorney for the Commonwealth.
the paid legal retainer Of the county, saw
IN Fl that no accounts were allowed ana
-,ata that were not presented under oath
and in proper form (sechon s36, Cooe)'
that no improper or wrong annual SET
Element was made between treasurer ana
hoard OF supervisors. and tmost impor-
tant of AID that full. ttemize6 statements
.rara ANNUALLY published by the board
for the information OF the people, as
required by Jaw {section SAT. Cooe}, he
would satisfy the people that ne was a
valued county Official, and fully worth
the money now paid him
In the absence OF these Faluaole
services. there are many among us VINO
rvonder why 1t as that the public pay
s,,ch salaries for so small a nnodicum OF
work This wonder grows when 1t
becomes known that SO many OF the fines
levied by ma gisTates in criminal cases
for the benefit OF the Commonwealth
fail 20 reach the public Treasury. Under
section 10 OF the Code 1t is the duty OF
the Commemorative attorney 10 .alah ,h. l
these matters twice year. lie does
mt as a rule, and, as consequence.
there are magistrates who get a great
Seal more out of their Offices than the
lawful fees warrant.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
This body performs duties of great
tu,portance to the community. It makes
nil leyies for county purposes. and set
.les annually with the treasurer for the
revenue collected and dtsbursed. through
an,ort.onr1suts made ITO schools and
aistricts for road purposes. and through
warrants. issued by Itself for bridges.
cubic buildings. and for extraordinary
and exceptional purposes, as in the cases
OF epideInscS, &c
IT Is defective In ats business methods.
and wont to be hasty in its action, OF
which there comes frequently waste and
loss. but these errors could and would
he avoided in the main We're it, as IL
should be, guided and guarded by its paid
rounsel.or, the Commemorative attorney.
Possessed, as it is. OF executive. finan-
cial. and Ito some extent at leasD OF
financial functions, ATS members shouc
be selected from the best men in the
community
one OF its CHIEF evils IN practice Is
in the s1asty way 1t discharges the many
responsible duties laid upon II, and thai
chiefly because OF the small pay allowed
Its members, and their inability, because
of personal engagements. to give the time
and thought to public questions they
Deserve
When working in harmony with the
Judge. the Commonwealth's attorney
the treasurer. and the people the board
~ sn-erxdsorS does excellent work for its