The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-02-21

friends with sufficient wealth to furnish
the bonds, an indemnity company would
not only charge $3.50 a year to furnish
the bond, but would dictate where he
should deposit the money
The sheriff's fees in civil cases / have
no means of estimating, as there are so
many ways in which service may be
had. In nearly all other matters he
gets pay by presenting his accounts
to the Board of Supervisors, and any
one who is interested may easily get a
printed copy of the record.
Ididn't intend to make any argument
in favor Of or against the fee system,
but think in favor of the straight sal
airy system, might be said that the peo-
pie employ the officials and it ought to
be their privilege to pay by whatever
| system they choose, that the people
don't know what the fees amount to,
and they prefer to know what their
hired men are getting. In favor of the
existing system is said that better and
cheaper service may be had when you
pay for the service and not for the time,
more particularly when the business is
limited. Not because we think it would
be cheaper for the taxpayers, but be-
cause we think the work, the response
bility, and the necessary skill are worth
it. Mr.. Kay and myself will sign a
petition, making the salary of the treas
urer and clerk of this county the same
as understand was fixed by the Kim
mis- Bill
Discussion was taken up first by A. l..
Chandler, of Corunna. Mr. Chandler
complimented Nh. Martin upon the
pains-taking nature of his address. He
proceeded to inveigh against the fee sys-
tenn. He spoke of the righteousness of
IA system whereby the officers get part
salary and part by way of fees Let Us
salary our officers and know exactly
what we pay them, and they know ex-
actly what they are going to get.
Clerks in stores and men or farms are
not employed on the fee system, why
should our so-called salaried officers be
so employed. He summed up the mat
ter in two propositions:
1st. Our public offices are public, let
the whole public maintain the offices.
I'd. We ought to have the privilege
and right to have the talked bills relat-
ing to the regulation of this matter,
submitted to popular expression and
vote.
Hon. Geo. T. Mason Of Owosso town
ship, spoke in favor of the county salary
system. He spoke of the defeat Of bills
bearing on the salary question, and
stated that in 90 when the Kimmis
salaries bill was mp So members in the
House favored it, but those who OPP
posed it, opposed also these men and
and threw their influence against them,
and later defeated 80 who might have
been reelected. I stood by the matter
as the Journal viii show. No trouble
to win in this matter if the voters will
only stndy and read up, get at the facts
ana wore accordingly
Mr.. Duane Cooper spoke in favor of
Mr.. Mason's endeaveT to do his duty in
spite Of opposition. He was of the
opinion that IN either case there would
be little difference in results. The great
bulk of our taxes goes not for the sup
port of our county officers, but for
| .If
and litigation cases He urged the
farmers to read carefully the reports of
the proceedings of the supervisors.
Mr. Selden S. Miner said that the
question is, as to the principle involved,
What is right? County officers should
receive for their services just what is
right precisely as others do Our
county officers are the servants of the
people, they should do good service and
be well paid for it. Elect good men,
pay them well, and stand by them, if
they are traitors deal with them as with
other traitors.
The chairman appointed for COM
mittee on resolutions, E. j. Cook, John
Bilhimer, G. T. Mason, A L. Chandler.
On nominations, Chas. Whelan, E. O.
Place, VIM. H. White, Fred Love.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION.
A much larger attendance was in evil
dence, and the program opened with a
solo by j. B. Mcintosh.
The first paper of the afternoon was
presented by Mr. Amos Parmenter on
Commercial Fertilizers do we need
them in Shiawassee county? II have
experimental somewhat with CONNER
cial fertilizers. Fifteen years ago ap-
piled $50 pounds to the acre on wheat in
the spring of the year. Was not salts
fed with the result. Four years ago
tried it again on wheat, on soil partly
worn out. Got 12 bushels of wheat per
acre as result, and good catch of
I clover, but when it was not used, had
little of either wheat or clover. Later
on used it on wheat which produced 1s
bushels per acre, and on another oc-
casion plowed field of oat stubble for
strawberries and that crop was one
third baffar fban ubara xyorJ .~..~.