The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-08
J J. Bernard For Register of Deeds

To the Editor: l am not anxious to APP
pear in print. but feeling an interest in
good government, and wishing the Dem
ocratic party permanent success, | feel
that there is no better way to accom-
plish and maintain this than to secure
the best most competent and efficient
officers, To this end and for other rea-
sons hereinafter stated, l submit that
Bernard is the man for Register of
Deeds And l believe if the people are
left unbiased and allowed to work out
the problem for themselves, they will
saw at the primaries on the 25th inst.
that they want him. When the late and
much beloved Register of Deeds w. II.
Hood, died our board of commissioners,
composed of five good and intelligent
citizens from the great body of Wake
county, after due and deliberate con-
sideration. saw fit to select and appoint
Mr.. Bernard to fill the unexpired term
of Mr. Hood. After an elapse of nearly
two years, | am fully confident that our
commissioners have the satisfaction of
knowing that they made no mistake in
their appointment.
These are a few of the improvements
made by Mr.. Bernard during the short
The papers have been classified under
their proper headings in the most con-
venient and systematic way imaginable.
The marriage licenses have been ar
ranged in alphabetical and numerical
order from 1771 to 1901. The books of
real este and personal property have
been remarked so that the number can
be seen distinctly. In addition to the
number on each book been marked the
year in which it was used. This is
distinct innovation, and it is said this
is the ony county in which it is done.
The papers of the board of county COM
missioners, orders passed, etc, have all
been arranged and classified and neatly
placed in boxes that show dates, etc,
uncalled for recorded papers are kept in
a closed cabinet with a glass front;
marriage licenses and any uncalled for
, deed or paper of any kind can be found
in almost a moments time. Every year
these are transferred to their proper
pigeon holes in a large cabinet set aside
for this purpose. There are three new
cabinets for tax books and one for the
abstracts in which each township is
classified alphabetically and separately.
| The new arrangement has saved the
county the expense of enlarging the
vault for several years. The new bond
book is book of information and at
tractive in its arrangement For extra
work, some of the prior Register of
Deeds were allowed good money, but
for the many new and valuable imprive-
ments made by Mr.. Bernard, l have
heard that ne received only fifty dollars,
and did not ask for that. l believe that
not less than four or five hundred dol
lars would compensate him for this ex
ira work.
Now, if Mr.. Bernard wrought such con-
venient and valuable change and i'm
provement in his office in such a short
time, what could he. with his executive
ability, natural tact and clerical ex-
perience, accomplish if he should be
elected for the next two years? That
Mr.. Bernard and his deputies are polite
to everybody who enters his office, no
one will gainsay. The he is one of the
best Register of Deeds and has accom-
plished more in the short time in which
he has held this office than any other,
| think no one will deny, and to satisfy
ones self that such is true he has but
to enter his office and see for himself
] have no interest in this matter beyond
the desire tnat goOd OIHCer De CHOSEN
in the primaries on the 25th inst and
nominated by the county convention to
be held August 2nd. and | believe the
Democrats of Wake county will thor
oughly consider this matter during the
next twenty days and nominate Bernard
for our next Register of Deeds, and in
so doing | am sure they will make no
mistake.
ERNEST p. MAYNARD.
Raleigh, N. c., July Z, 1902.