The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-06-07
THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT
 PROBLEM.

Many oi those who arc opposing a territorial government claim to do so because Of the great cost oi maintain ing county governments. They refer Co thc numerous county officers, who would bo required, and assert that they would, Of course, all draw salaries from the county treasury, all of which is misleading. Under a territorial gov crnment. as at present the services Of tho clerks Of tho court shcrids, record CTS Of deeds, justices oi the peace, cor onors, surveyors and other oaicers, may be paid by fees as they arc at present. The treasurei assessor and commissioners only will draw salaries or per diem from the counties, unless tho people themselves see ft to create more offices.
 The cost Of county government iu the states has been frequently referred to as showing che evils oi seli-govern- menL but those costs are brought about by expensive county roads, rail- road and court house bonds and other cxDsnses that are s,lelv optional with Che people.
 Referring to the county government phase of Che question, and Co a speech made by F. D. Kelsey on the subject, Governor Swinelord's Journal, of Ketchikan. says;
 "Iu its report of a meeting held 10 discuss the territorial question the Val dcz Prospcct0r credits Mir. F. D. Kelsey with having made a speech full of good arguments against a territory at this time among which was one Co the effect that Che expense oi conducting a county the slzc oi which Valdez would be the county seat would be more than sGO,OOO a ycar-'thc cost for grand and petit jurics and witness fees would amount Co at least s22 900 a ear, and then would come the county officers, judges. clerks, recorders. assessors. supervisors, etc. In Che language of the immortal Toodlcs one may appro- priately eSslaim, how we'll he knows what he is talliog about.'
 According to Che attorney generals report for che year 1901, the amount of fees paid Co jurors and witnesses 10 the judicial division which would prlcti- cslly constitute Che county Co which Mir. Kelsey alluded, was exactly sS,O0o, the whole of che expenses Incurred. in- cluding support Of prisoners, being stated at s26, i2SI6. oi w5ich amount sI5,5OLi6 was paid by thc people ot tlc division tEtmsc yes. Under county o-- ganizition che expenses oi Che court would pot necessarily be any greater, not oue-hali oi which would fan upon Che county. for the good reason that all government busi ess would then, as now, bc a charge against the national treasury. The only business ot Che territorial courts which would devolvo any expense upon the counties would be confined Go the enforcement of such criminal laws as @ territorial legisla- turo might cuact-to the payment of jurors and witnesses in criminal eases ouly, the costs in civil suits being pro vidcd for by fees taxed against liti- gantA With the salaries oithe judges, together with the fees Of iurles and wiy- nesses in an United States cases, and the support oi United States prisoners awaiting trial or sndor conviction, paid by the general government, it is easy % estimate the proportion Of court ex. penses that would fall upon the coun- ties. We arc now paying through the national treasury the whole amount oi the expense oi Che courts as they now