Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1903-02-05
HAS IT BECOME A CRIME TO BE A RE-
PUBLICAN.
Editors News:

PubLlGAN.
Editors News:
Section of the Constitution of the
State OF Tennessee specifically provides
that any county having two-thirds Of
the ratio shall have representative
(proper) in the legislature.
The ratio for Representatives for the
last reapportoument was 20,43l, two
thirds of the number being 1891. Ma
rion County has 1900, Franklin has
20,502 each having more than two
thirds of ratio, and each having less
than the full ratio,
Now then, | wonder why Franklin
has two representatives and Marion has
none?
For many years Marion County has
had County Attorney, who has receiv-
ed a salary of $4,000 and upwards per
annum, Recently the peoples direct
representatives. in the County Court
elected a republican attorney, and fixed
the salary at 900 per annum, $4,000
less per annum than had heretofore
been paid.
twas all right to pay $500 or more
when a republican was not filling that
Office, but when republican comes in
then it all at once becomes public
necessity to no longer permit the people
direct representation SO ae to have any
voice in the selection of this office, and
so arrange this matter that it will in
all probability cost the County from
$500 to 100000 to obtain the services,
which were costing them S2OOOO
Can you see where the public welfare
comes in?
am of the opinion that the County
Judge of Marion County should receive
for his services as much as 81, 900 90 per
annum, but while Marion County had a
republican county judge the Legislature
passed an Act which prohibited the
County Court of this county from allow
ing the County Judge more than 500 90
per annum for acting as financial agent
of this County.
Now then the present Legislature
will pass an Act fixing the amount for
the same services at $500.O0, which ad-
ded to the $4,000 allowed for services
as County Judge makes 81 100000,
| no ynu lyp O,ry Il, ~ tbtc y,,os Jo,oo
The people of Marion County pay
their taxes and bear their part in main
tanning the State government. Why
then should they be denied and
refused proper representation as that
of other like counties in the State?
When the people of Marion County
have an officer serving them for reason
able compensation why is it a public
necessity to change the law SO that twice
this amount of their money will be
expended for the same service? Why
is it worth $4,000 per annum more to
serve as County Judge now than it was
few years ago when Marion had re-
publican Judge? In other words is it
right and proper to deal with the pub
lie funds in this way for political pur-
poses?
What right have those who have been
honored by the people to abuse theiI
positions, which the people have sacred
ly entrusted to them, in their endeavol
to suppress the principles of any politi.
cal organization? And worse than all
those who advocate such partiaan meas
ures endeavor all the time to save them
selves from public condemnation by
hiding behind the shield of public
necessity l think that clause nigh
properly be omitted many times.
AS long as a republican pays his tax.
es and obeys the laws of his country
is he not citizen and is he not entitled
to the rights and privileges guaranteed
him by the Constitution of the United
States? Is it right for the Legislature
of the State of Tennessee to arbitraril,
fix the salary of a county officer of Ma
rion County at 100000 when the in
cumbent is of one political party, an,
to say said officer shall receive onl.
d 5000. 90 when it is filled by man from
, the other political party?
Is it right? is it constitutional? to at
! tempt to abolish an office during a tern
t of Office, so as to arrange that said oflc
t may be filled under different statut
= by man of different political afilia
v tions?
g Respectfully,
u JOHN T. RAULSTON