The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-30
DISCUSSING HEADS ARE TOO NUMEROUS County Auditor Morris Sug- geSts Needed Changes SOME LAWS NEED REVISION
  Auditor Says Steps Should Be Taken to curtaiI the Ever Increasing Drain
 on the County Treas
 ury Funds.
 

out a statement yesterday more fully ex- plaining the statement made in his an nual report, which was published in the Age-Herald last Sunday. with reference to certain local laws which he maintained should either be amended or repealed in order to stop the drains on the county treasury.
 MT. Morris names number of cases where steps should be taken to improve conditions. He contends that there are too many disbursing heads in the coun- ty and thinks that some one officer should be established with disbursing authority and that this head should be made re- sponsible for its acts.
 In his annual report. which was issued last Saturday, the auditor used the ex- pression that there was crying need for a general revision and reconstruction of the countys local laws. An editorial in the Age-Herald yesterday morning asked Mir. Morris to be more specific and to point out where the existing laws were deficient. MT. Morris said:
 Great Need of Revision.
 Tn the recommenda tions attached to my annual report for the past fiscal year, in which attention was called to the ne- cessity for revision of certain laws of the county, it need not necessarily be con- strued by that paragraph that I saw breakers ahead, or that the affairs of the county are on the decline. from a financial viewpoint. There is need, and very great need at that. for revision of certain of the county's local laws, which are likely to cause breakers in the future
 "rhe most important need of all needs is thorough renovation and reconstruc- ton of the laws relating to and govern ing the fine and forfeiture fund of the county. In 1898, when the auditors office was created the records show this fund to be $95.O9O7s in arrears, whereas today we find it $126116.S in arrears an increase of $s1, 125.53 in about five years
 County Should Pay Cash.
 "A county like Jefferson with her re- sources and steadily increasing tax values, should be able to pay her witness and of fcers' fees in cash. and the laws should be so reconstructed and revised as to
 
 county to pay in cash these claims and thus put into the pockets of her citizens that which goes into the pockets of the scrip scalpers, in large sums, in the shape of enormous profits.
 "1n my opinion, there should be no laws in the statutes, general. local or other wise, which admit of a county as rich in resources as Jefferson is, borrowing any sum of money with which to meet current expenses. A business, whether it be mercantile or otherwise. which requires more or as much money to operate 1t as is received, seems to me to be an unsuc- eessful business.
 To Prevent Overdrafts.
 There should in my judgment be a further revision of the local laws of the county so as to effectually and forever prevent ovcrdrafts in any of the funds. general or special, in the treasury. If you haven't the money with which to meet the demands against any one fund, then don't create the demand This point ef fectually settled the necessity to borrow money will cease to exist, or wise versa.
 T think the law governing the solic- itor's office should be amended so as to place at least some restraining power upon the expenditure of the funds pro- yided for that purpose. As it stands now the board of revenue is required to pay any sum of money which is certified to 1t by the solicitor; not attempting to say by this that the present solicitor does not do his whole duty in the matter. but at times it is the case when the fund is overdrawn, therefore, again. the neces- sity presents itself for a law preventing funds from being overdrawn.
 Coroner Can Create Claims.
 The present law, as 1t now stands constructed by the courts. which governs the coroner's office. is one which. in my judgment, should be made whole Under the present construction of the law if lies within the power of the coroner to create enormous claims against the county if he were so disposed, and there being no revlsionary power, the treasurer is bound to pay them without a warrant or order voucher from the board of rev enue, the coroner being made the sole and only judge of his acts, whereas in all other counties of this state the com missioners' courts or boards of revenue have supervisory Jurisdiction of the mat ter of allowance of claims to the cor oner.
 'The law requiring the county to pay for two jail guards at the county jail, at an annual expense of SLIGO. should. in my opinion, he repealed. The general law un- doubtedly makes the sheriff the jailor and places upon him the duty of the safe keeping of all prisoners therein.
 Four Courts Created.
 During the last session of our legis- lature there were created four inferior courts; one each at Bessemer, Ensley, Woodlawn and Birmingham, each having a judge and a clerk except the Birming- ham court, which has two judges. clerk and an assistant clerk Each of these court officers salaries are contin- gent upon the receipts of the court ex- cept the Birmingham court, which is made an absolute charge against the county, irrespective of the fact of whether they receive and pay in any money to the treasury or not. The expenses of this court alone will amount to in the neigh borhood of $4s00 per annum No objection to the court. 1t is no doubt good thing. but no safeguard Is thrown around it as against the county's finances
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