The Cairo bulletin., 1904-02-11
For the Association OF County Of
ficiaIs Assembled in Cairo.
SOME GOOD ADDRESSES MADE
Resulting in Dissemination OF knowledge
Delegates Enjoy Excursions
and Entertainment.

visors and commissioners Of the var
Gus counties Of Illinois, The count
clerk, like the poor. is always wit
us. A few hours after we first So
the light he places on record the last
ing evidence Of this most imporsan
.event In our career II we 1--we an'
do well, he soon gets our names o.
his tax books and ever after he con
TIMES annually to extend against oul
property our pro rata share OF tbs
public burden. When we later fall :
victim TO Cupid5 wiles. he encourages
our bashfnl timldity with a confiden
tial smile, slips the coveted marriag
license into our trembling fingers
pockets the two dollars license fee an.
blIthely and cheerfully calls out,
Next,
With all the precision of Sher
lock Holmes he applies to us the Der
tilfon system of measurement fol
Identification. takes down the exact
color and quantity OF our hair, with
The number OF front teeth we have
lost. in order that he may legally re-.
ieve us OF one dollar and license us
10 hunt game anywhere in the county.
To practice medicine. operate fer
". or keep dramshop, his official
zeal and signature are necessary He
records all the proceedings of both
The probate and county courts, makes
,ut the tax books. draws the juries-
prepares for all elections, keeps health
md agricultural statistics. does a
thousand and one other official dnties
besides keeping open for ten hours
syefs dag. free bureau Of informa
ion upon every known subject from
he date Of the Hood TO the opening Of
he New Jerusalem at the Worlds
air In death even he does not de
.efi rs for he makes an entry Of our
lenilsc Oh The records IN his office
md In short time he commences 20
10 business with our heirs. executors.
administrators and personal represent
itiyes. No official Is SO popular. so
accommodating. so altogether useful
Ind indispensable, as the county clerk.
For the exercise OF all these multiplied
inties and the possession OF all the
cardinal virtues, the statute limits
ais compensation 10 $500 per year
n COMMITTEES Of the tlrst-class, and $25
90 in counties OF the second class, the
pay. as I believe. heing in most cases
less than that generally paid for the
same kind Of services In private bust.
ness lines,
The county supervisors and commits
sioners. who are charged by law with
the duty OF administering the entire
county government are generally
placed in nomination by their respec-
tive party organizations and are ex.
pected TO contribute freely Of their
means and efforts to secure the sue
cess of the party ticket as well as
their. own election.
In almost every case this requires
the expenditure OF time, money and
labor No salary is attached to the
office apd!a very small per diem for
ne thra actually employed attending
the sessions OF the board, is all the
compensation received. tlnquestion-
IDLY. thc pay is inadequate TO the ser
vice rendered and the grave obliga-
tinos assumed by these officials; and
yet, in every county in the state. are
to be found men Of the highest eharac.
ter and of the best business ability
who are willing to accept these Offices
and who freely and unseIfishly sacrl.
fee time and means to the public ser
vice. with no hope or prospect of re.
ward other than the approval and good
will of their fellow citizens. and the
consciousness that they are contribu-
ting 70 the greatness Of one of the
greatest states in the greatest and
grandest nation OF the whole world.
II Is my purpose. In the brief time
allotted me this afternoon. TO say
something Of the origin and history
OF our present system Of county or
ganization In Illinois and the reason
for the perpeiuation Of two separate
kinds Of county government the one
under township organization. and the
other by hoard Of county commits
sioncrs. further hope to be able
to point ont some Of The characters
ties that in my Judgment. go TO make
up good county government. among
which ] shah consider. freedom from
partisan political domination, pF3gres.
siyeneas. honesty. economy and hu.
mainly.