The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-04-25
Z Culpepper Discusses
On Taxes and Economy

I
Into the state Treasury after the man
ner of the good widow OF the Script
ures.
II is all wrong to suppose that the
| taxpayer "begrudges" the little he
pays. The expenditure is so satisfact-
| DRY that he becomes ecstatic when he
goes to assess" and goes to pay.
| Some Of IL goes to supplement legal
talent; some to support INDECENT rich
men who go from county to county to
restrain poor men in their zeal to as
sess their belongings above value;
some to supplement the "incidentals"
OF the "bare-foot boy that his young
idea may be taught ito shoot and. In
eidentally. to gradually reduce the
| electorate.
I Cutting on omces.
The Offices have been 50 reduced that
| the public service suffers.
oh. this rigid economy Is hurtful In
| q moral way and the Tax Assessor .
office Is the place to find IT.
| 1t Is quite natural that men win over
estimate their property when surround
| ed by so many restraints OF economy.
1t may be that false swearing 10 ex-
| cessive value is wrong in principle. but
| when the pure motive is. to swell the
treasures. 1t Is excusable. II not 1usti-
| fable.
Economy i'm government 10 COM
menda.ble II not carried too far.
Enough 10 enough. and too much
is>nauseous."
Instead OF cutting down ofiices and
reducing salaries (the characteristic Of
the present administration) we need
more officers for efficient public serv-
Ice and higher salaries, sufficient to at
tract capable men from private af-
fairs.
OF course. It IL the very highest or
| der of Economy to have ineficiency at
a small salary and, In pinch, pay
$4,000 for real talent.
While no money Is lost In such prac-
tice. 1t might be prudent to install the
talent In the first place.
Good salaries are conducive, too, to
proper handling Of money by public Of
ficers. Where an officer not only has
to keep UP appearances" socially. but
has to Hive from hand to mouth" on a
meagre salary. it's q great strain on
his conscience. That necessitates an
extra watch upon his bookkeeping.
A salary suficient to make buckle
and tongue meet" will secure = care
full handling OF money. So. II sal
aries were increased, all along the line.
we could dispense with the system Of
Examination Of Public Accounts
Public Honesty.
[ I suppose the State and counties pay,
| first and last, good round sum to AS
certain the poverty begetting honesty
Of public servants. This Is all very
well. but 1t Is certainly wrong to deny
| the honest fellows the benefit of the
ascertainment.
It is poor encouragement OF hon.
esty to hide the fact Of 1t In the ar
chives of the State.
publicity of honesty should be the
rule. When dishonesty has been dis
covered by the examiner. no publtca-
| ton should be made.
In this way. the public will always
| understand the situation and govern
itself accordingly"
know a merchant who preferred
| to have clerk who would knock
down" a little every day; he said 1t
showed enterprise and energy; that
the fellow would seek customers. and
while he was doing a little business
ION the side" for himself. he was In
creasing the business OF the house.
This doesn't exactly accord with the
observation OF the Sunday school lee
tureer who counseled honesty as n
means OF securing employment. He
said the rule. now, is, among busi-
ness men. to inquire of the applicant