The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-24
SLAMS 0AKMAN FOR
DRAWING SALARY
IN ADVANCE
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE BULLETIN
SAYS AUDITOR is GUILTY OF
PRACTICE HE CONDEMNED
LODGE BOOSTED.


given County Auditor Milton Oakman
in the bulletin OF Information which
is being sent out by the Municipal
| league through the city. John c.
Lodge, Republican. and VIM. j. Nagel.
Democrat, are given very favorable
mention.
Oakman is criticized principally for
the passage OF bill by which the
salaries on the county auditors were
raised from $500 TO $1,000 per year.
| The bulletin SAYS:
What shall We think of a policy
that cuts down the salaries OF SCRUB
women NJ the bottom OF the ladder,
but raises salaries OF those on top
Oakman's promise TO reduce the cost
OF lanltor service by one-half and all
other help in the county building by
one-quarter is recalled and the bulletin
adds that the ianitor service has been
cut about Is per cent, the engineers
payroll about 8 per cent and that the
wages OF laborers have increased 4
per cent.
Oakman Is credited with a saving
OF 1859 in transportation Of poor to
Eloise and also for saving in ad-
vertising Of $4,000. The total county
pay roll is shown To have increased
from 1857 .270 TO 369,700 since Audi
tor Oakman took office.
Oakman is criticized because, al
though he pledged himself TO oppose
the practice OF county employees draw
/ ing salaries in advance. the records
show he has himself drawn his own
! salary two weeks In advance. The
shortage OF Anthony Schultz In the
county treaS,Uer's Office is referred TO-
Carelessuess is alleged against the
auditors in the matter OF handling
postage accounts without requiring re
ceipts and also in purchasing bonds
Office hours are declared To be still
too short The real auditing OF county
books is alleged TO be done by a hired
accountant.
In regard TO ohm c. Lodge, the bull
letin states that he is a native OF the
city and has had six years OF news
paper experience as we'll as being
chief clerk in the auditors office for
nine years. His pledges TO be audi
tor in fact as in name and to work
| for civil service are recorded.
W. j. Maggie is recommended as a
good public servant and is commend
ed for not neglecting his other duties
to campaign for the office.
Representative John G. Lodge
althUugh partially recovered from his
illness. is not spending the last week
before the primaries in campaigning
for the nomination for county audi
tor. He leaves Tuesday afternoon for
Lansing, where. on Wednesday morn
ing. the states prison committee. 81
which he is chairman, will have SIS
first hearing on the Clarken bill. This
bill is intended to remedy present
Ievils and abuses in prison contract
labor matters
Il am satisfied with the results oi
this quiet kind Of campaigning states
l.Cuge, referring 10 the fact that he
has not made speaking canvass OF
the county. but has merely submitted
his claims for consideration and left
IL 10 the Republican voters 10 make a
choice.
II have refralned from criticizine
my opponent or using the usual cam
Iaign methods. Ii is the policy Of a
good merchant To use his advertising
to call attention only TO his own wares
( However. | have number OF very
good friends in the county and their
unselfsh and energetic help has given
me the greatest satisfaction
One OF the bills which Rep. Lodge
purposes to introduce in the legisla
turt would put the salaries OF election
ins pectors on a different basis from
the present
Now. we pay counting board clerks
/, 80 cents per hour and election in
spectors only 81 per day. although the
latter work is most important and the
hours are long II would be only fair
TO have the election inspectors paid
/ 80 cents per hour also. The 81 pay is
correct for the registration days only
and should be made the minimum. but,
when the registrars and inspectors
v ork more than eight hours per day,
| they should be paid accordingly