The state herald., 1912-10-18
False Economy


The democrats made public their par
y platform last week; Some features of
1t read very much like the scheme of a
certain few of the democratic bosses
Who are desperately anxious TO secure
control of the county government simp
y that they may have the county patron
age. This liberal bunch of patriots are
always, strange to say, very willing
that the other fellows shall make all of
the sicrifice necessary to secure them
'eats at the public pie counter. They
show their handiwork in this platform
oy putting up campaign scheme that
apparently makes two of the candidates
In case of election, bear all the sacrifice
to be made while the real schemers will
enjoy a full plate /. the pie counter.
The platform pledges the candidates
for commissioner not to allow deputy
hire for any county Office and the candi
dates for county clerk and treasurer to
do the work Of the office without depu
ty or pay their own deputy.
This is not the first time this que stion
has been raised in this county but we
are surprised that any party should at
tempt to throw out to the voters such
= bait as this time The cond
tons of the people and the county are
altogether different from the days when
this question was raised before This
question would not have been raised at
that tirv mad <t;,e financial condition of
people and county been anything near as
prosperous as it now is. 1t was simply
and purely hard times proposition.
We favor any reasonable public econ.
,my but this is a false economy for any
county in the financial condition Of this
county.
Our state legislature fixed the salr ny
for these officers and, in doing 30,
meant the salary as compensation for
)ne mans work for reasonable mum.
Der of hours each day. II the legisla
ture had intended that the officer should
pay the deputy out Of his salary, the
law would have made such provision
II il had intended tnat the officer should
work from i2 To Is hours a day in or
der TO save the county the pay Of a
deputy, then il would have so provided
On the cantrary, the law provides
for deputy for these Offices whenever
there is work for one and, to avoid the
appointment Of a deputy when there
was no work for him to do, Il was pro
yided that his salary must be paid out
of the fees earned by the work Of the
office. Consequently. when the Office
is not earning enough IN fees TO moro
than pay the salary OF TN officer. no
deputy can be hired unless the officer
pays him out Of his own pocket for tho
county commissioners are not permitted
10 pay deputies for these offices out Of
the general county funds.
This no deputy platform Is an at
tempt to pledge their candidates agair at
the plain statutory duties Of commits
sionor. The law provides for the ap-
plintmcnt of deputies for those Offices
when they are needed and this duty
they cannot escape by making cam,
pagn pledges.
There is no law to enforce campaign
platforms and this county has had som
very unpleasant and expensive expor
icnee growing out Of thisno deputy blan
and resulting In much controversy and
expensive litigation In court and the
taxpayers certainly DO not care TO On.
courage u policy that might cause II
repetition Of this trouble and expense.
unlos, there Ia some scheme
back Of this proposition by which dep
uty hire Is To be provided by other par.
ties who expect 10 profit by getting
control Of the eounry government, Il Is
very difficult 20 understand how eani.
dates have been found Tor these offices
On such a platform. Anyone who has
any knowledge of these offices. knows
that no one man can 10 the work In
either Of these Office and certainly no
man qualified Tor u.ed1tica of the Office
would think Of leaving hla business and
giving hiapersraal attention To the office
and pay a deputy out Of his salary and
nm nothing but the personal attention