Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-06-11
THE. COUNTY CLERK
AND HIS DUTIES
BY Norman Whelchel
Democratic Candidate for That
Office

Since the people of the county
have the right t." know some
thing of the views of a candidate
with reference to the otflce he
seeks, especially when as i'm
portant an office as that OF Clerk
of the County Court, or County
Clerk. as it is commonly termed,
| am submitting this article,
touching briefly on a few Of the
duties of this Office. In so doing,
will contine myself to facts based
largely upon my experience IN
the work of the Office as deputy
under Mr.. Russell. And / am
submitting the same to the pub
lie at this early date, that those
interested may have ample time
to investigate and ascertain for
them selves, the truth OF my
views and statements; and m
yite careful investigation and in.
spection of the records relative
to the same.
The duties of this office are
practically all set out by the
laws of the state, and it is neceS-
sary to study these laws and be
come familiar with them, in ord
er to fill the office to the best ad
vantage
All tax books, including the
personal and real estate, mer
chants, railroad, telegraph and
telephone, road poll, and all back
tax books, are made in this Office,
the assessments on the current
books beirg taken from the as
SCISSORS books. In computing
and extending the state, county,
school and road taxes against
each individuals assessments on
these books, for the use OF the
collector, the law requires "accu-
racy" aud that the clerk be Ger
tain that the tax has been cor
rectly extended and ADDED. as
any error may mean dollars or
cents in the payment of taxes.
The law requires that the
state, county and all other. taxes
shall be computed and extended
by the county clerk in separate
columns. The road dlstrlc'
taxes should be extended sepa
rately, in order that each road
district be credited, when turned
into the county treasury, Will
the correct amount of taxes PAID
by it's taxpayers, and so eacl
road district may use its funds
without having to wait until they
are apportioned to them by tht
county court.
As the duties of the clerk are
more closely connected with the
road tax levies than those OF any
other county officer, he shoult
give his assistance toward thu
legal and proper arrangement
and extension of these levies, 81
that the tax burden will b'
equally borne by all taxpayers
As the result of excessive ant
improperly arranged levies, TIT
railroad company alone. during
the last six years. has refused
payment of 81 ,253.7e, road taxes
(See railroad tax book and dupll
cate receipts in the collector
office.)
When necessary, the count
clerk should assist the clerks G
the school districts of the count
in furnishing proper estimate
for school tax levies. Fac
years estimates are filed an
kept in this Office, and the cler
assesses the school taxes fror
them. These estimates are care
fully inspected by the raIlroa
tax attorney, and where improI
erly filed out, or where III
building rate or the increase
levy for school purposes, do M
show to have been voted by til
required vote, the company n
fuses payment of such increaS
of taxes, while we home taxpa.
ers pay them in full. Attentio
to this matter means saving
the schools of the county