Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-01-07
Commissioner Ferguson Says
Do Away With One Of
County Officials
SAYS WORK COULD Be
HANDLED BY OTHERS
Only Nine Counties Have
Recorder at the Present
Time

In the opinion Of Insurance Commis-
sionar Ferguson, the office of county
recorder, which is maintained in only
nine Of the "a counties of the state.
appears to be unnecessary and bur.
dcu to the taxpayers "a sort of yeri.
form appendix to the office of county
clerk, and should be abolished.
Commissioner Ferguson S deductions
are based upon the report Of the ac.
countancy department Of his office,
both founded upon the monthly reports
sent IN to the department by the culnty
clerks Of the several counties and the
result Of the exporting Of the books
nud records Of the several departments
Of county government, in which it is
claimed that all of tne work that is now
performed by the recorders office
could be very well and conveniently per.
formed under the jurisdiction of the
county clerk Is office and at least the
amount Of the annual salary of the
present county recorder, $500 PEI
could thus be saved to the taxpayers.
Mr.. Ferguson also points out tha
practice of county clerks, generally. Of
charging many items Of expense to tie
"cnrrent expense" account, which. he
states, is very ambiguous and cover.
an unlimited latitude, and this prac
tee, he recommends, should be aban,
doned and all items of expense should
be properly located to certain specific
functions Of the county government. 4,
speaking Of the matter, COMMISSIONS,
Ferguson says:
Recording of instruments is doaC
by county clerk in all counties excepi
Benton, Clackamas, Jackson, Linn. Mar
ron, Umatilla, Union, Washington and
hamhill. In these counties there is q
separate office known as colntv re-
eorder, which appears to be unneceg
sary and burden to the taxpayers of
these counties. In comparing the cost
OF county clerl, S office for nine month,
it should be done by adding the cost
~ clerk S and recorder s offices which
shows as follows;
Benton, $2,6l450; Clackamas. 49,
2@aSj; jackson, $75i3.6g; Linn, $G
656O6; Marion, $S,G09.62; Umatilla, 49,
92B5i; Union, $570474; Washington
S653S.15 Yamhill $3.7lS47, Atten
tion should also be called to the CON
tlnucd practice of the county clerk,
enarging to "current expense, item,
that should be properly located to Ger
tain specific functions Of the count,
government.
According to the statement issued b,
Commissioner Ferguson this morninl
the total expense of conducting the af
iairs of the office of the coanty clerl
Tor Marion county for the nine months
period prior to September 30, 1914. wa,
%0SJ.42, and that OF the office of conn
~ recorder $3,O292O, making an aggre
gate of $S,6O962 for the two depart
ments, which expense, il they could b,
consolidated, he thinks, could be yer,
materially reduced The cost of con
ductng these departments, separately
however Mr. Ferguson thinks, compare,
very favorably with the cost in othe
counties Of the state, and no criticism
II made Of the manner Of their con
duct with the exception Of the practic,
OF charging mp the different items Of
expense in the clerk 8 department, re
ferred to above.
the total cost Of conducting the of
fiees of county clerk in the seyera
counties Of the state for the min,
months period ending September 30
WA which was prior to the incurrni
OF the heavy expense incident TO thI
holding of the general election in No
vember, was Sl6O,3lL6l, aud for th,
nine counties which maintain recorders
departments, S2l ,9O5,3j, making gran,
total of SlS2,2229G. This total cost
figured upon the basis Of population
OF about 100000 for the state, repre-
sents per capita cost Of q little NOR
than 20 cents FOR every man, womap
and child in the state.