The Harrison times., 1917-02-24
DO WE PAY OUR COUNTY
OFFICIALS ENOUGH

tatiye Porter 10 present bill Tor th'
readjustment of the salaries OF county
officials has come an extended discus
sion OF the situation throughout the
county in which the old.time preju-
dice. lack of information and cOnser
yatism has been prominently to the
front It has been said by some that
they opposed the raise because the
present incumbents have sought the
office knowing their remuneration. As
a matter of fact the change could nor
be made during their terms. Others
have urged the increase in cost 10 the
county. They probably have not con
sidered the fact that most of these
offices yield a net revenue to the cOun
ty of approximately double the salary
In the two clerks offices alone the
county received in fees last year con
siderably over $4,000 more than the
salaries paid.
The Headlight, a Republican paper
reviews the situation as follows
The county clerk draws a salary OF
$1,000 a year with no allowance for
hired help. In order to make his pay
reach one hundred dollars a month
he must attend to all of the various
duties incumbent upon the office, al
the records of the county court, the
marriage record, the tax books, etc
There is really enough work in the
county clerks office to employ two
men. The earnings of the office il
fees amount to from $4,000 to $500
per year.
The circuit clerk draws $1,000
year and this salary is augmented by
perhaps 5000 in fees from commits
sioner's sales This is two mems jot
every working day in the year, and the
work is not only arduous but particu
lar in the extreme. The keeping o
the records of land titles is one tina
affects the in,yresl.s. of every indiyid
ual land owner in the r2Gn.nty. Th'
work of the Recorder is only ONE item
Of the multiplicity of duties of the CIR
cult clerk. The fees of this office
amount to about $4,000 year.
The county judge is paid $1,000 a
year and is supposed to be on the job
all the time Not only does he per
form the duties of a judicial officer,
but he is also eX-OfficiO county road
commissioner and in Boone county
that branch of the office requires con-
siderable time and much thought. The
office of county road commissioner has
ample duties to employ one man praC-
tically all the time, since the county
owns a grading outfit that should be
in operation every working day pos
sible.
The tax collector draws 1000 plus
$50 for going to Little Rock to make
settlement with the auditor. He is
compelled to furnish an enormous
bond, assume the responsibility of car
ing for the tax money, employ help
and make a complete canvass Of the
county at his own expense.
The assessor is better provided for.
He gets $500 for about three months
work, a sum almost equal to the net
salaries of some of the officials who
give their entire time to their posi-
tons.
The county treasurer's pay comes in
the form of commissions on the money
he handles and his pay is not far from
$500 a year, which seems fair com
pensatiOn. A bill, we understand, is
to be introduced by Mr.. Porter to put
the county treasurer on salary of
$1,000. While the duties of this of.
flee are not so great, the responsibility
is considerable, and few responsible
men would eagerly seek it at the re,
duced pay
The sheriff's office is also paid in
fees which amount to from $500 to
$1,000 per year, with a contingent for
actual expenses. Deputies get just
what their fees bring. Mr.. Graham
gives the poor pay of the office as his
excuse for having recently resigned
the position.