The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1919-05-03
.STATIST|CSFROM THE
CAP|TAL|NCAMPA|G
ARE INTERESTING.
Shows the Average Tenure of Office
For Circuit and Chancery
Clerks of 80 Counties.
CLERKS OF COURTS AND SHER-
IFS ON SALARY BASIS
Laws 1916-No Sheriff Can Re-
ceive More Than $500.

Ihe approach or a primary elec-
ton in Mississippi is always period
of uneasiness to the office-holder ele-
ment, affecting every community
of every county in the state involv-
ing as it does, the selection of new
officers throughout the common
wealth-State, county and beat
from governor to constable.
In view of this condition and the
primary election campaign now open
ig, politicians generally, and office
holders especially, will be interested
in some convincing statistics culled
from the official records in the office
of the Secretary of State by Hen
ry Yerger, assistant secretary show
ing the effect of the primary election
law on tenure of Office.
These statistics will be highly reas-
suring to the office holder who is a
candidate in the coming primaries,
and also to those who argue that a
public office is business institution
and not a political prize to reward
factional favorites.
The figures given are for 80
counties, the newly-created counties
of Humphreys and Stone being, OF
course omitted. The offices select
ed are the circuit clerk, chancery
clerk and assessor, the sheriff and
treasurer not being eligible under
the constitution to succeed them
selves or each other, because of the
close official kinship between these
TWO offices in the collection and dis
bursement of the county funds.
Since the primary election law was
enacted in 1902 there have been four
auadrennial elections held for all
State, county and beat officers. OF
the circuit clerks in these 80 coun-
ties AZ of the present incumbents, or
about 81 per cent. have been elected
for two or more terms and have ten
ares as follows: Five for 20 years
or over FIVE for 16 years or over, eight
for IL years or over. and 81 for eight
years or over.
OF the chancery clerks now in Office
48, or more than so per cent, have
been elected for two terms or more,
and have held Office as follows: Three
FOR 20 years or more, five for 16
years or more, 20 for II years OF
more, and 20 for eight years or more
An examination of the record also
5iscloses that a number of the sln-
yle term men, both chancery and cir
cult clerks are successors OF long
termers who died in office or yolunta
rily retired.
In the case of the assessors the re
enumeration is not very tempting eX
cept in a few counties, and as rule
The retiring assessor tries for some
thing better, but the record shows
hat when he wishes to hold on he il
| generally kept on the job. There are
rs assessors who have been elected
| for two or more terms, VIZ, three
for 20 wears two for 16 years, -four
for II years and II for eight years
No figures are given for the beat
officials, though it may be stated tina
the percentage Of long-term men l:
equally as great if not greater among
them.
Another point of interest in con
nection with certain county Offices tt
be filled this year is that the men Wnt
are elcted will assume that office on
salary basis altogether, instead of Io1
compensation by fees, as is the case
under the present law. Every sheriff
circuit clerk, chancery clerk, anc
assessor, under chapter 102 OF the
laws of 1916 will be on salary ba-
sis. which the statute places on a due,
uating scale, accoding to the Total
assessed valuation of all property IN
the respective counties. No sheriff
can receive more than $4,000 a year
as salary, no chancery clerk more
than $4,000, no circuit clerk more
than $4,000 and no assessor IN ex-
cess of 2 $50, these being the al
lowances for those counties with a
s1O,00O,000 and more valuation, OF
the counties of the first class.
In counties of the second class the
salary scale will be at $3,25O for sner-
iff S2,75O for chancery clerks, 81
$50 for circuit clerks and $4,000 Tor
assessors. 49,
And so on down to the fifth class,
whose sheriff will be allowed S2,2oo,
and the other three officers now on
a fee basis in proportion downWards.
OF course the law makes provision
for deputy sheriffs, deputy clerks and
deputy assessors, which IS necessary
in lieu of the wiping out OF the Zee
system. and it is felt reasonably GER
tain that public business will be look
ed after under the salary system just