The courier-index., 1919-01-10
WANT THE TREASURER
PLACED ON A SALARY
MEMBERS OF THE COMMERCIAL
CLUB FAVOR LAW TO FIX COM
PENSATION AT SIX HUNDRED
DOLLARS A YEAR.

During the course OF very inter
esting meeting of the Mariana Com
mercial Club held at the Elks Home
on Monday night Of this week q
motion prevailed by unanimous vote
to request the senator from this dis
trict and the two representatives.
from Lee county to pass bill plac-
ing the treasurer of Lee county on an
annual salary of 5000. The resolu-
tion followed statement by Senator
Ward to the effect that it was hfs
intention to introduce bill increas-
ing the salary of the county judge
of Lee county from $1,000 to $1,000
a year, which with the s400 allowed
him as judge of the court of common
pleas, will make his combined salary
$4,000 year. Senator Ward stated
it was rank injustice to expect
man capable of handling the compli-
Gated affairs of Lee county to serve
the people for $1,000 year when
ordinary laborers made more than
this amount. Hus suggestion met
with instant and hearty approval, fol-
lowing which Hon. J. T. Robertson,
former member of the senate from
this district, said he thought a
change should be made IL the salary
Of the county treasurer who, said
Senator Robertson, does no work at
all. yet draws about $4,000 a year
out of the county's funds. He said
he had no fight to make against the
present treasurer and suggested that
the bill, If enacted. ought not to
become effective until the expiration
of the term of the treasurer now in
office. In the course OF his remarks
Senator Robertson said the state
treasurer, who is on the job every
working day in the year. and who
has responsibilities fifty times as
heavy as those of the county treas
urer. serves the state for $4,000 a
county does not devote as much as
one full day to the work. yet draws
larger salary than the state treas
urer He thought the money paid
to the treasurer in excess of sal
airy of $500 year could be spent to
the material and lasting benefit of
the county
c. E. Daggett endorsed the po-
sition taken by Senator Robertson
as did r. ID. Smith and DIR. o. L.
Williamson Hugh Nixon. cashier or
the Bank of Mariana. and who
serves as deputy treasurer. said he
had no argument to present in oppo-
sition to those present I'd for re-
duction In salary. However, he won
dered where the deputy treasurer
would come in on a salary of only
$500 year. He contended the office
ought to be dignified with a decent
salary, even IL the contention was
true that the treasurer did little or
no work. and he suggested the figure
should be $500 instead of $500 He
said IL was a mistake that the treas
urer of Lee county drew $4,000
year. that the largest commission of
which he had any knowledge was
$2.400 year Upon vote, however,
the motion prevailed to request the
members of the general assembly to
pass bill fixing the salary at 5000,
to become effective at the expiration
OF the term of the present treasurer.
Seeks to Abolish Office of County
Superintendent
While the matter of enacting leg
islation affecting the office of coun-
ty superintendent of schools did not
come up before the meeting of the
Commercial Club. Senator Ward stat
ed yesterday to the editor of the
Courier-Index that 1t was his inten-
tion to introduce a bill in the senate
to abolish the office SO far as 1t
concerns Lee county. For several
years. stated Senator Ward, there
has been a growing sentiment in the
county for the abolition of the office
and for return to the old system Of
the county examiner. and recognizing
that conditions in Lee county do
not appear TO warran. the expcndi-
ture necessary to keen up county
superintendent at a salary of $1,000
a year, Senator Ward said he would
make an effort to abolish the office.