Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-11-23
APPLES, APPLES; BUT
DROP TODRLlVK

This paper, last week, told no lies
when it said our county board was
determined to reduce expenses
True, the board passed the road and
bridge budget Of Sly 1924, state tax
/ of $188,017.96 and general county tax
( of SIS, 1887, without demur as being
mere expense money but when a re
view of officers salaries came up the
board appointed a committee, Knapp,
DOlan and Guentzel, and they fell to
the task with a stern determination
to do the matter justice.
True again, the total officers sal
aries compared to all expense is about
! three per cent, end pairing the remu-
neratiOn would amount to a saving
of less than one-half of one per cent.
| This. however, is strictly legal, ac-
| cording to Mr.. Volstead, and right in
step with the dry" times.
The committee fell on the county
treasurer who was raised to 81 800
a couple Of years ago, and put the pay
back to $1,000 They then swooped
in on the clerk of the court. This
official has been receiving the prince
ly remuneration of $3.50 a year. In
addition to the enormous salary he
gets what fees he can wheedle from
the lawyers on days when they are
feeling good, making the job worth
$50 to 800 a month. The committee
pared $50 off the yearly stipend,
leaving the Office more disconsolate
than ever. The county clerk was cut
from $4,000 to $1,000 and the register
of deeds from $4,000 to $1,000. The
county judge must have adopted the
motto of the French at Verdun, "They
Shall Not Pass" as the committee left
this office alone except for trimming
the register in probate from $1,000 to
$1,000, later restEring the trim in
board session.
The county superintendent was cut
from $500 to $4,000 but his assistant
had been raised a trife by previous
action of the educational committee
and this stood. The county agent office
at $1,000, salary and expenses, was
let alone and the county nurse was
cut from $500 to $500 by pre-
vious action of the health committee,
Her increase stood. The committee
then descended into the boiler room
and Topped hundred dollars year
away from the janitor, making his
stipend 5000 per annum. On the third
floor the economy axe swung and the
highway office dropped from $4,000 to
chief, clerk and expense to $500.
In open session a tumult arose when
the report was read. Everything was
all right except that it was all wrong.
Various friends of various Offices rose
up and proclaimed why, although
they believed in economy, the partic-
ular job should be left untouched. In
the din of the battle the county Judge
raised up a standard of $1,000 for his
assistant and the economy forces re-
coded here but held the line at all
other points. The judge having won
his point, socked on his hat and over
coat, seized an apple and went home,
showing that he had good Judgment
to leave when the battle was won and
is not a judge for nothing.
George Brown of Millville, elected
vice-chairman and asylum committee
member, made peace by passing the
apples at frequent intervals. When
member would wax speechless with
/ indignation, George would shove an
apple at him and leave him munching.
/ George was elected to look after vice
matters in the county Git took us all
week to think up this gag and it don't
look very good in print after alb ard
he felt so good that he gave apples
to everybody. County Agent Graft
was so tickled over being wrapped
up in the blanket report of the agri-
cultural committee and being reap
pointed. besides having new daugh-
ter, that he sent up box of apples
and somebody else, they said it was
old Ellie Dobson, showed he wasn't
so sloe. shot along another box. The
result was apples, apples everywhere
but not drop to drink.
The decreases take effect Jan. l,
1928. so far as the elective officers are
concerned. The county officers now
elected cannot have their salary
changed until their term expires.