Penny Wise--pound Foolish

On Thursdny of last week the board of supervisors, in a streak of vigid economy, did a thing that in the opinión of a great many people was not only an uujiist l)iit au inipolitic thing to do. They cut the salaries of every connty official that the law ivoukl allow tUoin to touch- except their own. Commeneing with the clerk a reduction from $1,200 to $1,000 per year was made, a former board liavIng already reduced the salary $300. The proseeutiag attorney from $1,200 to $1.000. The probate regteter from $1,300 to $600. The vommissioner of schools fro;n $1,500 to $1,200. The members of the board of county school examiners from S4 to $3 per day. The game -wardens from $2 to $50 cents a day, and hall days 25 cents. The sheriffs fees at eacli term of court from $40 to $30. The use of. gas at the court house and and jail was ordered dispensed wifcli. The just assessment to the county for constructing the sewer for the use of the court house and] jail was ordered not paid. The pay of the supervisors themselTes, however, at $3 per day, with every Saturday counted in, although there is never a sessioiï of the board on that day, was left untouched. Whieh of eourse is an inference that they are the only officials who earn their money. For the past two years the republican county officials have saved the tax-payers of "Washtenaw the sum of $30,000. and at the same time wiped out a debt they found on their hands of $14,400. This was only ,lone by rigid economy. To thls savtng Co. Clerk Dansingburg, Prosecuting Attorney Randall, Sheriff Judson, Treasurer Rehfuss, School Commissionpr Wedpmeyer, have each and every one contribnted a strong effort. For this saving probably Mr. Dansingburg and Mr. Eandall are entitled to the greater share of credit, for in their hands is the means of either increasing or reduoing expenses more than in all the others. But each official has endeavored to run hls office at thp Ipast expense possible, and the effort has been rewarded by a saving of one-half of the coúnty expenses in two yenrs. Nott ho'n' are these officials rewarded for their efforts ? Fy ha ving their own salaries reduced ! Is that a good way to encourage men in well doing ? Is thére a fiinsrle supervisor on that board who would cut down the wagee of a man in his employ who had saved him more than twice over what his wages carne to ? Ilarrtly. Not a man amo'ng them would do that. Thpn why not run the county's business as they would their own? Do thpy think for a minute that these officials wili care now whether they save anythjng more or not ? If the supervisors are so mighty económica! and saving, why do they not commonce at home ? Reduce their own salaries ? If there was ever a steal in the world iully onchalf of the money Irawn by tlie supervisors for their services for the regula-: yearly session te a steal. They draw pay for daye of service never performed. This article is written in the inter est of iustice. and not in the interest of politics. The Courier believes that the supervisors have done by a set of lio:;est, compet: nr, econOmi -il county officials, wlvat not a single man of them would ever do; in Jiis private business. They have violated one of the fiirst and greatest principies of busmess, viz : to reward a laborer aecording to the value of nis services. Then anothcr thhig. The reduction of the salary of the probate register to S600 per year. Thi county for many years, has paid Mr. Doty $1,300 per year, and consiüered that he has earned his salary. It is an important office- one of vital tance to the people of the county who have aceumulated anything ior their families and it requlres not oniy a man of superior judgment and ability, but one of accuracy and promptness. Such a man can not be obtained ior $600. A clerk can lic hired for that amount no doubt, but in this position something more than a mere clerk is necessary. This is the candid opinión of the Courier, and it has the satisfactlon of knowing that it does not stand alone in so thinking. The supervisors have been penny wise and pound foolish. This artlcle may be a little too sweepmg. 'Lhere are members of that board to whom these words do not apply. TlVe refer to those who opposed and voted agaimst these reductions. They believed that these officials should be rewarded instead of kicked for the excellent work they have done during the past two years. There Is not a democratie leader of prominence to-day who tan be found in the ranks of popocracy. Every one of them, without exceptlon, Is for McKinley or Palmer, and mostly for McKinley, What a record !