5. To serve as a territorial basis for the apportionment of members of the legislature. This is, perhaps, merely an incidental gain. But its convenience in defining legislative districts is obvious.
6. To make justice cheap and accessible. It is well in many ways, as we have seen, to have in every town, village, and city, courts of limited jurisdiction. But to establish justice in any generous or satisfying sense there should be within the reach of every citizen a court competent to try any difference between individuals regardless of the amount in controversy, and able to punish any crime against the laws of the state. To bring such a court within the reach of every one was the original reason for the establishment of the county, and remains today the greatest advantage derived from its existence.
Establishment.—Counties are established by the state legislature.
In thinly settled parts of a state the counties are much larger than in the populous parts. A county should be large enough to make its administration economical, and yet small enough to bring its seat of justice within easy reach of every one within its boundaries. In the ideal county a person living in any part thereof can go to the county seat by team, have several hours for business, and return home the same day.
County Board.—The administration of county affairs is in the hands of the county commissioners or supervisors. This board is usually constructed on one of two plans: Either it consists of three or five members, the county being divided into commissioner districts; or else it is constituted of the chairmen or other member of each of the several town boards. The former plan prevails in Minnesota, Iowa, and other states; the latter in Wisconsin, Michigan, most of Illinois, and in other states.
The commissioners have charge of county roads and bridges, county buildings and other county property, and the care of the county poor. Through the commissioners the county exercises the usual corporate powers.
Recording Officer.—The recording officer of the county is called in some states the county auditor, in others the recorder, and in others the county clerk. As we would expect, he is secretary of the board of commissioners and the custodian of county papers; and all orders upon the treasurer are issued by him. The auditor is also bookkeeper for the county, that is, he keeps an account of the money received and paid out by the county treasurer.
In Minnesota and some other states, he computes all the taxes for the county, [Footnote: In some states, among them Wisconsin, this computation is performed by the several town clerks, and the moneys are collected by the town treasurers.] and makes the tax-lists, showing in books provided for the purpose just how much the tax is on each piece of real estate and on personal property. These books he turns over to the county treasurer to be used in collecting the taxes.
Treasurer.—The county treasurer is, in some states, one of the most important officers. He is the great financial agent, collecting all the taxes paid by the people for school, town, village, city, county and state purposes, except assessments for city sidewalks and street grading. Great care must, therefore, be taken to guard the public money. The precautions serve as a check upon weak or dishonest officials, while right-minded ones welcome them as keeping their good name above suspicion. As a type, the precautions taken in Minnesota are given, to-wit:
1. The selection of an honest man for the office, so far as possible, is a prime consideration.