Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-10-27
anlarIes nnd Feea.

We notice that an effort is making In our
Legislature 10 reduce the salaries OF many
of our State officers, and certain OF our
newspapers are clamorous for such reduc-
ton. II should be remembered that after
the commencement OF the war OF the rebel
lion the labors of the Treasurer were great
ly increased, and consequently his salary
was increased. So, too, the salary of the
Slate Auditor has been increased, and IL ~
insisted by these officials that the present
salaries no moro than compensate them for
their increased labor in the discharge OF
their duties.
II has occurred TO us that the efforts of the
General Assembly should not be exclusive
ly confined 10 the reduction of the salaries
of only two OF our State officials, but that
there are many items of fees which are now
allowed and paid by the State government
which are unjust and should be remedied.
For the last fifteen years, at every session
of the General Assembly, fees have been
altogether too high aud in many cases
might be dispensed with.
Tho truth is, there should be a complete
revision of the fee bill and salary bill now
in force. 1t Is worse than idle TO remedy
the evil resulting from the alleged extrav-
agant salaries of two state officials and
leave untouched and uncorrected multi
tude of items in our fee bills which might
be and should be reduced and thereby
lessen the expense of the administration of
criminal justice in this State. The law al
lows every attorney who appears in pros
ecution for crime 50, when the offence is
such that the magistrate cannot take jurs-
diction, and in nine cases out of ten the
magistrate orders the offender to furnish
bail for his appearance at the county court
without any hearing; and further, the re.
spondent, when called upon TO plead, sug-
gests that he is too poor to employ counsel,
whereupon the court assigns counsel, the
counsel waive an examination, and bail is
furnished for the appearance Of the re-
spondent at the next term of the county
court. The justice cerlifies that the counsel
for prosecution is entitled TO s., and the
counsel for respondent is entitled TO fee
of So, and the Same is paid out of the state
treasury. These two items illustrate the
manner by which, within few years past,
the expense of the administration of Grim
inal justice has increased TO the amount
reported by the auditor of accounts. The
fee bill is full of items that should be recti-
fed and reduced. II has seemed 10 us that
the legislature sho uld authorize the Gov
ernor to appoint a commission consisting
of three intelligent, practical men who are
familiar with the duties of our several state
officers and the compensations provided
for all those interested in the administra-
ton Of Justice, both civil and criminal, and
after a careful examination of all the differ
ent fees and charges of court, parties and
witnesses, and the salaries of every official,
from Governor 10 states attorney, and re-
port bill or bills for the consideration and
adoption of future legislature. In prose-
cutions for vagraney the charges are as
great as in a prosecution for capital Of
tense. The charges in case of committing
offenders 10 the reform school are excessive
But we forbear any further Illustration oil
t he absurdiies and inequalities of our sew
eral bills for fees and charges as provided
by the statute. We beg OF our General AS
sembly not to content themselves in re-
ducing the salaries OF two State officials
but 10 adopt some measure by which al
sa laries and fees may be compared, and i
any are so low as TO afford compensation
ina dequate 10 the labor performed, raise
them, and If any are too high reduce them
If any reform is required, let it be thorough
and radical