New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-01
FEES og yEV.JERsEY OFFICIALS.

FEES GF NEU-JERSEY OFFICIALS.
II is probable that certain books of public
record in the State of Ncw-Jersey will ex-
pcrlence to-day II new sensation. At all
events if law is complied with they VIII find
spread uuon their pages some absolute novel
ties in the way of statistics. 1t was
enacted by the last Legislature that
Sherifs and Surrogates should on the
1st of July make statement under
oath TO the Collector Of the County OF
all fees received during the quarter preceding,
that the County Clerk should file the same,
and that this duty should be performed quar-
terly thereafter. Justices Of the Supreme
Court and the Chancellor will also be allowed
TO make public record Of the sums which they
receive i'm the way of fees, and the Con-
trollcr's Office in Trenton will give some use
full Information 20 inquisitlve citizens who
have been for years vcmturing wild guesSes as
to the amounts absorbed by the Secretary of
State. the Clerk of the Supreme Court and the
Clcrl, of the Court of Chanccry. The three
officials last named have always been regarded
As exceptionally prosperous civil servants
The impression seems to have prevailed through
ont the State that they think nothing OF subScrlb-
inc So, 600 apiece to a Democratic campaign
fund. and then doubling up on their little
contribution whenever the party finds itself
in a tight place. These thousands of dollars
so clibly talked about assume huge proper
tions when contemplated by the sturdy yeo-
man, and compared with the amounts ne
finds himself able to win from the soil in the
less exciting pursuit of agriculture and some
times the sturdy yeOman works himself up
INTO passion over the iniquites Of fortune
and is betrayed into speaking disreSpect-
fully of the Secretary and the Clerks.
But, on the contrary, the gentlemen have
always claimed that the popular estimate OF
their emolumcuts was grossly Overcstmatcd,
and no doubt they will eagerly avail them
selves of their new privilege to make formal
display of their receipts in order to prove how
cheapy they have served the State.
The law. so far as it concerns the Secretary
of State, is something Of Il curiosity. The
drawer Of the bill evidently set out to make
catalogue Of all the Offices so ably filled
by the Hon. Henry c. Kelsey, bat he became
discouraged before the enumeration was half
completed and Jumped the remainder IN a
single clause. IL is enacted that the Secretary
Of State shall keep a true record Of all
of the Court OF Errors and Appeals, Clerk Of
the PIerogatiyc Court, Register in the Pre-
negative Office. Clerk of the Court of PaTdOns,
Commissioner of Banks and Insurance, and
in any other official capacity, and report
the same to the Controller of the state. But
although Mr. Kelsey Is burdcncd with so
many Offices, he has discovered the secret OF
keeping his mulufuiOus accounts III excel
lent shape. His simple plan is to allow no
other man 10 tlngle up his figures under the
prctence of auditing or passing them He
attends to all this business himself. Ont OF
the money which he collects for the State
in one official capacity he pays himself
for service rendered in another official capac-
ily, audits his own bills, and takes vouchers
from, and gives them TO- himself In this
way he makes his various offices checks and
balances upon each other, ami strict accuracy Is
secured. Besides this he allows no innovations
TO come into his arrangements and interfere
with his familiar system of bookkeeping.
Sometimes a Legislature will pass an act to
reduce his fees, but ne promptly pronomces
it unconstitutional, ana goes on paying him
self at the old rate and keeping his records
neatly balanced in the old way.
Il will be no hardship then. for Mr.. Kelsey
TO show his balance sheet, and OF course il will
be easy enough for the rest Of them who
hold but ore office apiece. Altogether the law
Is a good one. Not only because it will CRAFTY
an enlightened curiosity, although certainly it
is the peoples right to know how much their
servants are receiving, but because it will
furnish facts which are needed as the basis of
any wise legislation in the matter OF
fees and salaries 1t may be found that
some officials oyerpaid. and it is
possible, too, that some are underpaid. There
is a feeling in New-Jersey that the last Leg
islature bore down rather heavily upon the
Judges. Cheap justice is usually Of a poor
quality, and if the new act leads to the estab-
llshment of increased salaries for the Justices
of the Supreme Court and an abolition OF the
offensive features of the fee system, it will
work a genuine and much-needed reform.