The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-27
"a Lizzie Too Much Of a Good Thing.

16. Editor. We think the people Of
shis State will most heartily endorse the
general course oflagislation on the part
of the late Legislature. Being fresh
from the great body of the people, and
having been elected after q sharp can
vass of,the main issues involved, our
Legislators set about the work before
them in good earnest, and right we'll
have they; performed their duties. The
battle-a1e ofretrenchment has been laid
at the root of the tree Of general extrava-
gance, and while q great deal has been
done, and well done, much yet remains
to be done. We trust that the work of
! rssrenchmsnt viii be pressed forward
Until it has pervaded all departments of
Legislation, aud especially until fees and
salaries have been cut Sdownto the lowest
possible amount consistent with the
proper performance of public duty.
And In connection with this view of the
subject, we, were especially glad that the
reduction Of salaries and fees in our
whole Judiciary system is beginning to
arrest public attention. Tho exorbitant
fees and high salaries peryading this
whole department. Of the body polite. is
every year sapping the resources of the
people of the State to a far greater de-
gree than would the payment of the
whole public debt Of the State, be it ever
81 large. But we would suggest to our
Legislature that they have surely COM
menced st the wrong end for reform in
this department when they commenced
on the Trial Justices. Their salaries
aud fees have always heretofore been SO
insignificant in comparison with the i'm
partance Of the duties performed, that
we;are surprised that any further reduc-
ton should have been attempted in this
direction. A salary of fifteen dollars for
Trial Justice whose jurisdiction covers
township Of two or three hundred
thousand dollars of taxable property and
population of ten thousand citizens, is
to our mind entirely insufficient. 1t is
too often the case that retrenchments are
undertaken at the wrong end, as in this
case. Judges salaries remain the same,
Court costs unreduced, attorneys fees
still blot the statute book with, the most
eSorbitant charges, and 10 and behold,
Trial Justices salaries are reduced from
twenty-five to fifteen dollars. This is
what we would call "straining st gnat
and swallowing a camel"
Seriously, it is great mistake on the
part Of Legislators or the people to at,
tempt to belittle or degrade the Office Of
Trial Justice. The interests Of the peo.
pie are more completely wrapped up in
the proper performance of magisterial
duty than perhaps in any other arm Of
the Judiciary. A great proportion Of all
the neighborhood squabbles occurring
come directly within the jurisdiction Of
tho Trial Justice, and, even in the most
hcinuns offences, Che preliminary steps
must be taken in these plebeian courts.
Surely their Importance will hardly be
esar.estimated. This ancient and hon.
5 orable Court has beer handed down from
English custom for two hundred years in
itliepast. until they have been thorough
y Inbedded in the business relations of
tie people. Instead OF degrading or be,
, ii.lling them, by insufficient salaries OF
fees, let US all try TO elevate and invest
them With asdignisy commensurate with
their Importance. T. II. r.