Daily Kennebec journal., 1879-02-12
legislative Proceedings.
Continued from first page J

they are not worth the money they are paid
So their salaries must be cut down and fixed at
onethird the salary Massachusetts pays. He
was ready to go on record in the matter, not
looking 10 the next caucus or To the next
election. He looked to his duty. He was in
favor of retrenchment, but he desired that il
should be fair and honest. The argument
that because living is less the Judges should
receive less does not hold. The hotels and rail
roads have not reduced their charges. The eX-
pcnses of Judge are S400 or $500 yearand
the salaries are reduced that much. 1t is as
tonishing that it should be said the busi-
ness of the conrts is less. There is three or
four times as much now as in previous years
Such reports are not true, and four-ftths OF
the arguments in the House upon this portion
of the bill were on false basis, because they
argued that the business of the courts is less
1t is not true that Judges have received from
$500 to $500 year in acting as referees
Such fees. he understood, would not range
above $780, with perhaps single exception
He objected to retrenching by cutting down
the pay due to first class intellect. They
should not pass the bill just because the
House had He wanted to know where the
information was obtained that the Judges had
nothing to do. 1t was Il sad mistake to think
50.
What is the duty of the Judges? The,
are the guardians OF the constitution and they
interpret the law. The Governor can call upon
them for opinions and it must be given free.
They stand in the highest position. When
Judge goes upon the bench and remains there
seven years his business is dead at the clos,
of this time if he is not re-appointed he must
begin life over again. He refuted the idea
that the honor received from being Judge
was Il reason for reducing the pay. They
should receive the salaries because they earn
.l...... -..F.
ceives IA salary of $500 year, while III
Portland, cashiers received as high AS $1,000
for their services. Now il is proposed to say
to the Judges that they are not worth as much
as Il cashier in Augusta. and only one half as
much as such bank officers in Portland. To
pass this provision of the bill as it il would
be Il blow at the judiciary of the State. and
victory for the material over intellect and
character.
Mr. PATTEN of Pcnobscot. rose to say that
he did not intend to turn aside from his duty
because of any stigmatization cast upon him.
Saving that one favored economy and not
practising il were different things He had as
much reverence for the Judges as any one.
and some of them were personal friends. bui
he was not prepared to vote them salaries Of
$1,000 year, when the people were taxed and
burdened rs they now are. The bill proposes
to make the salaries of Judges more than they
were for many years. At first they received
$500, then SlSe0, then S250O and finally
$1,000. The salaries were raised because
there was larger amount of money in cir
culation. To-day $1,000 will purchase more
than $1,000 would when it was made the sal
airy. The Judges are not poor or dependent
The salaries of the Justices of number Of
States have been cited. and if they had gone
to Great Britain it would have had the same
weight with him. We must cconomize or
Maine will become bankrupt like other States
The people of our old beloved State are
awake and looking after their matters through
their representatives who if they neglect their
duty to the people, will be elected to stay at
home, next year. Two thousand dollars is
enough, and the Judges will be satisfied with
that amount.
Mr.. RoBERTs of Waldo, said that he had
desired to have the bill as passed by the
House adopted by the Senate, but if Others
wished to tinker the measure they could be
excused for so doing He defended the edi-
tor of the Bangor Commercial from allusion,
made to him and his paper by Mr.. Madigan.
He said that the people of the State had sent
their representatives to sustain the sentiments
of the caucuses and expected them to carry
them out. lie should sustain the action of
his convention Salaries must conform to the
times. In former years when the Judges re-
ceived only $500 year. the judicial bench
was adorned by able men. and the people felt
safer then in going before juries with their
cases than they do now. He submitted it to
the judgment of candid men that such was
the case. The State of Connecticut has been
increasing in population and is wealther than
Maine, Rhode Island is probably more taxa
BILE than our State and no doubt in compari-
son with the ability of other States, Maine paws
its Judges more than they do. The older men,
bers Of the Legislature among the lawyers
would seem to be in favor of cutting down the
salaries of the Judges, while the younger
men, who were more ambitious, were in favor
of keeping them up. lie would leave Sena-
tors to draw their own conclusions.
Mr.. LINN of Somerset, spoke in favor OF
the adoption Of the bill as it came from the
House He seconded the ideas of Senator
Vinton in the matter of comparing Maine
with other States in its ability to pay salaries
He maintained that prices had so fallen that
$1,000 salary now was as good as $4,000
few years since. Such being the case it was
no injustice to cut down, but a duty to their
constituents to do so. This would relieve the
manufacturers and business men of the State
who had merely been able to carry their opera
tions along. The taxes did not all fall upon the
poor men, but upon the business men of the
State as we'll
Mr.. VINToN desired to state his position.
saying that he believed that all the salaries
should be reduced, the Judges and the Gov
ernor taking their share as well as others
If he had had the fixing of the Judges salar-
les he should have placed them at S25OO each
and so voted. But as the Committee atterthor-
ough deliberation had decided on $1,000. and as
the House after long consideration voted not
to change the sum, he should vote for the bill
rs it came from the House.
Mr. BARKER of Penobscot, called for the
yeas and nays upon Mr.. Morrison's amend
ment. The vote was as follows:
YEAs-Messrs Andrews, Madigan, Morrison
Rogers of Sagadahoc Smith,.
NAYs-Messrs. Atwcl, Barker, Bradford, Chase
Cobb, Coombs, Ellis, Ferguson, Harris, Hawes
Linn. Mayhew, Moody, Parn, Patten Prince, Red
lon, Roberts, Rogers of Penobscot, Thomas, Thomp
son, Ninton, Wait--23.
SO the Senate refused to change the Judges
salaries from $1,000 to $1,000
The Senate then adopted the House amend
ment providing that the Attorney General
should have $1,000 per annum in full for all
services. expenses and travel.
Mr.. Thomas of Cumberland. then called
IL