The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-27
ga Little Too a1uch Of q Good ThinS. :,

6fr. Editor: We think the people OF
this State will most heartily endorse the
general course of legislation On the part
of the late Legislature. Being fresh
from the great body Of the people, and
having been elected after sharp can
vnss 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
battlc-axc of retrenchment has been laid
at the root of tho tree of general extrava-
gance, and while great deal has been
done, and well done, much yet remains
to bo done. We trust that tho work of
re-7snchment will be pressed forward
until it has pervaded all departments of
legislation, and especially until fees and
salaries have been cut down to the lowest
possible amount consistent with the
proper performance Of public duty.
And in connection with this view of the
subject, ne were especially glad that the
reduction of salaries aud fees in our
whole judiciary system is beginning to
nrrest public attention. The exorbitant
fees and high salaries pervading this
whole department OF ihe body polite is
every year sapping the resources of the
people of the State to far greater de-
gree than would tho 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
mcnccd at the wrong end for reform in
this department when they commenced
on the Trial Justices. Their salaries
md fees have always heretofore been so
insignificant in comparison with the i'm
p"rsanco of the duties performed, that
We are surprised thai any further rcduc-
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. It 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
exorbitant charges, and 10 and behold
! Trial Justices salaries are reduced from
twenty-five to fifteen dollars. This is
what we would call "atraining at gnat
and swallowing camel"
scr;u::&=ly;i, {: 10 great mistake or Ii! s!.l
part OF Legislators or the people to at.
tempt to belittle or degrade the office ol
Trial Justice. The intereats of the peo-
pie are more completely Wrapped up in
the proper performance Of magisterial
duty than perhaps in any other arm Of
tho judiciary. A great proportion OF all
tie neighborhood squabbes occurring
come directly within the jurisdiction OF
the Trial Justice, and, even in .he most
heipnns offences, tho preliminary steps
must be taken in these plebeian courts
Surely their Importance will hardly be
over estimated. This ancient and hon.
orable Court has been handed down from
English custom for two hundred years in
tho past until they have been thorough
ly Embedded in the business relations oi
tl'e people. Instead OF degrading or be.
ii'l!ing them, by insufficient salaries OF
fees, let US all try to elevate and invest
them With alignity commemorate with
their Importance. T. H. r.