New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-16
OUYRAGES ENcOUR4GED By L4w
EVILS or THE FEE SYSTEM or PAYING TED
EHAI OFFICERS SOME STRIKING rNAMpIrs
lNY TrIrGRAru n rnr 1rfnf.er

EVILS OF THE FEE SYSTEM or PAYING TED
rnAL OFFICERS SOME STRIKING rNAMpIrs
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE IRIRvHEl
WAsHINGroN July l5.--Rcicrring 10 dispatch
published IN THE TRIBUNE Of last Wednesday ahout
the fee system OF payment OF United States Marslals
Distrct-Attorcys and Commissioners, General
Ranm said today that branch Of the public ser
vice, excepting possibly the Star Route system was
in greater need of reform ;han the ono referred to-
4 law had been on the statute book for years.
which created an army Of men whose interest
it to arrest and prosecute men
against whom any trivial charge OF violation of the
rcycme laws could be alleged. Dcpatics are ap-
pointed. and in many cases have around them gangs
of men who are professional mionncrs and pro
fcssioual witnesses having no other mcans OF
support. The laws are necessarily 81 framed
as 10 cover not only intentional violations of law
bnt those which are purely the result of mad
vcrancc and in which no loss results 10 thc Govern
mcnt. Some of the eases which had come 10 tlic no.
tee of the Commissioner were outragcs OF the
graycSt description.
A druggist. for example who sells cigars forgcts
when the liIst of Nav comes around 10 renew his
special tax stamp. One OF the incomcIS,
who are constantly on the watch for such apses
calls and reminds him of the failure whercupon
the druggist pays for his renewed stamp 81, and IN
addition - 30 penalty for his omission 60 so
before the ist Of May Yet il the druggist not ex-
cmpt from arrest and whether COM ictcd or no. the
fees to the deputy ma'5lial together with expanscs
for conveying the priSOncrto Court and his mainie-
while under arrest, all paId by the Govern
ment. Or druggist c,rk, i'll hurry. exchanges an
empty for full cigar box in case without cancel
ling the stamp upon the former, and pnts 1t away
on shelf. An informcr comes along aud finds the
empty box with an uncanccllcd stamp, and may
cause the arrest Of the offender. Commissioners
sometimes complain Of marshals or deputy m4rshals
who adopt the more humane, and obviously the
proper where crime is intended of collect
ing he amount due for the renewed special stamp
and fifty per cent penalty in addition. and then
emitting further proceedings, such course not con-
ducing to the profit of the Commissioner.
An Instance is on record where a marshal has re-
ceiveI in fees So 900 during single term of the
Court, by causing the arrest of men who were
brought before the Court the preliminary steps only
for their trial being taken The arrested
persons then allowed TO Day
their fines and further proceedings were
stopped. Ourages OF this character are, Of course.
less common in the populous districts of the North
and East than in the South and West; bat the op-
portnnity is offered everywhere. General Raum has
been too vigorous and efficient in enforcing the law
against real offenders TO permit the entertainment OF
any suspicion of sympathy and fc ling on his part
for those who Intentionally seek 10 break the laws
Inquiry at the Department of Justice elicits the
fact that the defects of the fee system are apprc-
catnd and that steps are being considered which it
is hoped will tend to mitigate the evils re-
fcrrcd 60. IL is understood that Circuit
judges who appoint the Commissioners
Will be requested to returns 10 be made of all
prosecutions brought before them, and the publicity
thus given will perhaps serve the purpose of prr-
venting in some measure trivial actions which
wund not be undertaken were II not that fees were
To be gained by mstitutng them.
Probably the only efficient remedy for ihe evil is
to iboai the fee eiem and p1y the Oil .ials inter
estcd salary Tor the proper performance OF their
duty. 1t is obviously improper that prosecuting
officers should have direct interest in increasing
Lhe number of presentations