Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-12-15
The Fee System.

In the interview published in the
Galveston News, which is reproduced
in another column Of The GAZETTE,
Lieut.. -Gov.-elect Gibbs takes strong
grounds against the official fee system
in state and municipal affairs. He
very properly classes it as "a license,
from which the officers alone get the |
benefit" and cites the case of GER
tain county where $1,000 were collected |
in fines for the state and $4,000 in costs |
for the officers. The GAZETTE COM
menced its opposition to the fee system !
some eighteen months ago, and from !
time to time since has exposed
its fallacies. 1t is not suited TO
the demands of the present
time when officers of the lazy are en-
ployed continually in the discharge OF
public duties. 1t is relic of the oden
time, when the officer was called upon
once, or perhaps twice, month to exc
cute legal process, and for the time
thus occupied, and lost to his. farm or
workbench, he was remunerated in
certain specified fees. IL was intended
for and suited very well sparsely set
tied communities, where the officer
was at the same time engaged in other
vacations, aud where his labor in the
public interest was the exception
rather than the rule. When the coun-
try became more settled, ANA commu-
mites more or less populous sprang up,
the system WAS found TO be particularly
agreeable.to the oilice-holding class, as
the liberality of the state, in remunera-
ting officers for occasional in
terruptions TO their busl-
ness, was, when made the
reward for an uninterrupted perform
ance Of these duties, IA bonanza not to
be expected in the ordinary ups and
downs of business life. Through the
influence of this class, and Of those
who were living in hopes Of being
elected to Cflice, the system was per
petuated until it became part and
parcel OF the written law of the land.
Ingenious arguments and plausible
sophistrles Were paIaded to convince
people that it was better for them to
enrich their officers by fees than to
pay them reasonable salaries. This
has been carried on "from day 10 day,
and from term TO term,n az the law
yers say, until oiilce-holding Ia posi-.
tive monopoly, which it is madness in
AN individual to oppose. So thor.
oughly has the OfIlce.holdipg class
become impressed with the idea
That offices were created for
them, that one of the chief subjects of
Boosting Is that they can conduct a
court or fill an office without dollars
expense TO the people. In other words
they say In effect; "This Office Is
mine; it's none OF your business how
much make out of it; ii ia not cost
ing you nickel and il is sublime i'm.
pudenee in you TO be nosing around
and calculating my profits" And, as
Mr.. Gibbs says. the people must build
lails, feed prisoners and bear all the
burdens for one dollar, while the of.
fiee'holder grows rich on eight. This
Is not fair division. 1t might not he
wide of the mark to say that under the
fee system there are men making
Thousands who, in any other pursuit
could not make hundreds. But this is
not ali. The system Is Il positive
license for all sporting oiienses,
whether OF the green cloth or red
light. In the matter Of prostitution it
hes become part OF the unwritten
law Of the land TO "pulpl the unfor-
tuRates once every month. Gambling
is somewhat different, in that il is
made TO toe the mark occasionally Mt
unexpected times and without that
dial Ike regularity which IL so col.
spicuous characteristic OF the
former. In municipalities where the
pernielous Zee system obtains, an OIL
Ger never eonsiders his receipts all
accounted Cor until the monthly
installment Is received from these
sources. Until some strengthening
cordial is discovered which will invlg-
crate human nature, 1t Is useless 10