Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-12-20
THE FEE SYSTEM.
A Citizen Discusses the Question at
Length and Argues In
Favor Of System About Which so Much
Has Been Bald,
ro the Edltor Of DO GnEeLIe.

| Like IlOAu UutetlOnn bhSAp "tN WV
sides to this question; and so far most
that has been said has been against the
fee system.
Many arguments against 1t, OF
rather, intended as arguments against
It. seem to me do not bear upon the
subject at all. To illustrate: An
evening paper has repeatedly asserted
that the fees Of the city officers are
exorbitant and excessive; and close
upon the heels Of that assertion II has
as often said: Pay the officers a fair
salary and cover the fees into the city
treasury; in other words, 1t charges
that the Gees OF the city officers are eN-
tOrtionate, and proposes az a remedy,
not to reduce the fees II too large, not
TO abolish the fee system, but simply
30 divert the plumber into the city
treasury.
III the fees charged are excessive, the
remedy, as / take 1t, IL, mot 10 cover
the fees into the city treasury" but
rather to reduce the fees, or abolish the
system altogether. Now, In order TO
arrive at an intelligent conclusion az
TO whether the fees are too large or not
| involves:
First: An accurate knowledge of
what they are or what they amount TO,
| in the case Of each city officer, for a
given period Of time
Secondly. What the duties Of that
city officer are, how many persons 1t
requires to perform those duties, II
more than one; ana IL more than one
person, who pays the assistant or as-
sistBnts, as the case may be and
Thirdly What is u liberal compen-
SETON 10 the officer for doing his work
and doing 1t well, and
"a compensation that Will ln-
sure the candidacy Of competent
persons TO Till the several offices; and
j as none Of these matters have, 80 far AS
/ have seen, been made plain in this
discussion OF the ice system, and as |
have no accurate knowledge in the
promises myself / will leave this
branch Of the question, and turn to
the other.
OUGHT THE FEE SYSTEM TO BE ABOL'
tsHED2
Now, "a 80 much has been said OF
late on the subject, will state some ~
VIVA. seem TO me to be the advantages
Of it (reierring to the city officers
First, under the fee system the pc.
lice, including the city marshal aud
/ hls deputies, the mayors court, the
calabuOse, the care OF prisoners, the
city secretary and the recorder, do not
cost the tax payers of this city cent.
y In other words the grist ground out
by his honor, the recorder, pays all the
EXPENSES Of the mayors court,
including policemen, city mar
! ehsl and secretary and recorders
: salary and the expenses of the Gala
s boose, and something over toward de-
= fraying the expenses Of the fire de
f., partment, as am informed. Now
! this seems good showing, and on,
I would think that, before the peOpl,
! exchange this system for another, they
would first ascertain that the new sys
tenn would do all the present system
does, at least, lest they should fin,
III themselves in the condition OF 1isOp'
frogs, who elamored 40 for II change o
" government.
What to me seems the peculiar eX
cellence of the fee system Is this:
makes the city's business q part an
parcel Of each city officials business
IL tends to make each municipal OIL
Ger who Is paid 10y that system as yea
GUS in pursuit Of the city's business 4
I he would be in bis own, and other thing
being ,qual, that employee who CONF
the nearest To doing his employer
was his own comes nearest TO being
perfect employe.
Thus the fee system, in a measur
IN. does away with the most serious Dust
ele In the way OF carrying on success
ON. fully corporate business, eith
IN. municipal or any other kin
m For every observant pers,
m m. must have had occasion TO no
m. difference between the usual mRnag
m ment OF corporate enterprises and u
management OF private enterprises.
n. To illustrate further: III the oi
!, attorney makee or prosecutes u col
~ plant In which the city has no ca'
n. he has his labor for his pains hen
~ he will not be apt to prosecute maj
u cases that ought not To be brought
prosecuted. II he fails in securing
conviction, like the city. he Il
ma, nothing, aud natural result Is III
'''' convictions are had In nearly
fort quite, all the cases In which conv
ton ought To be had and perha
some lew in which convictions Dug
not to be had but they have tn
remedy OF appeal Then take the q
Of the city marshal, II he falls TO Z
leot the fine which goes into
city treasury, ~ course he loses
fee because he cannot collect the co,
and let the fine GO and In every
stance his getting his fee is contingl
L upon his looking sharply al
tho interests OF the city, and d
per. any person for moment believe d
gent If the city should put the best mel
the this city In the marahal's office un
Asses IA salary and the best lawyer In
4, IN city In the city attorneys of
ords there would be two.thirda OF the G
ores victions that there are now In
0 be- mayors court, or that there would
n "A twO-thirds the amount OF finea
epa. leeted and paid into the city treas
that IA now paldg
The only point made or attemI
10 be made against the city officers
that they are too well paid, ans
"a think that Il has been charged I
lken they, namely, the attorney, secret
4 for and marshal, received fully ten th,
saut. aud 1allafa "A wear WALL nltnnuU