The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-28
The Fees and Salaries Bill.

Under the above caption you furnished,
editorially, q very logical article a few days
ago in the Sentinel that ought to be consid-
ered by the Legislature. 1t is morally i'm
possible for a legislative body in session,
especially as most of the members are wholly
unacquainted with the duties and RESPONSE
bilities OF county officers and the value OF
the service rendered, to adopt q correct and
equitable fee bill for county, or even State
officers. Some years ago was quite familiar
with the duties and fees of Clerk and Sheriff,
when the fees were from one-third to double
what they now are, as I observe from an ex-
animation OF the law upon the subject. You
suggest that if any legislation be necessary
that II be confined TO reconciling Unequal
tiles OF the present law. The propriety OF
this Will be observed IN the first case of
many that occurred to my mind upon 10 0k-
ing over the present fee bill, ia the case OF
the Sheriff, whose fee is twenty cents for
commlttsl OF a prisoner and twenty cents
for opening the door and letting him out
when bis time expires a much more
equitable law would be 81 for taking him,
aud nothing for letting him out. Let Us see
how X IS. | have known cases almost with.
ont number, vagabOnds, tIamps and others,
OF al shades of color and sex, brought TO-
MI III CNlu4uRtultlAs ult4N OtFOuO uesCTlD-
ton, ragged. diseased, covered with yermin,
sick from drunkenness. vice and debauch-
cry, that Decsssitated az once scrubbing sud
washing OF person and clothing thata person
could scarcely bs hired sometimes II perform
the disRustiug duty for -. and for this
service the Sheriff gets the fabulous sun of
twenty cents, and no more, for the law does
not a low the County Commissioner to
make al extra allowance even il the prisoner
develops a case of smallpox or other loath-
some or infectious disease. he does get
however the remarkably liberal sum of forty
cents q dsy for board. which formerly, when
provisions were cheap compared with present
prices, he received from fifty TO ssventy-6ve
cents, the price now paid In most of the
towns and cities of the country for boarding
city and corporation prisoners. l have not
described the worst cases that the Sheriff has
to deal with; common decency forbids it.
The same inequalities run through the clerk
and Sherif's departments, and l am told is
equally SO in regard to all the other county
as well as State Offices, but Of that I am not
sufficiently familiar.
a remedy has been suggested in the APP
pointment Of a commission, and ! think il q
good one. / understand q bill has been sub
mitted in each House for the Governor to
appoint three competent persons for the pur.
pose OF preparing and adjusting q proper fee
bill applicable to all county and State
officials, and report the same at the next
session OF the Legislature. Thirty or sixty
days before the meeting of that body would
be sufficient time TO perfect q vely salts
factory fee bill, which would cost the State
but little, that would undoubtedly pass,
doing justice to the officers as well IS the
State, and at the same time save much time
IN legislation as well as unjust criticism in
regard to the acts of certain members, fox
political or other reasons.
JUSTICE TO ALL.