The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-01-09

Hon. j. T.. M'Cullough's Pro
posed Fec and salary Bill.

Hon. j. e. M'CulIough's Pro-
posed Fec and salary Bill.
News.
Representative J. E. Mccullough has
been giving good deal OF study 70 the
question Of bow just aud equitable fee
and sslary bill may be prepared. To the
News he set out his conclusions this
morning as given below. A will bo
seen, be has given close attention TO
points which hays boon universally re-
gardcd ~ the most formidable obstacles
TO The preparation Of such bill as IL pro-
poscd. Mr. Mccullough said:
Il believe tie best form Of . bill is 20
name every county In the State, and the
leAllry for each officer therein. For in
|stsnce: Section !. ia the county OF
Adams the salary, per annuu, Of the
clerk or the circuit court shsll be ~ 300 |;
|ci the auditor, e.. zoo; Of the recorder.
81 500 OF the treasurer, 5000; and o.
The shcriG, oS.O00. Ard in the same
Way In separate sections AZ the salaries
|ef every county h The etaeo. Ihofe ere
lei leasl Two reasons (os making : oep4-
|raie oection Tor each couniy. Oao b. d
win b n,ore convenient On tbs pooooxe
!of The bilI ID arriving - and adjusting
what shall be The salaries 10 each coun-
Ify \; the other u, that hereafter 10 chang
ling the salaries for aoy comfy u will
l0nly bo nsccsesry to amend tho section
la0scliug that county.
| There can be no objection to the con.
stitntionallty OF such : bill upon tht
Iground OF its naming tie counties.
a. 4. - -. -, - T.. linn Inland
I'd 70 have local OBJECT 70 designate tie
county or city IN N indirect way with
out naming il. For iustsnce. u IndlanaP-
olis is intended, the legislation 10 made
to apply 10 cities Of over 1900 populs-
Ition. II both Evsnsviile and lndisnap-
lolis are intended, n IL snade 10 apply to
Icities OF over $4,000 population, etc
Whatever pecossity there IL for such IN
direction in ordinary local Legislation
III does NOT apply In legislation with ref.
ference 20 salaries Of county oflcers. In
leone States the county officers ale class
Ii6ed and their salAries fixed ny classes
That 10 because IN such states the con
istitution requires such classification.
There u no necessity for an attempted
classification under our constitution, and
II can zee no advantage In Il. The senti-
rneut that exists In this State In favor Of
placing county officers upon salaries
lgrew out OF the fact that the people de-
Ieirc to know exactly what the compen'
sation OF the officers 10, and because u is
known 10 be too large in proportion 20
the work done in some instances. And
they ARC right In this. The people arc
1.-THE employers and the officers are The
employed. The people have - much
right 70 know exactly what they sre
paying q the officers have to know
what they are receiving. The least in-
direction and plsinest words that can De
given : bill 10 the bcst. 10 . law word
lied as above, the citizens OF any county
have but 70 look at the statnte 70 learn
what any ofEicer's compensation is.
The constitution. o Il exists since the
amendment Of 1881, requires that inc
laws may bo 20 made Is TO grado the
lcoupensation Of officers In proportion
Ito the population and the necessary
lscrvices required II Is, Of course she
duty Of the Legislature to take into con
sideration both the population end 'ne
neccssary services required. ana granc
1.-THE salaries - nearly a. practicable ac'
cordingly. And when the Legislature
|has fixed the salaries. the conclusive pre-
sumption will be that, In the Judgment O.
1.-The Legislature, they are % grausu'
! This judgment can not be reviewed - !,
lthe courts. The Law can not De declarsu
demonstrations upon the ground 'ns'
the salaries are not 40 graded. L. prac-
|tical effect, tho Legislature vii heve :
vide latitude il fixing salaries ~ diner
lent counties for tho same ONCE, upo"
the constitutional ground Of service r.
quired.
III, while the bill isis the bsnds q ne
!committes, or open for amendment ~
,|either House, the member ron Iny
.Icouutv insists that the salary 6xed 10 his
J county Il either too high or too low, he
Twill naturally have . very great innu.
!, encc 10 getting . change. Because. u \!
Ii. changed ~ To HE county, IL viii mol