St. Paul daily globe., 1892-11-27
DAN TO The RESCUE.
The City Attorney Advises
Justice in the Election
Cases, II
And the Committee Will Rec
>, ommend Paying Judges
$50.
The Police Station Scorched
by a Blaze Easily
Killed.
What Might Happen in the
Crowded Cells in, Such
Cases. 5G

The Judges and clerks or election VIII
receive $50 each for their services. Inc
matter has been hanging fire ever since
election day, and it may be related that
while there is practically no doubt that
$50 will be allowed, the matter Will not
pass through the council without a
struggle. The Keyes law is Grade and
the provision paying judges and clerks
is clearly unfair, and the stipulated sum
is not commensurate with the services
rendered.
At a previous meeting of the Joint
committee on claims from the council
the matter was referred to the corpora
ton attorney for his construction or the
law. The election act recltes that there
shall be four registration days,
and that each judge and clerk snail
receive So a day for services, and also
that they shall not be allowed any pay
except for actual services on election
and registration days. Some of the
members of the committee viewed the
law as flexible, and felt that the coun-
ell could pay more than the SIS specified
in the act, while others, particularly
Mr. Montgomery, held that only the Sl5
could be allowed. Yesterday MIR. Law
ler handed in written opinion to the
effect that, while the judges and clerks
could probably not be able to collect
more than the SIS for their services
through legal process, it is competent
for the council to pay an adequate sum
for the work.
Aid. Franklin, Immediately upon the
reading of this opinion, moved. as
test, that the amount be fixed at $50
each, and he supplemented the motion
with the remark that he considered that
little enough. Mr.. Zimmerman, upon
the hypothesis that If it was worth so
last spring, and considering tnat the
judges and clerks were obliged TO per-
form fully twice as much Work at the
recent election. seconded the motion @
Mr.. Doran argued against paying
more than was paid laStspring. He III
sisted that in most instances the judges
and clerks were the same in both cleo
tions, and taking the ground that they
were overpaid last spring, he urged that
$25 now would equaiiZe the matter.
This novel idea was at once cOmbatted
by Mr.. Cullen. He knew that III great
many instances the Judges and clerks,
were not the same, and MIR. DoranIs
proposition would resultin hardship,
even though he were right about the
value of the services at the spring cleo
tion, and Mr.. Zimmerman again urged
that the amount of work actually per-
formed at the general election was
twice that of the municipal election.
Il have given this matter great deal
of attention the past week." said Mr..
Cullen. ~ have found out that the
most intelligent and capable judges in
The Fourth ward were unable to COM
plete the count until we'll along into the
day after election. The minimum num-
Der of hours were Seventy-One and the
maximum eIghty-two. This convlnces
me that $50 each is certainly little
enough. | would second a motion max
ing the amount S35."
Mr. Montgomery declared that be
would not support the motion. lie
favored making the amount SIS because
of the word of the law. and he held that
to give more would be illegal, despite
the opinion OF the corporation attorney,
and he quoted the section in the Keyes
bill liking the compensation.
Mr.. Pike was deeply impressed with
Mr.. Zimmerman'S idea tina the Judges
pay should be scaled according to the
number of ballots they had cOuuted.
He knew that good many had COM
pleted their work shortly after mid
night. Mr.. Franklin thought the plan
very defective. In some precincts more
scratches occurred than i'll others and it
is much slower to count mixed than it
is to count straight ticket. but Mi.
Pike argued that the ratio of scratches
would run about the same in all dis
trictS.
Mr.. Doran thought it would be good
plan 10 pay according to the hours of
labor. The city clerk has a.recordsshoW-
ing Just when the ballot boxes and re-
turns were brought in, but Mr. Pike
stuck TO the idea to scaling according to
the number of ballots counted, for, he
said, the council should not pay pre-
MUM for slow work.
Mr.. Lightner did not take kindly to
these unique plans of settlement The
law contemplates paying ali equally. He
insisted that they should be so paid.
MIR. Pike desired to point to the
fact that if the Judges and clerks are
paid $50, SIS of it will be a gratuity, and
lie held that it is too much.
There is only some $4,000 in the cleo
tion fund, and $50 employees at $50 each
will aggregate SIG, 500. This will leave
quite shortage, for there is large
amount of other legitimate election eX-
penseS besides the compensation OF the
Judges and clerks. Clerk Prendergast
explained, however. that the necessary
money can BIZ transferred from some
other fund to meet the additional out
lay Mr.. Lightner suggested that the
corporation attorney be requested to
draw a resolution to pay the judges and
clerks the $50 and report the same to the
council meeting Monday evening, and
this suggestion was acted upon.
1t was stated that the re ut of rooms
for election purposes i'll great many
Instances was considered eXorbitant.
The prices range from $50 to S35. and
some of the members thought uni
form price should be established by the
council. Mr.. Cullen explained that in
certain precincts it had been almost i'm
possible to find suitable rooms, and that
the aldermen had been compelled to pay
the prices asked or else build booths.
Tomorrow will be OH exhibition, at
| rs East Third street. a large collection
| Of Oriental Rugs and Carpets. which