Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-04-25
The Judges Pension Bill.

The bill to pension judges after they
have reached certain age has passed the
House and is expected to pass the Senate.
The Commercial Gazette has opposed this
measure, not alo-e on constitutional
grounds, but as setting very bad prece-
dent and one which is certain to be follow
ed, should tie bill become law. That
the people are not demanding this innoya-
ton is apparen: to all, An attempt was
made to engraft similar provision in the
| present Constitution, but 1t was voted
down in the convention by u decided ma
jority. The people are no more favorable
| to pension system to-day than they were
twenty years ago, and it has been alleged
that the present bill is being urged by pol
| iticians who have no higher motive than
the retirement of few judges who are not
pliabIe enough to suit their purposes.
They want younger men of their own Sc
lection.
Whether there is any truth in this charge
is not very material. The principle upon
which the law is based is wholly vicious
and foreign to orr political policy. 1t is
altogether unnecessary, too. since 1t is pre-
posterous to assert that most of the char
acter and habits of the Pennsylvania
judiciary, who have served for twenty
years or more upon the bench at salaries
ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 are likely
to become objects Of charity. But even ii
they should be unfortunate, it would not
Justify the establishing of a class system
by which men are to be paid out of the
public treasury for periods during which
they render no service.
A reference TO the debates in the last
constitutional convention should have
served to enlighten the legislature on this
subject. Some very able and patriotic
members were heard in opposition to the
pension system. 1t was on motion OF the
Hon. Lin Bartholomew that the provision
was stricken from the report of the Com
mittee on Judiciary. He characterized 1t
as 1.-The introduction of a principle of COM
pensatiOn for officials of this government
that was an exceedingly dangerous one"
ilC hiCn hO AOacVA eAN HS- 'ASSS ~
Judge should havu a higher or more enlarg-
ed consideration than those of any other
officer who faithfully discharged his duties
and predicted That if the principle was
once incorporated in the practical opera
tion of the government it would not cease
with the judges. If adopted at all the
principle should be applicable to all Off
cials alike.
Ex-Governor Curtin was one of the most
outspoken opponents of the pension sys-
TEN. de said: at is contrary to all our
settled policy, To our history and to our
traditions to pension any man except one
who has been in the military service in de-
fenss of the conntry." He favored liberal
compensation to the judges. but was oppos-
cd to the pensioning of officers in the civil
service.
Mr Darlington, who had been a MEM
Der of the constitutional convention of
lS47-8, said: "a civil pension system is
against the geGius of cur intitutioDs. IL
has never been cnusileroj by the people
OF Pennsj lyAnia as at all admissible, Tor
the reason IN part that no man Is bound
To accept office, and therefore there is no
propriety ia adding, after a Dan Ceases To
perform the service, any thing by way OF
remuneration for that which he is not able
tn perform. oppose pension az TO
every officer 10 the government save only
tho man who has peril-d his life upon the
battlefield.
This is sound doctrine, and if the bill
passes the Senate it should be vetoed by
the Governor. IL is wrong in principle,
an innovation that will lead 10 civil pen
sion list, and is against the letter and spr
it of the Constitution Com. Gazette.