The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-02-27
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
JUDGES SALARIES.

Editor News Democrat: l notice that
there is a scheme on foot to increase the
salaries of our common plea judges from
SO, 500 to 81, 900 per year. In a statement
the Bar Association, appears the follow.
/ 1.-THE members of the bar and
others, including prominent taxpayers
and business men, have felt for some time
(how long we are not told) that the com.
mon pleas judges for this subdivision
are not receiving adequate compensation
for the service required in the d discharge
of their duties. An application to the
Legislature for an increase in their COM
pensation has been in contemplation for
some time, with no thought Of undertak-
ing to get such legislation without the
knowledge and consent of the people. l"
The statement then goes on to tell us that
a judge can hardly get along on SO, 500 per
year, owing to the increased cost of liv-
ing: that judges in other subdivisions
r6CclNc ldIBSI bdlhIlos Vibhh OuES' VhaV ulle
increase asked for would amount to only
6A cents on each 81, 900 of taxable prop
erty: that the share of Stark county
would be but flve-ninths Of the total in
crease: that our judges do not receive as
large salaries as our county officers:
that our present judges could earn more
money off the bench than on 1t: and
finally mention the case Of judge who
actually resigned his office. The
statement of the committee Of the Bar
Association concludes as follows: "There
has been no thought on the part of the
bar that such q measure should be adopt.
ed behind the backs or without the
knowledge Of the people, and 1t Is be-
lieved that when the measLre is under
Stood 1t will meet the appreciation of
the taxpayers OF this subdivision regard
less Of party"
Now, the writer of the above conclus-
ion knows that more brazen falsehc cd
than the above never was written by any
attorney -at-law. Every member of the
Bar Association knows 1t is falsehood.
Every man who read 1t, knew 1t to be q
cunning falsehood. "Shall the salaries
of our common pleas judges be increased
from 50, 500 to $4,000 per yearS" Put
that plain question to the taxpayers of
his sub division and will guarantee that
for every affirmative vote there will be
100 negative votes cast. Every sensible
man in Stark county knows such would
be the case. Every member Of the Stark
county Bar Association knows such
would be the result. The man who wrote
the statement for the Bar Association
knows such would be the case.
THERE ISN'T A JUDGE
on the bench In his subdivision today who
did not seek the place, and he sought 1t
not because he wanted to serve his county
but becaus he wanted salary Of 90, 800
per year. And we common people have
a right to infer that he didn't earn 81, 500
per year previous to his election OF he
wouldn't have wanted the job. Now, If
our judges don't like their positions, the
proper thing for them to do Is to resign,
and we will run the risk of getting along
without them. We have always succeed
ed In getting a Judge at $2, 800 and we
can get lots of them in the future. Why,
just look at the field we have from which
to make our selections-the entire Bar
Association, including the gentlemen
who submitted the statement of the asso-
ciation to the press. Now, want TO ask
the taxpayers Of this sub -divlsi ion
whether any private concern would pay
$4,000 to man when they could hire the
same man for 81, 500? Certainly not. Tim
why should the Taxpayers of this district
pay $4,000 for a Judge, when the same
judge can be had at So, 5N0p Instead of
raising the judges salary TO put him on
an equality with our county officers.
much better plan would be to cut the
salaries OF our county officers and pay
them what they could earn were they
performing the same kind of work, which
they now perform, for some private cor
poration. II the Bar Association Is look
Ing after the interests OF the people, they
can find many ways In which they can
serve them better than by increasing
their taxes. To increase the salaries of
our judges TO $4,000 would mean just ex-
aotly ~, 500 extra and altogether unneces-
sary taxes TO the already over taxed poo
pie OF this county, l wo I'D have our
honorable Bar Association 10 know that
there are tew other people In this sub