The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-02-20
BAR and CITIZENS
Plea For an Increase in the
Salary of the Judges
OF THE COMMON PLEAS.

Its Judiciary Than Most of the
Others.
Communication from Stark County
Bar and Citizens.
The members of the bar and others, in
Guiding prominent taxpayers and busi-
ness men, have felt for some time that the
common pleas judges for this sub-divis-
ion are not receiving adequate compen-
sation for the services required in the dis
charge of their duties. An application
to the legislature for an increase in their
compensation has been in contemplation
for some time, with no thought of under
taking to get such legislation without the
knowledge and consent Of the people.
This subdivision is composed of the
counties Of Stark, Columbiana, and Car
roll, provided by law with three common
pleas Judges. Business in the subdivision
has rapidly grown within the few years
last past, and has now become of char
aoter as to quantity and quality, compar-
ing favorably with the large subdivisions,
in point of business, in the state. With
the increase in business, and consequent
greater demand upon the time and ser
vices of the judes, there has been no cor
responding increas in compensation. 1t
is fact that in many of the sub-divis.
ions and counties in Ohio, acts have been
passed granting to judges in populous
counties increased compensation for their
services.
In Stark and Columbiana counties the
common pleas courts are in session sub
stantially all the year. For several years
in Stark county, it has required the SER
vices Of two common pleas judges, sitting
practically the entire ye r, except for q
short vacation In the summer. This re-
quires the constant attention of the resi-
dent common pleas judge and the SER
vices of Judge Taylor of Carroll county,
who has been required to sit the greater
part of his time in Stark county, away
from home, and Of course at greatly in
creased expenses. There Is probably no
subdivision in Ohio where the business
is greater, or the magnitude Of the cases
involved larger, than In this sub-divis-
ion. Both the judges who hold their
courts here have.already given the people
q term of arduous and very satisfactory
service, at the old compensation of az, 800
a year. 1t is believed by the members
of the bar in the subdivision, which
belief, we think, is shared by the people,
so far as their Views are known, that
these judges deserve, as they well earn,
additional compen sation, and compen-
sation commensurate with that paid for
similar services in other part of the state.
An examination of the lawI already
upon the statute books of Ohio, will show
additional compensation has been grant
ed to common pleas judges in the follow
ing COUNTIES: Hamilton, Cuyahoga.
Franklin, Montgomery, Butler, Lucas,
Madison, Pickaway. Clark.
THIS SUBDIVISION
is composed Of the counties of Stark,
Colum biana and Carroll. The tax dupli-
Gates of these three counties are in round
numbers as follows
Stark county, SAC, 200, 900: Colum biana
county, $23, 100000: Carroll county,
$500, 900. Total, $71 500, 900.
1t is proposed that the judges resident
in this subdivision, three in number,
shall receive additional compensation
from the three counties, OF 81, 500 per
year, which will make the salaries paid
$4,000 to each judge. If this is divided
in proportion to the tax duplicates of each
county 1t would be apportioned: Five
ninths to Stark county, three-ninths to
Colum biana county, and one-ninth to
Carroll county. 1t will be at once seen
that this additional tax will he so small
as scarcely to he appreciated, amounting
to about 8 d cents upon each 81 900 Of
taxable property upon the tax duplicate
OTHER COUNTIES.
Comparing this with the othor counties
which pay additional compensation 10
their COMMON pleas judges, 1t will be
seen that the burden upon the people OF
this sub division will be comparatively
light. Franklin county, In 1899, had a
tax duplicate of S7S,000,0 900: Madison
county S13, 100000: Piokaway county,
$l6,746. 900. These three counties con-
stitute a sub division having six common
pleas judges resident therein: all three
judges are paid the additional compensa-
tion Of 81 500 per annum, four of them
out of the treasury of Franklin county,
and one each from the treasury of Madi-
son and Picakway counties, in the proper.
tion OF three-flfths to PickaNay county,
and twoflfth to Madison county. These
two last named counties together have
an aggregate tax duplicate of about $780,
600, 900, and pay their judges the same
compensation that would be asked in
this sub division, with duplicate Of S71,-
900, 900. Clark county has duplicate
of about $31 900, 900, and pays the resi-
dent judge an additional salary of 81 800
per annum. Lucas county, with dup
lioate of $5l 900, 900, pays three judges
AN ADDITIONAL SALARY
of 81 500 aoh, and Montgomery county,
with tax duplicate of $50, 900, ,0C0, has
two resident judges, each paid the addi-
tional salary of 81 500 per annum. Cuya-
hoga county has seven common pleas
judges, with tax duplicate of S144,-
600, ZOO. This county pays its common
pleas judges an additional salary Of 81, 500
each, as well as an additional 81 900 each
to three circulit judges. Hamilton
county has not less than ei Rht common
pleas judges, as well as three circuit
judges and three superior court judges.
To It's common pleas judges Hamilton
county pays an additional compensation
of SO, 500 each: an additional $4,000 to
its circuit Judges, as well as like addition
al compensation to the judges of the su
perior court OF Cincinnati, three in num-
ber In Hamilton county there Is a sep
arate insolvency court, and
A LIKE MEASURE
has been introduced for such court In
Cuyahoga county. 1t Is believed that In
no other sub division In this state is as
much and as continuous service required
of its judges where the additional COM
pensation has not been freely granted.
There is therefore nothing new in the pro
posed measure extending this additional