The herald., 1898-10-30
MAYOR SNYDER VfTOES
ATTORNEY THOMAS REQUEST
FOR INCREASED SALARY
CHARTER DOES NOT PERMIT IT
Secretary Nolan Of the Freeholders
Wants Extra Salary Too-Finance
Committee-Weekly Balance

Mayor Snyder has vetoed the requisitio
by which Second Assistant City Attorne
Frank J. Thomas hoped to obtain $lOO eXtr
salary for the months OF July, August, Ser
tember and October. The finance commit
tee recommended its approval to council o.
accordingly taken on Monday last. On las
Wednesday it was placed in, the hands O
the mayor along with number OF others
and after carefully investigating the matte
he yesterday returned the requisition will
out his approval. In explanation OF his pc
sition, the following message to council wa
filed in the afternoon:
Gentlemen: | herewith return with
out my approval the enclosed requisltlon
No. 80, approved by your honorable
body, October oath, 1898, said requisition
being drawn by W. +. Dunn, city at
torney, and asking that he be authorized
TO draw a demand on salary fund Tor
$l0O in favor of f. J. Thomas on ac-
count OF salary Tor july, ,ya0 August, Ut Sep.
month additional salary as per allowance
to this Office"
1t would be establishing bad prece-
dent to approve a requistiOn such as the
enclosed, providing for the payment to
an officer of the city of a salary larger
than is allowed under the salary ordi-
nance. If you approve In one case, how
Furthermore, to o.grant this requisition
would, | believe, be illegal. Section 6G
of the charter provides:
The city council shall by ordinance fix
the salary of all other officers herein, or
by ordinance hereafter created, whose
salaries are not hereby fixed
Section 81 of the charter provides No
officer of the city shall be compensated
by fees or commissions, but only by
fixed salary, payable monthly; and such
salary shall not be increased or dimin-
ished during his term of office or after
his election or appointment, and before
the commencement of the term.
Salary ordinances have been passed by
the council fixing the salary of the Of
Ordinance No. 1924, approved January
4th; 1893, fixed the salary Of this officer
at $40: ordinance No 1923. approved
june 9th. 1893, fixed the salary Of this
officer at $40; ordinance No. 1880, APP
proved March 3oth 1897, fixed the salary
Of this officer at ,sll0:, ordinance, No.
4442. approved July Goth. lS9S fixed the
salary of this officer at $40; ordinance
No 1925, approved as late as the fif-
teenth day of last month, fixed the sal
arv of this officer at $40.
II is for all the foregoing reasons that
7 return the enclosed reouisition to you
without my approval, ResnectfIlly,
W. l.. ON DEk, Mayor.
There is quite little interesting histor,
connected with the matter When the an
nual estimate was under consideration
number of deputies asked for increases il
salary, the estimates of the department
heads providing for such increases. At th
hands of the finance committee, however
all these increases were cut off, among then
that of Mr.. Thomas. the committee explain
ing its action by pointing out the fact that
while the claims might be just, the condi
tion of the city's finances would not admi
of their approval. With this explanation
all parties were apparently satisfied.
Subsequently, it is now understood, th
estimates of the city attorneys office wer
increased so as to provide S25 extra pc
month for Mr. Thomas from July to Decem
her next inclusive While Mr. Thomas wa
IA candidate for the Republican nomination
for city attorney, he made no requistion fol
this increase in salary, but after his defaat il
The convention he straightway put in th'
claim for it, including July, August, Septem
Der and October, all in one requisition.
Mayor Snyder undoubtedly had the bes
of reasons for exercising his power of veto il
the matter. as the charter sections he quote,
show, but member of the finance commit
tee said yesterday evening: "We'll pass il
over his veto; we don't mind little thint
like that" The question may result in ;
hard fight in council meeting on Monday.