The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-19
NOTARIEs PUBLIC AGGRTEvED.
New Act of the, Legislature Excites
Their ChOler.

New Act of the Legislature Excites
Their ChOler.
The notaries public of Savannah, especi-
ally those whose positions in the banks
offer frequent opportunities for the pro-
test of negotiable, papers, are considerably
wrought up over the act reducing their
fees for this service, passed at the last ses-
sion of the legislature
Formerly the notaries were allowed
fiat fee of So. "A This was for noting, pro
testing and giving notice of protest upon
negotiable paper for any amount. This
is changed by the new law and a sliding
scale, in which the fee is proportional 10
the amount of the instrument, is substi-
tuted. For amounts under $500, the fee is
so cents, for amounts from $500 to 81
81, from $1,000 to 5000, 81; and for all
amounts over $1,000, So.
AS the bulk of the business is on paper
for amounts less than $500 for which the
almost nominal fee of so cents is allowed
as fun compensation for the service, the
notaries feel some what aggrieved at the
action of the legislature.
Mr. Walter Hogan, teller of the Ger
mania Bank, said that the remuner-
alton is much too small to pay for the
time and trouule involved. For instance"
he said, "a few days ago I had to protest
a paper at the Savannah, F .orida ana
Western wharves. My car fare was 10
cents and the postage on the four notices
of protest cents. Thus, 1 received for
my time, certainly an hour, 30 cents. This
l think is too little. l believe myself
that the fees formerly allowed were ex-
cessive, but the reduction has gone 10
the other extreme A notary is a public
officer and he must perform his duties
when requested to do so. 1t seems to me
that he should receive reasonable com
pensation for his services"
The revenue law requires that a 25-cent
stamp be affixed to the protest. 1t is a
matter of strong doubt whether or MOI
the notary has a right to exact payment
for this stamp. The act of the legislature
says that the fees allowed by 1t shall he
a full compensation for the service Of
noting, protesting and giving notice. ana
as the stamp must be affixed by the NOT
airy, under the provisions of the revenue
law, it seems that he should bear this
expense also. However 1t has been the
practice among the notaries here to charge
the stamp to their customers and the fee
is so small the latter are not disposed
to kick.
1t is possible that the next legislature
may be asked to make some change in the
law and to arrange the fees upon a more
equitable system. The plan usually ad-
vocated is to allow one fee for the noting
and protesting, and an additional one for
each notice sent to parties to the instru-
| ment. When a number of notices are re-
quired to be written and sent, the labor
and time involved are necessarily greater
than when the notices are few, and for
this extra compensation should be allowed
The fees allowed under the old law
had been the subject of complaint among
| business men generally for some time
Two years ago an act, similar In its ma
ture to the one now enacted into law
passed the lower house, but failed to
reach the Senate. Al the time the banks
| of Savannah, through the clearing house
protested against its passage. A change
| in the law was needed, but the notaries
and most of the business men think the
one that has been effected entirely too
sWeening and radical