The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-23
PITTS on the FEE Law,
Dsss Not Approve Of the Measure or It's
Motive.
SAYS THAT THERE is DISCRIMINATION
County Ofncials' salsry Cut Down
while state Officials Are
Untouched.

joint meeting OF the county judges, clerks,
trcasurers and district clerks on the fee
bill created decided sensation yesterday.
Tho speech in full is as follows.
The invitation of your president to ad-
dress you on this occasion affords me a
pleasant honor. 1t has been my lot TO Oh
serve many conventions where the object
was to secure the best public offices, but
have seldom. had the qualification OF at
tending one where all the officers sought
to attain and promote the best public
service
The word convention, meaning, as it
does, a meeting or coming together, COW
ers multitude Of gatherings. 1t might
be applied 10 the Paw Huska and Usage
Indians. who have just finished q seven
days smoke dance at Gray Horse. 1t GER
tainly would apply to the great snake
dance OF the Moqui Indians In Arizona,
on account of its resemblance to politi-
cal convention, for had our last State
convention held forty eight hours longer
II would have ended in the biggest snake
dance OF the century.
Conventions exist in some form or other
wherever the human race abides and in all
there is SOME purpose; wnen one of the
great political parties gains all the offices
the other proceeds to mold many wa! ;
and means" cGtventions. When shs eei-
eral government takes more ls,1 away
from the Indians and cuts down their ra-
lions, they call a meeting Of the tribes
10 make medicine" and have "a green
corn dance" But when our political In
uian agents cut down your ratioas ore
half, you meet to improve your service in
stead of your larder, and Il the situation
don't get better soon, you. too, Viii have
10 dair, nd Ia n.A an
corn dance.
The county officials of Texas viii. not
have an easy task to improve their work
under present conditions. unless they are
as resourceful as the Irishman said ut tho
Frencnman. who was executed. Pat had
seen French officer beheaded with the
sword. and being fond of sensations told
on his return to ireland. that The mans
hands were bound behind him with chains
and that when his mead was cut of the
victim picked 1t up and set 1t back in its
right place"
stop. Bat" said one of his ccm?1nions,
Its lying We are, for how could the iaon
pick up his head with his hands ;ied be-
hind him
"Begorra." replied Pat. its swe,o fool
we are. for the gentleman picked It up wild
his teeth
And so it will be with your conditions
with your hands bound behind YOU. aud
your heads cut off, it may be possible for
you to pick up your lost wages. but you
will have to do so with your teeth.
In all seriousness, you may depend ON
the people TO allow you fair eom1ensa-
ton foT your services when they i"s IN
how unjustly 1t has been reduced
The great value of the work performed
by our courts of law. and its vital and I'M
portant character. serve to emphasize tns
necessity of competent men in all OF those
exacting departments
The people are more closely associated
with the judiciary than any other depart
ment of the government, and the relation
OF clerks TO the officers, attorneys, jurors
witnesses. litigants and the people, makes
the position one of great and varied re-
sponsibilities.
All clerks must take the oath prescribed
by the constitution and give bond in the
sum OF $4,000 for district. and as high as
1000 for county clerks. conditioned tor
the safe keeping OF records and the faith
full discharge Of the duties OF the othce'
For any injurious act of omission or com
mission they are held responsible to the
full amount Of their bonds, If the injury be
so great.
To the clerk the court must look for the
correct entry of its orders. DEGREES and
judgments. as well as the preservation of
its records, for on that work depends the
most important auluuicateu riShls VI the
people
In all the varied and exactIng duties OF
court clerk, their labors have been faith
fully and efficiently performed. both to
the courts and the people. therefore 1t be-
comes a duty the people owe their public
servants 10 keep informed as to the value
of their services, their manner OF per-
formance and the amount of their remn-
neration. This Is necessary in order to
nrs, alma in far nf
class of employees and against another in
the distribution of public funds for public
services
That such determinations have been
made for political ends there can be no
doubt. comparison Of the officers whose
fees have hem reduced with those whose
fees have not been changed. leaves no
question about It.
The observation becomes more interest
ing to the people when they reflect that
there are two classes of public servants,
one elected by the people. and one APP
pointed by high officials, and that the
great Economy campaigns" have been d.
rested against the elective and not the APP
pointive officers Shrewd politicians recog-
nize several strong reasons for this, among
which may be cited the probability that a
campaign against eight or nine county Of
flcials would not invite as much opposition
rs one against the hundreds and hundreds
who held positions by appointment. The
appointments are political patronage, given
chiefly to reward political loyalty to the
successful, and any reduction on that side
would lessen the political value OF the APP
pointment, hence you find that our great
Economy politicians have been silent on
this score, whilestheir pharlsaical denun-
Citations have been directed against the
few county officials whose positions would
not permit them to make political fight
against reduction of their compensation.
The sole purpose Of some politicians
seems to have been based on the idea that
II great cutlery was made against some
one for receiving exorbitanf fees and loot
Ing the treasury, the people would say,
Here Is watch dog OF the treasury: It
will be public calamity II he is not elect
ed TO office"
This class OF calamity bowling was
raised against the pay Of Legislators. and
their salaries were reduced to 81 per day
after the nrst sixty days and put on level
With the pay OF negro porter. while all
All other officers and clerks were unmo-
Tested ana allowed to draw their full pay
o. - or IS per day for the remainder OF
the term.
The campaign cry against district Judges
ana the claim that the judicial districts
werp too nuinerous and we're sapping the
treasury. WAS found TO be political ca
nara, ana that In truth more districts were
- 4 - IL $500 "a