The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-26
VETOED SHERIffS' FEE BILL.
MR.. POTTER EXPLAINS HIS POSI-
TIoN IN REGARD THERETO.
Letter to His Constituents, Who Had
Endorsed the Governors Position
Generally Rs to Vetoes.

Austin. Texas. March Ex-senator Pot
ter has written the following letter:
Hon. j. H. Dllls. Hon. C. l.. Vowel and
others. Sherman, Texas.
Gentlemen: | notice in today's papers
that mass meeting of the citizens OF
Sherman had been held, and that you gem
tlemen, together with some oilers, re-
ported resolutions indorsing the COVER
nors veto of what is called the fee bill
and also instructing your representatives
to sustain the veto, do not suppose that
this resolution was intended as any per-
sonal criticism of myself, though it will
doubtless be so understood by the people
that read 1t. OF course do not care--in
fact. 1t is none OF my business--what in
dorsement is given the governor for his
action. The only object OF this letter is
to call your attention to my position. and
my reasons for it. The bill vetoed is not
tho fee bill at all. The fee bill as un-
derstood by all Is bill containing twen-
ty-seven sections and covering ten pages
OF the acts of the last legislature With
this bill. together with the principles UNI
derlylns the same, | am as much in ac-
cord as any man could be. / call your
attention. however, to the fact that the
OH vetoed only sought to make some
slight changes In one section of this bill.
Inat section contains principle, viz:
1t provides that sheriff serving a num-
Der or subpoenas In different cases at the
same time shall only receive one mile
age; provides for the manner of taking
care OF witnesses In taking them to for
elsn courts, the amount and mode OF ex-
penditure, the manner OF taking bonds
t.,ktp
be taken. These principles are In no
wise interfered with or attempted to be
changed in the bill introduced by myself
amending this section which was recently
vetoed by the governor. The changes made
were TO raise from so cents to the enor-
nous sum OF one dollar the fee for maxi
ing arrest in felony cases and TO change
the mileage from four cents TO Ave cents
when travelling alone, and from eight cents
TO ten cents when travelling with a pris-
oner. and slightly increasing the fees for
summons OF a jury, etc. ! call your at
tention 10 the fact that the Twenty fifth
legislature, in 1897, when II undertook
TO make general fee bill evidently lost
sight Of this fact and again scaled the
sherins fees, along with other officers,
about 20 per cent making their loss much
greater than that of any other class OF
officers. This, taken In connection with
the recent adcrtion of the bankruptcy
law-the effect of which was TO do away
with nearly all commercial litigation and
take from the sheriffs' fees the item Of
attachment in civil cases. commissions on
sales, etc.--in such cases so greatly re-
duced the amount of the fees OF the sher-
ms in this State as TO seriously impair
the efficiency OF this office. We do not
understand that by the Endorsement of the
fee bill in the platform was intended to
prohibit the remedying OF any mistake in
the law that may have worked to hard
ship on any officer. and do think no Just
man would so interpret II. From the af-
hdavits on file in the comptroler's office
by the sheriffs of this State we can see.
II they are to be taken as true, that more
than 100 OF our sheriffs are scarcely paw
ing expenses. | take II that 1t Is the bet
ter plan to follow this sworn testimony
than II would be 10 be governed by mere
hearsay. Our platform has for many years
declared In favor OF the strict enforcement
OF the law. This was announced also as
the platform OF every man in this state
who ran for State office. There GER
tainly can be no enforcement OF the law
unless the vlolators of the law are an
pretended and brought before a court 10
receive the punishment provided by law
Besides. the people of Texas pay into The
treasury In round numbers each wear
S2.500,000 dollars. This is expended m
run the STATE government, TO pay all SAY
aries. and here at Austin Is made 10 In.
clude ice. steuographers. clerk hire nor.
tiers, gardeners and many other thinss
The only pittance that our home neonIs
receive out OF this enormous sum n IN.
little that is paid back 10 them thro,,rs
tho shoriffs cnies, the district clsrk 49,
county attorneys e6icea. In pAymsat a