The Portland daily press., 1899-01-19
SALARIES OF THE JUDGES.
Chief Justice Peters Tells Why They
should Re Raised.


From the veteran Juri-t--Admtts
That His salary Has No where Near
Paid His Expenses.
Augusta, January is-The Peuobscot
delegation held a meeting Wednesday fore
noon and considered the report OF the
committee on the matter of raising the
salaries OF the supreme judges. The
Arguments will lie properly presented to
the judiciary committee Thursday.
Among the documents the most interest
ing is a letter from Chief Justice Peters,
which will be offered with the endorse
ment of the Penobscot county delegation.
Here's the letter In full:
Bangor. January 5, 1899.
Frederic ii. Parkhurst. Esq. House Oh
Representatives, Augusta;
Dear Sir--Yours Of the 4th inst, was
duly received, inviting, In behalf OF
yourself and your associates OF the
Penobscot delegation. my views OF the
necessity of raising the salaries OF the
Jpstl ces of this Supreme Judicial Court
by the present legislature. and 1 AIN nap
py to do right thing, as think am
doing. by compliance with your re
quest. We're my interest in the question
simply financial one l should hesitate
long before / would be willing to parlici-
pate personally In Its discussion. But,
AS IL cannot but be evident to all that my
further continuance In judicial office
must Mt the best be for n comparatively
brief period. l trust that public opinion
will at least accord TO me sincerity
OF purpose when declare that IL is vast
| IL more for the well being OF the state IT.
self than by any private considerations
| that 1 am influenced to urge upon the
legislature. through yourself as one OF
our representatives, the propriety anu
justice OF increasing the judicial salaries.
| | have never been an advocate of high
salaries for any kind Of positions In the
them best, nor do approve, as many of
| the bar know, of extiavaRant charges
| for professional services, which In my
Judgment have sometimes been excessive
in the practise in this state; out l think
u fair ana Just amount for salary OF
the judges can easily be agreed upon II
the result is arrived at upon a true APP
probation of the facts, anu without
prejudice My opinion Is most cmphati-
cally, that 900 Is not enough compen-
| sation for the services and expenses OF
judge of our highest court, and that 5000
is not too much for permanent salary,
| but would be as nearly Just and right
result AS perhaps could be reached uu-
der all the circumstances.
| have long seen that a gap existed and
was gradually widening between the
value of the services ofithe judges and
| the conf ensation received by them; and
| think If my friend, Governor Powers.
who is naturally an economist In public
affairs, should express his opinion on the
question, he would have to say that his
late experiences in filling IL vacancy on
the bench have len him to think so too.
/ will take 1t for granted that no per
son will deny that a judge OF our court
should receive an amount of snlary that
will be sufficient to afford reasonable
support for himself and his family. such
as will be n respectable support in his
Off oial position. lie has, as "a rule, no
opportunity of earning money outside of
his salary. lie caunot, as judges of In
ferior courts can and usually DO, prac-
tice law in other tribunals. lie may &C.
cept the task of sitting In references in
order TO exc out his deficient official COM
pensation, but In my Judgment he bettee
have salary enough 10 leave those alone
and give his whole service TO the state.
A Judge has many expenses that are not
perhaps fully appreciated by all persons
Il sides all the usual expenses OF living
and the education of his children. he
must maintain law library for his
own use. constant and costly expense 10
him. His travelling and boarding ex.
penses at the courts when away from his
home are decidedly heavy II he lives in
such places as COMFORTS with his official
position, and these are expenses which
have been steadily increasing. / have
always believed that the sensible people
OF my state woula not be satisfied with
its Judges taking Inferior rooms aud
chances at hotels, when ss representatives.
Of tho state we are likely often 10 receive
calls from eminent judges and other
oil cials from other states, and constant
~ from gentlemen OF our own bar; and
have always deported myself accord
ingly, or endeavored to do so. Sui the
Judges have always felt that they owed
to the state as among its representative
men a certain degree Of respectable liv-
ing ana conduct that would comport with