The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-05-24

lalnS position that fees OF state officers
should be abolished There is ccan-cu issue be-
tween them. Let MS see what it is Mr. Chamberlain
said
"Thc compensation Of the secretary of state and
expenses of his Office have been increased beyond the
constitutional limit by legislature after another
until it now reaches the enormous sum of S22,OOO."
Mr.. Fulton said
"NOw, what do you understand he means by the
compensation of the secretary of state being OOO?
Dou you understand him to mean that his compensa-
tion was $4,000 per annum? And yet as Il matter
of fact-and challenge Mr. Chamberlain to show to
the contrary-the entire compensation of the secre-
tary of state and all of his clerks and stenOgraphers
of his Office, aggregate but S11 200 per year. paid by
the state do not Spcdk Of the compensation he de-
rcs from fees pail by pirate parties for scrriccs rem
dcrcd"
But those fees were the very things Mr.. Chamber
lain speaking Of Mr.. Chamberlain's statement
stands uncontradcted, chat the compensation of the
secretary of state and expenses of his Office now reach
es the enormous sum of $50, 900" This compensation
and these expenses paid by the state 81 200 and
the balance, S1O,SOO is derived from fees charged
private individuals for the official services of the sec
retary
that is right Mr. Chamberlain thinks that is wrong
And there is your issue.
And Mr. Chamberlain is quite right He is right
in his statement that the Secrctarys Office costs the
people $4,000 per year And he is right in his argu
ment that it ought not to cost the people that sum-
What difference does it make that about half is paid
out of the state treasury and the other half by private
individuals who taxed that amount for services
which, under the law, the secretary is obliged to per-
form? The money comes out of the people in either
case and it goes into the pocket of the secretary of
state OF course of it is expenses of the Office
but since the state pays these expenses and the sal
airy of the secretary of state it follows that the secre
aIy of state makes his salary more than so 900
per annum.
Now Mr., Chamberlain has said that these extra
fees are unconstitutional and he is right about that
Lawyers and courts skilled i'm such matters NAV be
required to consrue doubtful or ambiguous provisions
of the constitution, but when the language is plain il
needs no construction The people can read Instead
of arguments therefore, quote the entire section
of the constitution the subject
"Artcle MIL Section 1. The governor shall
receive an annual salary of $500 The secretary of
state shall receive an annual salary of $500 The
Judges of the supreme court shall each receive an an
nual salary of $4,000. They shall receive no fees or
perquSites whatever for the performance of any du
ties connected with their respective offices; and the
compensation Of officers if not fixed by this constiu-
tion shall be provided by law"
"'They shall receive no fees or perquisites what
ever for the performance of any duties connected with
their respective Offices But the secretary of state is
receiving for himself something over $4,000 per an
mum in fees for the performance of duties connected
with his office Now, what becomes of Mr.. Futon's
challenge,
These fees are unconstitutional They are also
unconscionable The Democratic platform is for cut
ting them off Mr., Chamberlain proposes to fulfill
the pledges of that platform For so stating in his
speeches Nh. Fulton attacks him with acerbity He
does not attack these fees And speaking for Mr. Fur
nish, he defends them.
But the Republican platform attacks these ex.
mvagant fees, 1t promises to put the state officers
ON fiat salaries
If II meant what it said then Chamberlain is al
SO in accord with the Republican platform ON that
subject And equally so, Mr. Furnish is not in accord
with it, He repudiaes it, He defends the fee system
If Mr. Furnish is elected they won't be disturbed,
if he can help it, And, just surely if Mr. Chamber.
lain is elected, they will be abolished if he can accom-
plish that result
IAu.a - -,I..