The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-04-25
The Increase In Judges
Salaries Not to Be
Paid BY State.
LEGISLATION WAS
SPECIAL FOR STARK
Additional $1,000 Must Re
Paid on Warrant Issued by
Auditor - Not In Force
During Present Term.

When the bill was passed by the re-
cent legislature increasing the salaries
of the resident common pleas judges
of Stark county. it was given out that
the state paid the entire salary.
The News-Democrat is in receipt of
copy of the bill. which shows that
while the state is still bound for the
$2,50O of the old salary, Stark county
will have to pay the added amount,
or $500.
The bill in its provisions Is what
is knoSn as special legislation, apply
ing 70 Stark county alone, and not
only that, but to actual resident judges
of the county. In order to secure the
increase judge must be a resident
of the county at the time Of his elec-
ton and remain in the confines of
tho county. Should he move out Of
the county, his salary will drop to the
amount fixed by the general statute.
There is a possibility that should
Carroll county ever attain her ambi-
tion and get a Judge, that the man in
one court room will get $2,500 and the
other $4,000 for filling the same place
and doing the same class of work.
NOT EFFECTIVE NOW.
This increase cannot affect the
judges who are on the bench at the
present time. 1t is said, and Judges
Harter and Amber will have to con-
tent themselves with the present sal
ary for three or four years yet. The
reason for this is provision Of the
constitution OF the state, which says:
;"They shall be paid such compensa-
tion as may be provided by law, which
shall not be increased or diminished
during their term of Office"
The amended part of the law, as
provided in the bill, is as follows:
ANY judge or judges of the court
of common pleas who at the time OF
their election. respectively reside in
Stark county, and shall thereafter
continue to reside in the same county
as at the time of their election as
aforesaid, shall receive in addition to
the salary paid out of the state treas
ury. the sum of fifteen hundred dollars
per annum, upon the warrant of the
county auditor, in the same manner
and at such times as Is provided for
the payment Of such judge or judges
out OF the state treasury"
OLD TIME SALARIES.
Prior to 1857, the common pleas
judges In Ohio received but $500 a
year. At that time the salary was in
creased to $2,500, and still remains at
that figure. Judge Frease was upon
the bench when the increase was made.
but did not benefit by 1t.
In the larger counties it became ap-
parent that the character of the men
who were wanted upon the bench made
it imperative 4 at more money be paid.
This could not be done by general law
so these counties took upon them
selves the burden. In Hamilton coun-
ty $500 was added to the salaries OF
the common pleas judges. making the
total $4,000. Increases have been
made in Cuyahoga, Montgomery
Franklin, Lucas, Brown and others
many of them giving $4,000 additional
thus doubling the salary.
The bill was introduced by Repre-
sentative Pollock, who took the ground
that In many smaller counties than
Stark. where the work was not Sc
great judges were paid more money
The Stark county delegation at Col
umbus was a unit for the bill