Amador ledger., 1903-01-30
JUSTICES SALARY PROPOSITION.

1t is reported that Assemblyman
McKenney, who is member of the
committee on county government, is
studying the proposition to place
the Justices of the Peace in Amador
county on salary basis, instead of
depending upon fees as at present.
The scope of the contemplated
change is not very clear. Our Sac
ramento correspondent says that it
refers to civil cases, while the cor
respondent of the Calaveras Pros
pect says that it relates to criminal
cases. The inference to be drawn is
that it includes both civil and crimi-
nal cases. In other words, the idea
is to have justices of the peace and
constables paid entirely from the
county treasury, instead of collect
ing their fees in civil matters from
the litigants. If this be the scope
of the proposed law, we believe our
assemblyman will be in line with the
sentiment of this county-the tax
paying portion at least-in moving
very carefully and slowly in this
matter. Who are the persons agi-
tating for the change? What are
the motives prompting the move
ment? What benefits are expected
to result from it? Will not the evils
likely to be developed by it more
than counterbalance the benefits?
These are inquiries demanding
thoughtful consideration. The truth
is, past experience in Amador coun
ty affairs lead US to view this move
ment with distrust. We know how
the fees collected in the higher
court = the superior court = have
been monkeyed with in the interest
of lawyers, and against the interests
of the taxpayers, until they have
practically ceased to be factor in the
revenue of the county. The cost of
civil litigation has been thereby
thrown upon the public treasury,
where the parties themselves should
be made to bear the burden. We
may be mistaken, but this new deal
for the justice courts shapes itself to
our mind like the entering wedge of
scheme to promote civil litigation
in Justices courts at the expense of
the taxpayers Justices and con-
stables now have to look entirely to
the parties to the suit for their
compensation plan which is just
and proper. But the result is that
civil business in these inferior courts
is at a low ebb-a condition also
which does not demand any public
regret. How to revive the business
is the problem evidently before some
minds. The plan is easy. Make
the justices and constables look to
the county for their reward for Of
fetal services, and let the fees COL
lected from the itigants be turned
into the treasury. The next move
will be to whittle the fee schedule
down to zero, for of course it would
not look we'll that the fees collected
in the petty courts should overtop
the revenue collected from superior
court cases. The pathway would
thus be cleared for the airing of
private differences at public ex-
pense, and boom all along the line
thereby created, with the tax
payers in the pleasing role of foot
ing the bills. We hope our repre-
sentatives will not be trapped on
this proposition. Instead of reduc-
ing the justice courts to the same
plane as the superior court, it would
be far more popular plan to boost
the superior court fees to a point
that would not show up so ridiculous
ly low when compared with the costs
to the taxpayers involved in the set
tlement of civil suits under the ex-
isting laws.