Amador ledger., 1903-09-25
THE ISSUE EXPLAINED.

THE ISSUE EXPLAINED.
As interested parties are doing
their utmost to create a false i'm
preston regarding the issue involved
in the township officers salary bill,
which is moving up to the supreme
court from this county, it is not out
of place to state the case plainly at
this time. The idea is given out
that justices and constables are be-
ing unjustly denied any compensa-
tion either under the old fee law or
the new salary bill, by the arbitrary
action of the auditor That they are
compelled, on account of his stand,
to either work for nothing, pending
the decision of the matter on appeal,
or resign their Offices This is not
the case, and never has been the
case. 1t is nothing more than an
effort to awaken sympathy and de-
ceive the public as regards the real
issue. No one denies that the JUS
tices and constables are entitled to
compensation; if not under the sal
ary law, they are still entitled to
pay under the fee system. This is
conceded. There is no dispute on
this proposition, and any attempt to
SOW a different impression is prompt
ed by ulterior motives. A bill was
passed by the last legislature chang
ing the pay of township officers from
fees to stated salary. Bills of a
similar character had been passed
for other count ties it is true: but as
far as we have been able to ascertain
the constitutional provision pro-
hibiting an increase OF compeGsa-
tion of any official during his term
'of office" was respected in all of
them. and the act was made to take
effect at the commencement of the
next term. But the bill boosting
the compensation of township off
GERS in Amador county took a diff
ferent course. 1t was by the terms
of the bill itself made to take effect
Immediately. All the then existing
township officers, elected under an
entirely different schedule of com
peusation, were at once clamoring
to be taken in under its liberal folds.
The bill itself was deliberately and
wilfully designed to set aside the
constitutional restriction bearing on
this question. Had the advocates
of the bill been content with making
it applicable to the next official term,
no question would have been raised
as to its validity. The wisdom of
the law even then may have been
doubted, but the constitutional OBJ
lection would not have been raised.
We venture to say that neither the
county auditor nor the district at
torney has the slightest personal
feeling in the matter. They are both
as anxious for the justices and con-
stables to get what they are legally
entitled to as those officers are them
selves. The offer has been made
that their bills under the fee system
be allowed by the supervisors as
heretofore, and paid by the treas
urer, pending the outcome of the ap-
peal of this case. If the auditor wins
on appeal, they would then have re-
ceived all they were entitled to; if
the township officers win out, they
would then be entitled to additional
pay sufficient to make up the amount
OF salary due under the salary bill.
Why this arrangement has not been
made we are unable to explain. The
fault for its miscarriage does not
rest with the appellant side of this
controversy. Realizing, however,
that the salary bill. with the take
effect Immediately" clause tackled
thereto, strikes down one of the
vitally important provisions of the
state constitution, the auditor and
district attorney deem it their duty
under the solemnity of their official
oaths, and for the protection of the
county and their bondsmen, and in
fact of all parties concerned, to have
the controversy solved by the higher
court. That is all there is to it. In
stead of wailing at the county Of
ficers for taking this course, the JUS
tices and constables, and their
friends, ought to hail with satisfac-
tion the prospect of a definite and
complete settlement of the points
involved