Amador ledger., 1903-03-06
The Salary Bill.
lone, March 2, 1903.

lone, March z, 1913.
Editor ger:-Last weeks Ledger
contained some criticisms on the pro-
posed bill" to change the compensa-
tion of township officers of Amador
county from the present ''fee system
to fixed salary. Among other things,
it claimed that the constitutions placed
bar" on the proposed mode of re-
muneratlng the present incum bents of
township offices. claiming that tie
change involved an increase of salary.
We are not lawyer, but we are firmly
convinced that the change
cally-is not au increase in salary, but
merely change in the mode of COM
pensation, for the reason that the pro-
posed bill limits the maximum COM
pensatlon Of justice of the peace to
S35 or $40 per month, while the present
fee system places the limit which JUS
tide OF the peace may receive in any
one month at SIS. (See statutes OF
1889 Hence the proposed bill would
simply remove the uncertainty of S75
per month to certainty of S35. Again,
II 1t is an increase. as claimed, what
mathematical process would we adopt
to arrive at the amount of increase:
Upon what basis would we begin the
calculation? If the salary ofa superior
judge should be moved from s35OO to
$4,000 per aunum, that would be an
absolute increase.
The compensation of township officers
of Amador is so varying and uncertain
that only those who are peculiarly
situated are willing to accept the re-
! sponsibility. Qualification Is necessary,
| esponsibility great, bonds have to be
given, offices to be furnished and main
tained, books and papers to be cared
for, and the officer required to be
always on hand. 'sWell-eq uipped' -
men do not seek responsible positions
at small wages, and yet the litigant of
SO is as much entitled to correct SER
vice as the litigant Of $1,000. 1t is
claimed that the entire time of town
ship officers is not required in the per-
| formance OF his official duties. True
enough, yet he cannot leave his beat
and go elsewhere to find employment.
1t would be a travesty on business
principles to pay prison guard "only
when he met with breach of the peace.
The trend of public opinion is "better
wages" and the betterment of the con-
ditions of the "man-with-tho hoe. y
Low compensation has induced many
of our unfortunate strikes, and always
| begets unwilling service.
The life of a constable is in as great
danger as the highest paid sheriff in the
land, and should be rewarded for the
risk. Witness the fate of constable
Holman of Calaveras year ago, and
the narrow escape of constable Parker
of Costumes few days since.
And, now, if there is any merit in
the proposed change of compensation
of township officers from fee to salary,
why are not present incumbents en-.
titled to the benefits of the act? Law
is intended to meet out justice, and the
OK that ploughs the corn of to-day is
as much entitled to be fed as the Jack
of tomorrow, and the pioneer who
plants the vine and fig should not be
cut off from their fruits by technicali
ties of law.
| In conclusion let me say, that if the
above named changes in the compen.
sation of tOwship officers should become
a law, and as it only concerns the tax
payers of the county it should be left
to the good judment of the board oil
supervisors and not to the courts.
JAMES MCCAULEY.