The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-21
THE SALARIES OF JUDGES AMI
OTHER OFFICIALS.

The Winston Sentinel pays ndnd-
some and deserved compliment TO
Hon r. B. Jones, who is holding his
first term in his home county since
his election as Superior court judge.
The generous words of communication
show that Judge Jones is honored
in his own home. Closing the words
of appreciation of. Judge Jones the
Sentinel says:
"A Judge of the Superior court In
this State comes close to the people.
He determines their most important
rights, pertaining to their lives. 'ib-
erty and property. Thus to win the
approval of the people in administer
ing justice is a great honor; none
greater is granted to men.
And how i'll paid! There are twen-
ty-f1ve clerks of the Superior court
and sheriffs and one-half of the solic-
TORS of the State who are paid nearly
double that which is given judge.
What commentary!
For the largest measure of useful
ness the Superior court judge has the
greatest office in the State. 1t is like
wise the most laborious and compels
the incumbent TO deny himself the
pleasures and comforts of home and
family. This paper hopes that the
legislature will see its way clear to
increase the salaries of the Supreme
and Superior court judges. 1t is an
that will meet with popular approval.
The statement of the Sentinel that
"there are twenty-five clerks of the
Superior court and sheriffs and one
half the solicitors of the State who
are paid nearly double that which is
given a judge is one that legislators
ought to seriously consider. 1t is
said that the Treasurer, Sheriff, Clerk
and Register of Deeds of Wake, Neck
lenburg and other large counties all
receive larger salaries than is paid the
Governor Of North Carolina. AS TO
that, nobody knows because there is
no law requiring any county officer
to make returns of the emoluments
of office, though there should be a
statement to some authority from
every official in county and State by
which the taxpayer could know how
much every public official receives.
The Committee on Salaries and
Fees ought to be the strongest COM
mittee in the Legislature. There is
need of careful and business-like
oyerhauling of the laws to the end
that all public salaries and fees shall
be fair. and just. and that they shall
be certain and known to the tax-pay-
ers. 1t has been a long time since
attention was given to this matter. No
official, in the State or in the coUn-
ties, should be paid a niggardy sal
ary 1t is equally wrong to pay lar
ger salaries than the work is worth
The Legislature should obtain all nee
essary information and make such
changes as will prevent either Mig
gardly or princely salaries.
This paper believes and has long
believed that all public officials should
be paid a stipulated salary, and that
all fees collected should be turned into
the treasury. We would make eX-
ception of no officer There is no
more reason why a solicitor, FOR ex-
ample, should be paid by fees thar
why judge should not derive his
compensation from the number of
cases he tries. And it is certain that
the judges should not be paid less
salary than the solicitors, for the judge
is denied the right to practice law
while some of the solicitors arc SO
situated that they can continue in the
active practice of their profession.
Stop the fee business, Cut it up
nd fr.n,, ol,f