The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-02
This to Pay Judges 3d.
500 a Year.
SALARY OF SOLICITORS
Salaries and Fees Committee Agree
That Solicitors Should Be On Sal
AIRY Basis and the Matter Goes
to a Sub Committee For
Investigation.

iNVcStiydtlUH.
Fast and furious went the debate
yesterday afternoon before the House
Committee on Salaries and Fees, the
subjects of the salaries of solicitors
and of the judges of the Superior and
Supreme Courts being the topic.
The discussion of 81 bill 10 put the
solicitors CT the State on a straight
salary basis of $4,000 a year in place
Of fees and allowances resulted i'm var
icus figures being named sl,SOo,
$4,000, $2,250, $4,000. Finally the
matter was referred to O. sub commits
tee TO investigate, this committee to
seek out some equitable plan. A vote
was taken on the matter and the
unanimous voice Of the committee was
Tor salaries in place of fees.
The Senate Bill putting the salary
OF all the judges. Supreme and super
Tor, at So, 500 brought on an avalanche
of speeches for and against. Some
wanted $4,000 others $3.50, others
$500. while some stood out for no
increase at ALL The bill finally re-
ceivea a favorable report by the SKIN
of it's teeth. eight members voting Tor
the increase 10 $500. while seven
voted against this. The amendment
providing for $3.50 was voted down,
seven to four.
The solicitors salary bill was first
read by Mr. Little of Pitt, who intro-
'drced the bill He spoke of its value.
that il would end q multiplicity of bills
drawn by the solicitors dignity the po-
sition and would save $4,000 Il year
to the State That with this bill the
solicitors would not run about picking
up little cases to add to their salaries
some of which they ought to be
ashamed to prosecute. The salary ar
rangement would be better for the
people and the State at large, that
North Carolina was the only State III
the Union now or the fee basis.
Mr.. Ninbcrne, Of HEREFORD, thought
the principle was a good one, ana that
The only trouble would be to Tx the
amount as some solicitors now receive
cd q large salary, some a small one
He held $4,000 to be too much and
said $1,000 ought to do, though this
wculd make some solicitors Kick ike
Young mules He declared 81 a
Judges salary, not a. solicitor'ss. as the
latter could follow his profession and
increase his salary. a thing which
Judge could not do. lie declared Tor
salary with all fees and allowances
cut off.
Mr.. Woodland. of Wilson, favored a
salary. but thought it should be $1,000
with the 500 allowance for each court,
now paid by the State, this making the
amount from S2,250 to $1,000. Judge
Winborne agreed. but making second
calculation, thought the $50 allowance
for each court would DC too much.
Mr.. Biggs, of Durham, said this
would be an additional expense on the
State or make the counties pay he
favored the general principle. but de-
clared IL would work q hardship on
the solicitors who worked In big dis,
Z, Nrly ND
$4,000 to $4,000 a year, while the little
district men would get the best OF 1t.
some of these now making but from
$1,000 to 1900 n year. He desired
statistics and a plan to equaliZe me
salary. Figures were made by MEM
bers of the committee and the salaries
were found to range from Sl,5Oo 10
$500 a year.
Mr.. Cunningham, of Person, declared
"the laborer is worthy of his hire,
and held that the men in the big dis
tricts should receive more than the
men in the small districts, that they
worked more He held that any
change should not go into effect till
after the next election, and agreed
with the gentleman from Durham,
whom he referred to as Major Gem
eral'' Biggs.
Mr.. McNinch, of Mecklenburg. said
that no unfairer proposition had been
offered that the men in big districts
would he dealt in an unjust man
ner that his district paid from
$4,000 10 $4,000. and this bill would
not be just to the solicitor there. He
entered a protest against the $1,000
proposition, saying no man who would
be competent could be obtained TO ac-
cebtably fill the position at that fig
IRE, that it was a bid for cheap men
and was impracticable.
Mr.. Graham, of Granville, said the
plan was practicable and ought to be
adopted if an equitable has could be
reached He suggested a re-arrange-
nent of q stricts SO as to equalize work
and declared $4,000 should he the sal
ary; that solicitors with but third or
half their time occupied could double
or treble their earnings by private
practice.
Just at this juncture Ex-Governor Ay-
cock appeared at the door and Dusl-
ness was suspended while members
greeted the popular gentleman from
Goldsboro. Mr.. Graham continued
and said that the average salary OF IA
lawyer did not exceed $1,000, that
la ,yyers we're generally a poorly paid
class He was rather inclined to
$4,000. with the $50 allowed for at
tendance at court. Before action was
taken he thought more information
should be had, ard moved that sub
committee TO look into the matter of
this and of re-arranging of districts
be appointed.
Mr.. Feimster, of Catawba, was for
salaries, for a redistricting, and If this
was done, for an election of solicitors
by all the people, just as the judges
are elected.
Mr.. Woodland, of Wilson said the
work was more nearly equal than Was
thought, that the men In metropolitan
districts could live at good hotels,
while in some districts there was hard
riding for solicitors. He favored q
salary plan. it would dignity the Office,
and weed out multiplicity of cases,
such as bringing suit in three cases