The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-13
WANT MORE PAY.
State Officers Think That They
Are Underpaid.
Supreme Court Justices First to
Be Considered.
LITTLE ATTRACTION.
Most Lawyers Must Make Sacri-
fees to Accept Positions.
Governor Now Receives More
Than Any Other officer.

The first five days of the legislative
session which begins on Tuesday, jan
uary 8. may see general scramble for
a raise in pay by all the state officers.
The legislature meets on the Sth,
and the newly elected state officers are
not sworn in until Monday, Jan. IA.
From Tuesday until Saturday the leg
islature has a chance to pass a bill
raising the pay of state officers which
will take effect before January IA. and
give all the newly elected officials
boost in pay. The salaries can not be
raised during the terms of office to
which they have been elected.
The talk Of increasing pay has start
ed with the proposed increase for jus
tees of the supreme court. The jus
tices now get SO, 900 a year each. This
Is $500 more than most Of the other
state officers. but there is a very gen.
eral sentiment that the supreme court
justices should be paid $4,000 or Sc
600 a year This would enable the
supreme court to attract the services
of able lawyers, some Of whom now
feel that they can not afford to give
up a private practice worth from $5,-
600 to $4,000 year TO work for the
state at $4,000.
However. the state constitution alb
solutely prohibits any increase in the
salary of an official during his term
of office. If the salaries of the su-
preme court justices are increased,
they ought to be increased before jan
uary IA. when the four recently re-
elected justices take their offices.
II the legislature should fail to en-
act a law increasing the pay of the
justices until after January IA it
would mean that Chief Justice John
ston and Justice Burch would have to
serve six years for $4,000 a year, even
though other justices might be getting
$4,000 or $4,000 a year.
1t would mean that Justices Green
and Porter would have 10 serve four
years for $4,000 a year, regardless of
other increases
Justices Mason and Smith have two
yeas more to serve before they are
eligible for an increase in pay. even II
one is granted.
If the legislature can get busy and
pass the bill increasing the salaries Of
the supreme court justices during the
first week of the session, the four JUS
tices recently reelected will all begin
to draw that salary on January IA, the
beginning of their new term.
Justices Mason and Smith Will have TO
be satisfied with their SO. 900 a wear until
the expiration of their present terms.
There is some possibility that if the
question of raising the salaries of the
elective officers of the state is opened UP
during the first few days of the session,
and an effort made to rush through leg
islation to take effect prior to the time
when the new officials take office. there
will be a strong pull made by some of
the other elective officers Of the state to
be included in the list All the state
/ officers except the governor now receive
/ 81, 500 a year For some time there has
4 been talk of increasing these salaries
/ There is no doubt that some of these
1 positions should command the services
of men worth much more than 81 500 a
/ year. This is especially true of the
Office of attorney general The inter
1 ests of the state are so immense that it
could we'll afford to have the best law
yer in the state to look after those in
/ terests, and the best lawyers in the
state can not be hired for 81. 800 a year.
/ But if the supreme court justices and
attorney general are raised the state
/ treasurer. secretary of state and state
officers who have to spend a lot for
/, campaign expenses will be ciamOring
4 at the legislative halls for a similar in
/ crease. And if these other officers are
not able to get the increase for them
selves, they may possess the power tc
defeat the legislation for everybody else.
The fact that legislation might be
/ present supreme court judges is justi-
! fed principally by the fact that the
! justices have such long terms that il
might be necessary to give the Justice
/ the benefit of the increase a once, II
he is to receive that benefit at all.
The following are the salaries now re-
ceived by the principal state officers:
! Secretary of State. ?, SOC