Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-09
FOR A NEW JUDGE
Some of the Local Attorneys Are
 Not Enthusiastic AbOut One.

Not all the members of the Water-
 bury bar are of one mind regarding the bill which aims to have a deputy ljudge chosen for the police court. Neither are the aldermen in agree
 ment on the question and it is like Fly that some of them will shy a few
 missiles at it Monday night unless
 something happens in the meantime
 to change their minds.
 To begin with many members of the bar claim that there is no need of a deputy judge for the city court of Waterbury so far as the public lis concerned, and hint that the end 1 in view is to make the work still lighter for Judge Burpee. It seems that about six hours is regular days work for a judge, but from all
 accounts the presiding officer of the lefty court of Waterbury rarely, if ever, is on the bench more than half that time. One of the attorneys told a representative of this paper that 1 if there is a desire to make job for
 somebody else he dosen't care to
 make a fuss about it, but he had no hesitation in stating that there is no need of another judge for the | city court unless you want to make the judgeship sinecure. Notwith- standing what had been said about the number of justices cases heard in Waterbury. this gentleman said that justice trial in Waterbury is something that rarely happens and that he didn't think the number
 amounts to ten in the rounds of year. The attorneys make out the writs, he said, an officer serves them
 and in ninety-nine cases out of
 hundred the parties come in and settle, and that is all there is to them. This same thing would go
 on if you had dozen judges so that
 you see the purpose of this move is
 to give some good republican a
 berth. If the republican party wants
 to stand for that sort of thing ne was of the opinion that there is like lihood of the party of retrenchment land economy being called to steer
 the ship of state for time, because, he added, it simply means paying
 a judge $2,O0O a year and another H,500 to hang around and do the actual work
 The proposition to raise the salar- ies of the officials of the district court is also being criticized, and while many of the faithful are op- posed to it they can't afford to say so, for they know that if they should
 be detected putting straw in the
 way of the machine they would fare worse than a man convicted of
 throwing dynamite in front of a
 railroad train. He would be down and out for keeps and the fear of being shelved prompts every one of them who has any political aspira- tions to keep his tongue in his cheek. They are displeased at the idea of seeing to advance the salary Q Judge Cowell from $3,0OO to $4,OOO, especially when it is known that Judge Cowell will retire two years hence and that Judge Burpee will step into his shoes so that really the jump in salary is made for Burpee instead of for Cowell. In like man. ner lot of opposition exists regard ing the plan to advance the salary of Deputy Judge Peasley of the dis trict court from $1,5O0 to $2,5OO. Those who are familiar with the amount of work performed in the district court consider 1t a down. right shame to pay such salaries for the service rendered. At most Judge Cowell doesn't sit over 15O days fin the year and the actual time put in there by Judge Peasley does not
 exceed two months. This means that
 the judges of the district court get about $20 or $25 day for the time they are occupied. U. G. Church. prosecuting attorney in the district court is to have an increase of from
 $l,5O0 to $1.800. This is said to
 be worse than any of the others. It
 is charged that the duties of that office does not take up more than fourteen days out of the year and that it is an office that could be abolished without causing the slight est inconvenience. Heretofore Clerk Root was paid on the fee system. but unless plans miscarry he will be put on salary of $2,0O0 in the near future. This is said to be about right, because the clerk has to devote practically all his time to the duties of the office and conse- quently cannot conduct a private
 business. Mir Marsh was in the legislature two years ago and took care of himself.
 Mutterings of dissatisfaction are heard in many quarters about this wholesale raising of salaries of men who don't earn what they are be- ing paid now and If somebody had the courage to take the initiative the thing would be kicked sky high so far as the board of aldermen are concerned. More than one wound like to do it. but none of them thinks he can afford to make the sacrifice. Nothing is charged against the sacrifice. Nothing is charged the court oficfals except that they are not earning their salaries. Most of them are actively engaged in the practice of law and the idea of nav ing men anywhere from S1.5e0 10 5000 year who have an ofice practice that takes up four-fifths of their time does not set just right on people who want to let the city get square deal There Is no po-
 ftics in the opposition to tacking on additions to salaries. but Ii Is strongly hinted that if the demo- cratic party was at the helm and this kind of business going on. the