The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-17
WHY OFFICIAL SALARIES
IN HAWAII SHOULD GO UP
Strong Argument by George B. Mcclellan on
the Question of Higher Pay for Some
of Our Public Servants.


tive position on this subject.
Mr. Lloyd. What is the character OF
the bar in Honolulu?
Mr.. Mcclellan. In my judgment, the
bar in Honolulu will compare most fav-
orably with that of the larger cities of
the United States, both in professional
ability and in character. Almost all
of the members of the Honolulu ba- are
men with college and law-school train
ing, and to secure a practise of any
Importance they must be thoroughly
versed in both English and American
law and decisions. / would like to re-
fer to the Federal or district judge.
The bill provides here that Federal
4 judge shall receive $1,000. That is the
same salary paid in this country to
the circuit judges. I would also call
the attention of the committee to the
fact that the Federal court in Hawaii
has the jurisdiction both of a district
court and of a circuit court, and, as
a matter of fact, the volume of litiga-
ton there has been SO heavy that it is
necessary to ask for a second Federal
Judge That matter has been taken
under advisement by the Committee on
the Judiciary. No action has as yet
been taken.
Mr.. Higgins. Will you put into the
record the aggregate salaries paid to
the judges, marshals, etc, in Hawaii?
Mr.. Mcclellan. l will secure the fig
ures and append them to the record.
I would like to add to the record a
recommendation made by the Attorney
General in regard to the compensation
of the Federal judges, in which he says
that those salaries in such cases should
be increased. The Attorney General
says
COMPENSATION OF JUDGES.
MY attention has been called by GER
tain Federal judges to the great in
crease in the expenses of living
throughout the entire country which
has taken place since their salaries
were last adjusted by the Congress. I
gladly comply with the suggestion
made by them, in submitting d state
ment of this undoubted fact for the
consideration of the Congress. Al pres
ent a judge ought to have, and, indeed,
can have, very little opportunity to
earn money in addition to his salary,
and he is often obliged to spend more
than he otherwise might by reason of
the dignity of his office and due re-
gard to the demands of public and pro-
fessional opinion. 1t seems clear that,
in one respect at least, a more liberal
provision should be made for some of
our Federal judges. Many of them are
obliged TO hold court in several local.
ities within their respective districts,
and as a judge can ordinarily be at
home in only one of these localities it
seems to be equitable that he should
have the same allowances for expenses
NJ holding court al in mr.
suance of law which he now has when
required to hold court beyond the limits
of his district. l respectfully advise
an appropriate amendment to the ex-
listing law to give effect to this sug-
gestion.'
Mr.. Capron Is it not a fact that
Judge Dole's court has been about the
worst overworked of any of the United
States districts anywhere? I was told
that that court was in session almost
continuously the whole day and year.
1t works longer than do the postal Of
ficials.
Mr.. Mcclellan. That is true, and I
think it is a very great injustice that
a man of the ability of Judge Dole, pre-
siding over a court carrying the litiga-
ton which that court does, and consid-
ering the Importance of the litigation,
involving such large amounts, should
receive such a small salary as $4,000:
and I want to call attention to a special
injustice that has been done that court
up to this time. The Judge of that
court has been receiving only $4,000 a
year, whereas the district judges in the
United States receive $4,000 The judge
In Hawaii is doing three times the
volume of business ordinarily done by
a Federal district court, and at $1,000
a year less salary. It seems to me
that the Importance of the position of
the judge in Hawaii should command
salary as large or larger than the
circuit judges in the United States. He
should receive q salary of $1,000 year,
and should not receive a cent less. His
court is performing the duties of botn
courts. The volume of the Federal
courts business is great It includes
questions of revenue, of counterfeiting,
of admiralty, of bankruptcy, and other
large classes of litigation.
Mr.. Smith In that connection I
might state that there is a small, out
of-the-way Territory named Arizona.
where they pay the judge only $4,000 a
year, and he is the nisi prius judge.
the district judge, and the circuit
judge, and has all of those cases.
Mr.. Mcclellan. I can only speak for
the conditions as they exist in Hawaii.
| will now come to the last item, the
question of the salary of the United
states marshal in Hawaii. I submit
the resolution of the Merchant Asso-
citation on the subject. The resolution
is as follows:
Merchants Association Of Honolulu,
Honolulu, Hawaii. December 6, 1907.
Hon, Jonah K. Kalanianaole, Con-
gressional Delegate for Hawaii,
Washington, D. c.
Sir: 1t has been brought to the
notice Of the Merchants Association of
Honolulu that the salary of the Uni
ted states marshal in this Territory Is
not at all commensurate with the posi-
ton which this officer has to fill. The
facts regarding the duties performed
and the amount of work done by the
marsha's office have been placed be-
fore the association, and the inclosed
resolution was recently passed at a
meeting of the directors.
The directors Of the Merchants AS