The sun., 1909-01-28
StPREME COURT SALARIES.
II IL . Reproach 90 the Country That the
Justices Are Paid so Poorly.

70 DO uODtu inc HOUSE VIII IdhO
broader and wiser view Of this question ol
the Supreme Court salaries than the Senate
Is disposed to do.
The true standard for such salaries is moi
so much what those able men In the Su.
preme Court could have made II they had
remained at the bar. but what the country
ought to pay them for the sake Of preserv-
ing Its own self-respect." And yet the
amount OF their salary should certainly
have some reln tion to what they could earn
as lawyers. There is therefore great force
In the contention that tho minimum salary
for a Justice OF the Supreme Court ought
TO approximate TO the minimum income
that could be earned at the bar by any man
qualified for such position. That income
would never be less than $4,000 year. and
would oftener reach $50 900. and sometimes
even 100000.
No one who Is conversant with the rather
mediocre ability Of the overwhelming ma
jority OF the Circuit and District Federal
Judges will doubt for moment that more
adequate salaries would enable successive
Presidents by means OF their own appoint
ments gradually TO improve the ability and
standing OF those courts.
On the other hand It Is probably true
that in the case of the Supreme Court more
money would not mean better Judges" for
the ablest lawyers are always proud o servo
on that bench, even at the present meagre
salary. But isn't IL rather small for this
big and prosperous country 10 give its
Supreme Court Justices Just one-fourth Of
the salary England gives its Lord Chief
Justice? IL a Supreme Court Justice has no
income beyond his salary OF si?, 500 and has
a family Of children TO educate 1t Is simply
impossible for him under tho conditions :
/ wt.s.. l.tt.
10 his widow and children. n he has sons
of sturdy health they can OF course take
care of themselves and be all the bet ter for
having to mako their own way; but can
any Senator look the American people in
the face and say that there Is anything I'M
wholesome or un-American In the plea that
a Judge should have sufficient salary out Of
/ which TO accumulate n small estate for his
widow aud children. if he has any?
! To lug in rs a counter argument against
50 reasonable demand cheap fling
against those mutt imillionRires who give
their girls q dover with which to attract
some brainless nobleman from the other
side Is nothing but talk to the galleries
aud bit Of dcmagogc buncombe. | ven-
tnre the assertion that the very Senator
(Bailey Of Texas who made this irrelevant
argument Is able by means Of his practice
.
(which is his legitimst rghtl TO add enough
to his Senatorial salary land milea ge) TO
give him Il total income considerably larger
than the present salary OF Supreme Court
Judge.
Not a few Senators with perfect pro-
priciy have earned in cases before the Su-
preme Court rs much H. the salary given
TO that great court. Many Representative
by retaining partnerships in law firms and
important business enterprises in their
home towns have an income considerably
larger than the supreme Court salary.
know one Representative an able lawyer.
having an equally able partner In his home
town, who leaves Washington every Friday
night. spends Saturday and Sunday AT
home aud gives his personal attention 10
The work Of his firm. lie returns ny the
Sunday night train IN time TO he in his seat
in The CAPITOL on Monday morning BY
this plan. in addition TO his work etveen
sessions of Congress. hc enjoys a lucrative
practice which when added to his official
salary Yields much larger income than the
salary given To the Supreme Court.
Ii Is needless to say that in the case OF a
Judge all opportunities Tor pracl ising law
and making money IN business are for
ever closed when he accepts "A place on the
bench. 4 leading Western paper puts this
argument IN a way that will appeal 10 every
American lover OF fair play
The juriSt whose abilities NJ him for tribunal
like our supreme Court Is worthy OF his hire.
IL Is pusillanlmous 10 trade IN the honor Of slch
an ONCE A. a makcscight IN the bargain a
cheap induccmcnt TO torceo pccnaary compcnSa.
tlon
Us matter OF fact the nation il not stingy.
II Is uniformed and hence inronsdcrate. Con
grcSs has let this matte lie too long WIN II not
now deal with II In a justice seeking and busi.
nesslike spirits
When II comes 10 comparing he proper
salary for the yice-President and Speaker
with the supreme Court salaries the very
fact that place OIL that bench is accepted
for life does Justify the tradit on-as Old
as the ma, ion, and never threatened until
this recent report Of he Senate committee
that a Supreme Court Justice sholld have
Z larger rather than smaller salary than
those two officers, who can always go back
TO private life with increased rather than
opportunities for accumulat ing
al estate for their widows and children
On the other hand. over the door of en-
trance to the Supreme Court are written
these words Leave behind you all thought
Of money making, ye who take this exalted
seat" In accepting position on the
Supreme bench man must burn hrs
bridges bchnd him and surrender all the !
pecuniary prizes Of his profession.
Many OF our justices come from cities !
and towns where living is far cheaper than |
in Washington The legitimate cost OF |
life at the capital Is very great and is in |
rents being unusually high for a |
Llty Of its sire. The American people do |
not wish tho supreme Court Justices TO live |
IN the cheapest quarters Of the city uor In
he less eEJeusiVe SiIburbs They do moi |
have fine houses, and none of them would
ever desire 20 spend much money in ENTER
aiming"
ia order TO exc out their salaries Justices
Harlan and Brewer have for twenty years
aught,n the law school OF the George Wash
ugton University, and until few wears
ago that school was q night school No one
dreams Of criticising them TOR accepting
outside employ nent of that nature, but
t is thoro ighly disCredtable to this nation
hat it should have compelled such men,
because they have no income except their
neagre salary, to put this heavy additional
AK upon their time and strength
When the American people, who revere
and trust the Supreme Court as the sheet
anchor OF their liberties. come fully to
the facts In the case there will
be general approval OF the proposition that
he Supreme Court salaries be fixed with.
,ut further delay at 81 900 with the usual
lOmhal addition OF $500 for the Chief
IustiCel.
on the very same afternoon when the
senate cut down to slI 800 the modest
,mount t;I7,5gW suggested In the appro-
,r,aiion bill tho Supreme Court was listen
ng 10 arguments upon the famous com. I
modify clause" In the Hepburn amendment
q the Interstate commerce law 1'h,, |