The Washington herald., 1909-06-20
virginis's Fee System.

Virginia's Fee System.
The Zee system Of compensating certain
city. county. and State officials in vfr-
ginia has properly engaged the attention
OF the independent press in that Common
wealth. Some OF the more notorious
facts connected with the fee system were
lately presented by. The Washington Her
aid m its Norfolk correspondence. These
are now supplemented by some remark
able statements concerning court fees
which we find in the Richmond Times
Dispatch. a journal deserving the highest
credit for its strong and well-informed
presentation Of the necessity for a thor
ough-going reform Of the whole Virginia
tax system. II al the facts regarding the
defects OF taxation were known 70 every
voter in that State. as we'll as the rela-
ton OF some OF these defects TO machine
rule in the counties. public sentiment
would quickly force the guerrilla war
fare now chiefly characteristic OF the
gubernatorial campaign into quite other
channels, where there would be a pros
pect Of ventilating an issue worth dis
cussing.
The evils arising from the eompensa-
ton OF public officials by means OF fees
for services performed are well known 10
every student Of finance. Dr. Luigi
Cossa. In his little work on Taxation. de-
scribes the fee system as obsolete, not
very creditable. and even dangerous" a
Characterization which Is elaborated by
Horace White, an American authority on
financial questions. IN a footnote which
so aptly fits the Virginia situation OF to-
day that we quote most of It here;
This dis-edBable snA dangerous method Of col
lectiug fees ard charges is b. no means obsolete
In the United States. Having been adopted 81
time when the fees. By rsasoa Of the snhllnsss of
the business transacted. amounted 20 more than
fair compensation for the officers time and labor.
the compensation increased With tho growth q
STATES and cities til in some cases il amounted 70
a pEincely revenue. Then it becsme sCurce Of
political corruption. Ofscss of a merely clerical
and perfunctory sort have become prizes oS such
magnitude that political parties and bosses have
quartered their favoritss and henchmen upon ths
nominal holder Of the Offices the price OF nom
nation and election. and have levied assessments
upCu them corresponding 70 the aggregate amount
of the fees Every attempt TO reduce the feas
% tuTn the excess. over and above fair con-
Iensation. into the public treasury Is heroely Op-
posed by the politicians who divide the spoils
That was written twenty years ago.
probably with New York municipal cor
ruption in mind. yet every assertion above
quoted has been repeated OF Virginia con-
ditions by the Norfolk virginian-Pilot
within the past week That paper de-
clares that the holders OF fat fee positions
are also leaders Of the political machines
in their localities, that they supply the
money required 10 keep these machines
going. that the fee system is one OF the
mainstays Of boss government and an
open encouragement Of political corrup-
ton. In Norfolk City and county, as
this paper showed the other day, a Re
publican politician holds one Of the rich
est fee offices. though all the other Of
fceholders are Democrats. and a simple
calculation shows that the combination.
constituting what is known locally as the
ring draws an annual income in fees.
which are paid by the taxpayers. of from
$1,000 to 10000. II this is the state OF
affairs in a single county, II Is obvious
that the people Of Virginia are paying
good many thousands Of dollars every
year 10 maintain overpaid officials and
their retfnue Of political hangers-on.
The Richmond Dispatch points
out that clerks OF courts have been espe-
ciaIly favored BY fee legislation. No less
than eighty-four classes OF cases and
legal proceedings are listed in the Virginia
code for which a fee ranging from 10
cents to $3.50 may be charged. and but
one duty is imposed that must be per
formed without a fee The Tlmes-DIs-
patch says that there are court clerks
whose fees amount to $4,000 year. while
some receive $1,000. Special fees for
printing records are allotted to the clerk
% the Court OF Appeals, whose income is
estimated at $1,000 annually, or three
times as much as that Of the presiding
judge. No returns are made Of fees. and
a great deal Of mystery surrounds the
compensation OF the most richly reward
ed officials OF the Commonwealth. but It
may be fairly assumed that estimates
based on common report and on the
known volume OF public business are sub
stantiaIly correct.
A number Of the most progressive
States have abolished the fee system OF
compensation in favor Of fixed salaries.
and have provided that certain pro-
portion OF the fees collected shall be re-
turned to the state treasury. Sooner or
later Virginia must undertake this be-
lated reform. with or without the assist
ance OF professional politicians
rs corn pone a beverage?' inquiries
the Nashville American. Well. IT may
be in Nashville. after July l.
"On the whole. II Is rather pleasan4 to