Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-07-30
FtE SYSTEM AN ISSUE
BtFORF THE VOTERS.
Continued from First Page.)

specified fee for prosecuting a murdec
case. On the trial it may develop that
there are only one or two witnesses
and the case can be disposed of in a
very short time. Yet he receives as
much for this case as he does for con-
Quoting a similar case that might ex-
tend over three months. The Sheriff
receives as much for serving a sub
poena on a witness across the street
from the Court House as he does foy
summoning a man that lives at the
edge of the county.
Would you pay your employees in
this way? Now you might say that all
this will even up in the end. In the
superior court of Fulton county fully
nine-tenths of the work of the sheriff
is in the city of Atlanta and consa-
quently when he serves subp0enas full
ly nine-tentEs Of them are in the city
fer nine-5enths or more of the popuIa-
ton of Fulton county resides in Allan
ia and this sheriff receives the same
price for serving witness that oar
sheriff does when over two-thirds Of
our population resides without the city
of Americas, and consequently over
two-thirds of his work carries him out
into the country
Do you think these two men are
paid on an equal basis?
am AGAINST the fee system because
it lays down too big a gap for franc.
In the hands of an INSCRIPTIONS man
the sheriffs salary or the clerks sal
airy would be practically unlimited
The sheriff could make numberless ar
rests and receive his commission. They
could issue numberless subpoenas ana
receive their commissions, issue them
to people who knew absolutely moth
ing about the case for which they
were suhpoenaed and yet the cIeyiz
would receive his commission for is
| sueing them and the sheriff his for
serving.
AS I stated at the outset I do net in
tend to charge in any way that the
officers of Sumter county would take
any of these advantages of our pres
ent laws but l am thoroughly convinc-
ed that the laws of our State should be
such that these outrages would not
only be improbable but impossible.
am against the fee system because
its natural tendency is to make of
every officer of the criminal court a
prosecutor rather than one Of the
agents of a court which is seeking I'd
do equal justice to all
1t is true that the officers of court
receive part of their pay from the
county but the majority of it comes
directly from the fines paid into coul t
by those convicted of crime and this
system makes it directly to the inter
est of the clerk, the sheriff, and the
solicitor that the person on trial be
convicted. This system offers prize
money, in the way of fees, for convic-
tons and it's influence is to prelude ?
the officers of court against the de-
PENDANT in a criminal case at the ou1-
set, especially if that defendant is able
to pay nice, fat fine.
Again, this system incites the oc-
ers to bring petty prosecutions, where
the letter of the law is violated,
though there is no real harm done ana
the community would be better off
were the prosecutions not brought.
Such cases can have no moral effect
for good and the only result is to be-
little the court and cause the parties
to the case, the defendants and VII
nesses, unnecessary loss of time and
trouble.
Under the salary system the major
ity, if not all, of these evils would be
cured. Every officer would be paid a
fair wage for his work and the only
incentive would be duty, the officers
receiving their wages wle her cOnyic>
tf3ns were secured or not. Were they
negligent in their duty the voter has,
and ever will have, the privilege Of
replacing him with a better man. After
you have considered this matter care
fully I believe you will be bound to the
conclusion that a salary system is abb
solutely fair and that the fee system
is at least doubtful, If not entirely
wrong. Under these circumstances
wouldn't it be better to inaugurate the
salary system?
In my next card I intend to deal
with the question Of working the CON
victs on the city streets. Respectfully
yours, JEFF TAYLOR.
Wise sayings spice themselves.