The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-08-29
SALARY VS.. FEES.
Clerk of the Court w. II.
Humphrey Gives Revenue and
Expenses of His Office and
Makes Some Observations.
To the Editor Of The Robesonian:

To the Editor CT The Robesonian:
Having recently noticed in The
Robesonian and The Rowland
Sun editorial items advocating a
law placing the officers of Robe
son county on salaries instead of
fees or commissions as at pres
ent, and having seen it intimated
that the officers would not be
willing to make public the income
of their respective Offices, l de-
cided to make careful investiga-
ton regarding the office of the
clerk of the court and give the !
people, through your columns, |
the advantage of the same.
find that the actual gross In
come for the year ending June
LIST. this year, was 81, 1884, 80, and
that the expenses in the way Of
clerical assistance, postage and
furnishing and repairing type
writer's, ETC., amounts to 81, 651.-
80. Nothing is included in the
above expense bill for incidental
expenses other than those men
toned and for the many benevo-
lences to which the clerk is al
most daily called upon to con-
tribute. This leaves, as you will
see. clear of the expenses above
mentioned $2.581.93 The bill
passed by the Legislature in 1907,
| believe, allowed the clerk
So, 500 salary, but only $500 for
clerical assistance, which amount
was hardly sufficient several
years ago. On account of an ir-
crease in salaries for clerical as
sistance and the increased
amount of work. especially this
year, when over four hundred of
our citizens were indicted for
failing to list their taxes Cncreas-
ing our criminal docket to more
than four lines it's usual number
of cases., the amount would be
still more inadequate.
| know there is a growing SEN
timent in favor Of salaries, and l
do not think this Objectionable if
salaries were adequate and it
sufficient allowance was made
for clerical assistance; and l do
not hesitate to say, further, that
| believe the revenue to the coun-
ty on the basis of 81, 500 for SAL
airy and $500 for clerical assis-
lance would be approximately
$1,000 year from the clerks Of
flee alone. But, as intimated,
the above allowances are not
adequate, when we take into con.
sideration the responsibilities of
the office and the fact that so
much gratuitous work is expect
ed Of the clerk in the way of in
formation, correspondence, etc
The clerk ought to be allowed t.
keep a stenographer, as he car
be of so much more service t.
the people if he has one.
There is very large per cen
perhaps 25 per cent-of tn,
work Of this Office for which tn,
clerk never does realize any com
pensation, for which he would
Of course, be expected to deman,
and collect the cash. as he woul
have no discretion in the matte
OF indulging any one for thei
fees. The fact is that about Z
per cent of the work done in tn
office is done on time and a grea
many of the items are so sma
that it does not pay to try to CO
leet them, and so they become
loss to the Office.
However, we should not los
sight of the fact that the salar
system would work a great il
convenience to the public
many instances. For instanc
people from almost all over tt
county transact more or less bu
mess with the clerk by phone
by mail, asking for certain sc
vices 10 De rendered ana nOthll
said about fees. or with the pro
ise to settle fees at some futu
day. Of course, in such cases
this, under the salary system t
effect would be that the VIC
could not be done until the fl
were paid. In some instan,
this would work an inconvenier
to the people; but l do not arg
that it would be any inconv,
fence or disadvantage to 1
clerk. On the other hand,
these cases, the salary syst
would be an advantage to
clerk.
/ do not wish to be underst
as taking a position either fol
against the salary system,
simply wish to put the people
possession Of the facts. The