Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-07-30
FEE SYSTEM AN ISSUE
BEFORE THE VOTERS
Mr.. Taylor States Position
IhereupOn.

To the Voters of Sumter County
When l announced my candidacy for
the State Senate l did so with a feel
ing that there were certain evils that
needed correcting in our State laws
and it shall be my purpose, if elected
to devote my best efforts towards rem
edying them. AS l have seen but a
limited number Of TIE people of Sum
ter county since my announcements
and as there now remains less chan q
month in which to see them, I am
taking this method Of discussing s5mc
of the important issues with them.
In It's card l will deal with what is
known as the fee system" or tha
present method employed in paying
our county officers. Under the present
system practically all of tie officers
of court with the exception OF the
judge and jurors, and many of the
other county officers are paid for their
work by schedule of fees, that is
different prices for the different ser,
vices that they perform. For instance
upon the filing of suit the clerk j.
allowed so much for fling and making
copy and the sheriff is allowed so
mucL for serving it. They have no
stipulated salary, and there is ne
way of learning what they receive.
| believe such a system is funds
mentally wrong that it should be abol-
ished, and that the officers should be
putt on salary basis.
In making a fight ON tlis system /
do not mean to reflect on our own
county officers for I believe that ours
are among the best in the State 1t is
an old and true saying that "a chain is
no stroger than its weakest link. "
In advocating the abilition Of the
Zee system I am proceeding on the idea
that law is no better tlan it is under
the most adverse conditions.
Nor am | against this system be-
cause it pays the officers more than
their services are worth but on the
con@rary, | believe there are certain
officers who do not receive a fair COM
pensation for their services, such, as
the country Justice of the Peace.
believe that under the salary system
their remuneration should be more
than they now actually make, for they
are but poorly paid fer their work.
| | am against the fee system because
there is no way for the employer 10
Eknow what he is paying his employees.
We must not lose sight of the fact that
the public officers are agents of the
individual voters, your employees, ANA
that our laws which govern their acts
and salaries, are but our rules of bus
Einess. Now the rules which youemploy
in your private business will have the
same effect when enacted into laws
land made the public rules of business.
This is a plain business propositions
Would you, Mr.. Voter, employ a MAJ
to work for you when you did not
know what he was getting. and had n
way to find out You answer thai
such a question is ridiculous yet YOU
are doing this every day with you
public officers We do not know wha
our officers are being paid under this
system and we cannot find out.
|
tfe fees now paid are manifestly unfail
and there is no practical way of pul
ting them. under this system, on
fair basis. They are unfair to tn
ofic ers and unfair to the public.
AS an example we viii take the cas-
of the Solicitor-G General. He has