The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-21
SDOWN OUT
Fee and Salary Bill Dies in the
Senate.
Not Satisfactory to Any One,
Apparently.
SENT TO COMMITTEE.
Pretty Certain That Life Ended
With This Action.
March IL Will Probably Be Date
of Final Adjournment.

Late Monday evening the senate sent
the new fee and salary bill to the Off
cial morgue-tne judiciary committee
and washed its hands of any further
responsibility concerning the measure.
The BILL which was full of suggestions
from many members, did everything ex-
Cept promote harmony in the upper
house. There was not a scale in the
entire bill that pleased everyone and
many of the members recalled that if
the bill passed, it would be necessary
to return home via st. Paul and Min
neapOlis. 1t was a great relief there
fore, when the bill finally struck a snag
and stayed there.
The bill had been prepared along the
just and equitable lines of census
enumeration, but for some reason the
senate could not see the logical side
of the changes. In some of the coun
ties the fees were cut down. In other
counties they were cut up. Counties
which had formerly offered a bare eX-
1stence for public servants, would I'M
der the new law pave the way to
brown stone front. Other counties that
had provided handsomely for the cho-
sen of the party, were exempted from
the fat juicy fees and there was gnash-
ing of teeth among the unfortunate job
holders. For some reason the bill did
not harmonize the representatives of
the 105 counties.
In Usage county Stavely feared that
he would be met by the town militia
if the bill passed. 1t raised the salar-
les in his county in a scandalous fash
ion. over i'll Johnson county, George
Hodges feared to look the down trOdden
county officials in the face, because
the bill took bread from their children.
out in the western counties there was
better provision for the pie counter.
Senator Price thought some of the jobs
would pay better, but some of them
would pay less under the new law and
he complained most bitterly. He said
the fees had been low enough, and
that the change did not help and he
suggested repairs for several sections.
From the court house in Saline coun-
ty there was a pitiful wall. Senator
Fred Quincy represented that wall on
the floor of the senate. He pointed to
the loose manner in which provision
was made for clerk hire. The bill left
the matter discretionary with the board
of county commissioners. Quincy claim
ed that in an unguarded moment, the
board might be seized with a laudable
desire to accumulate the funds in the
treaSurer's office and make slices in
the appropriations for court house as
sistants. He wanted the matter taken
away from the commissioners and let
the law declare in black face type just
what the allowance for clerk hire
should be. For once the senate agreed
and they followed the Quincy sugges-
tions.
1t was Senator Reed who found fault
with the salary of the county attorney.
He pointed to the fact that the meek
eyed members of the profession were
compelled to spend fifteen or twenty
years mastering their profession and
then. if they were in the right band
wagon, might land a job in the county
attorneys office at $1,000 to $1,000 A
year. He claimed that on the other
hand. most any first class farmer nr
mechanic might take four years
rest and be elected to the office of
county clerk, treasurer. or probate
Judge, fill the job with credit to him
self and the glorious party and pull
down $1,000 a year for his record
These little faults were minor details
but some of the members took the
matter seriously. They sent the bill tC
the judiciary committee. which is al
ready overworked, and there is a grow
ing suspicion that the bill Will be filed
where it cannot be found before the
close of the session.
Senator Stavely, of Usage county. Of
fered a resolution Monday afternoon