The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-19
TIE 1NpErrN s1pIE system,

Out in Tennessee the fee System is
being hammered all over the mat. The
people OF the Volunteer State have had
just about enough of this graft beget-
ter. and they arc preparing to cast IT
out. The Knoxville Sentinel, abso-
lutely fearless of the attacks that may
be made on 1t by fat fee officers. has
Joined forces with the Memphis News
Scimiiar, and the mailed armor OF the
fee officer is ringing With hail OF
hammering blows from these two In
fiuential newspapers.
The Sentinel. in reccn, article, in
quires why Tennessee made "less prog
ress in the last ten years" than other
States surrounding It. Ono of the two
reasons assigned is that "the money
collected from the taxpayers In this
Unjust manner is expected without
due regard for economy. or tho best
service" In other words. the money
of the people is wasted by the PERM
cious workings of the fee system
The Sentinel says:
Most of tho public oifcials arc re-
Enumerated under a system of fees In
the larga counties abnormalitics have
been developed. Fcegra bling is en-
courased. Conditions shameful 10 the
State have been brought about.
Armies of deputies live on tho public.
Even the bonds issued for schools or
improvements are subject to fec taxes
I'VE have no fight TO make on any
official" says the Sentinel. "Thcsc men
sought the Offices In the expectation Of
the fees which are allowed by Law.
Most of them are good citizens. They
are coming out after all there is com
Ing to them, which is merely human
1t is the system which Is wrong
rightly says our contemporary. 1T is
indcfensible. 1t is rotten. 1t lays a
heavy burden on the State. The bur
den must be lifted" No Injustice
would be done any man. If at tho end
OF his term of office. the fec system
were to be abolished
The burden of taxation is uncoually
| laid In Tennessee. but tile evil Is In
creased "by an archaic cxtravagan,
and graf producing system of payine
out the public moneys" Clerks Of
court are paid from three to ten time,
as much as the eminent judges VIII,
| preside over these courts. Armies o.
from Is 10 200 shcrlns deputies roam
over the large counties, making liv.
ing off the unfortunates. The costs o
criminal prosecutions In Tennessee,
have mounted TO more than 100000
while i'll Georgia tho criminal class Il
made to pay all the costs of crimima
prosecutions, the officers or witnesses
receiving no foes save in convictIo,
cases.
OF course. as the Sentinel points Out
any measure or effort TO destroy til,
fec system ill meet with stout re
sistanco from a great army OF tn
official class. members or count.
courts. deputies and their friends, brl
"the interests OF the whole pcopl,
ought to he paramount"
/ The Scntin says in conclusions:
80 wo have a magnificent state
pcoplcd by magnificent stock OF IN
purest Anglo Saxon. practically stag
nant The main growths arc in urba
communiti-c. What matchlcss posi-
bihtic3 Tennessee hast Yet they ar
not properly realized.
There has been q good deal OF
moral and political awakening. 20
several years the people have asserte
more Independence IN politics. Til
heart OF Tennessee is right. Ali iha
Is needed IS that our Intelligent pcopl
should he made TO see the true need
j OF the state, and we shall not only b