The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-15
Legislature Asked to Pass Law
Raising Salaries in
All Classes.
MEASURE EXTENDS TERM
OF SHERIFF AND CLERK
Makes Four Years Instead of
Two Legal Tenure; Begins
With 1910.

association. the judiciary committee of
the house on Saturday introduced eight
bills, the most important of which is
one which extends the present term of
sheriffs and county clerks from two 10
four years. and makes the future terms
| four years
Another bill provides for the ap-
! pointment of an under sheriff at sal
ary amounting to threefourths Of that
of the sheriff; and another for gen
eral increase in the salaries of county
Officers OF all grades. Another bill
urged by the sheriffs withdraws per.
mission from a poor person to begin
legal proceedings without cost and re.
peals the section providing that Off
GERS shall receive no fees for services
in such cases.
Three of the other bills are amend
ments TO the criminal code recommend.
ed by the sheriffs, and the fourth is a
bull providing for the registration by the
sheriff of livestock TO be~shipped from
one county to another.
Extends Present Terms.
One bill not only provides future
four year terms for the sheriff and the
county clerk, but it also provides that
| the present terms Of the sheriffs and
county clerks shall be extended to four
years. According to the BILL the sher
lff and the county clerk shall be elect
ed every four years after the election
in November, 1910, and that the terms
of the county sheriffs and clerks now
holding office shall continue until four
years after their election in 1910. The
bill also provides that the county com
| mlssioners may require an extra bond
| from the sheriffs and county clerks TO
cover the extension of their present
terms.
The four-year term for sheriffs and
| county clerks was advocated by the
governor in his message. The governor,
however, did not say anything with
reference to the extension of the pres
ent terms of the incumbents. This fea
ture OF the bill, II is contended by op
| ponents of the measure, is unconstitu-
tional. They declare that the shcriffs
and county clerks now serving were
elected for two years, as the statute Mt
the time they were chosen provided for
a term of two years, and that the per
petuation Of these officials in office
would be contrary TO the constitution.
Increases in Salary.
The salary bill provides for an in
crease in the salary of every county Of.
ficer in counties of every class. In each
case the sheriff is given the greatest
| percentage of increase. In Salt Lake
/ county the salaries of the county off
cials are increased as follows: County
commissioners, from $500 10 $1,000;
sheriff, from $4,000 TO $4,000: assessor,
from $500 TO s2400; clerk. from S2400
to $4,000; recorder. from $1,000 to S2500;
treasurer, from $3.50 0to $4,000; attorney
from $500 to $4,000: superintendent of
schools, from $1,000 TO $1,000; surveyor,
from $1,000 to Sl266; auditor, from
$500 to S2400.
In order TO make the increase in sal
aries apply TO the incunbents of coun
ty offices, the bill provides that the
salaries shall be fixed within thirty
days after the passage of the act. The
present law provides that salaries shall
not be in any way affected during the
term of office for which the incumbents
are serving. This the sheriffs would
change to make the law read that the
salaries shall not be reduced during tho
present terms of office, This makes
the increase applicable TO the officials
now serving.
Poor Persons Barred.
Another bill, the passage of which
the sheriffs are urging, is one repeal.
ing sections l0l7 and 1918 OF the pres
cnt laws of Utah, The first is sec
ton providing that a poor person may
institute, prosecute. defend and appeal
any case in any court in the state The
other section provides that the con-
stable, sheriff or his deputies shall
serve all processes In cases instituted
| by poor persons without fees. Tho
sberiffs take the ground that they can
] not afford to devote their time to the
service of processes for which they re.
| celve no fees.
An under sheriff is authorized by
bill which provides that each sheriff
in counties of the first and second class
shall have power to appoint an under
sheriff at salary equal to three
fourths that of the sheriff. 1t also pro.
vidcs that the under sheriff shall file
"A bond with the sheriff. In case of alb
sence or disability OF the sheriff. the
under sheriff shall perform all the du.
ties pertaining TO Che Office. The APP
poiutment Of the under sheriff is to he
made by the sheriff and does not re.
auire the confirmation Of the county
commissioners. If the bill becomes a
law and the increase in salary of shcr-
iU is also GRANTED the salary of the nm