The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-13
The Cancerous Fee Sys,em

ginia to-day is carrying an absolutely useless,
and tneScusable load of expense by tho conttn-
uauon of the fee system for the payment OF
many public officers Such system has en-
riched the few at the expense OF the many.
Ihere are court clerks, treasurers and sheriffs
who would not, from a financial standpoint
raoe POSITIONS with cabinet members. These
fees on which they have grown fat come d.
recty from the pockets OF the people We
arc not of those who would cut down the emoI-
uments of public office to bare living salary.
We believe that the pay should be sufficient to
attract efficient men, but such compensa Aon
should be absolutely fixed by law and such he.
as may be found proper to impose should be
turned into the public treasury,-Richrnond
Nirginian.
Wen and truly said. But the fact that under
its operation some office holders are extraya-
ganty overpaid is not the only, nor even the
strongest objection TO the fee system While
ufsdeT this method Of compensation many Off
clais are remunerated out OF ali proportion to
the value Of services rendered In other cases
equally If not more numerous public servants
receive less than that to which the duties Of
their respective offices justly entitled them Fair
ness, justice and sound public policy alike de-
fnand such equalization shall only cure
the former. but also remedy the latter condi-
TONS To underpay IS even worse than to over
pay a servant OF the people.
But the strongest OF all the objections to the
Zee system are its tendency to promote ineifi-
cheney IN public office and INSTRUMENTATION
of public affairs and it's actual effect in en-
couTasfng, creating and buttressng political
corruption in city, county and the state at
ranfDnlafe
the various local machines which are hut com,
ponent parts of the State machine are largely
the same men who hold the Eat fee paying of
hcs This is SO in Norfolk city and Norro,k
county and 1t is SO, to greater or less degree
IN practically every city and county OF the Corn
inoh"eaith And the money with which to nav
polI taxes ana otherwise oil and keep in thor
ough repair and perfect running order thasa
various machines comes chiefly from tho sp,oI~
uHlehts aItaching to these self-same fat fee-
pasihs oihces The fact OF the whole matter
built
evils from which Virginia and the carlo a1Io
"iuhities therein are to-day suffering are traaa
anl9. directly or indirectly to the fee svstan,
ouch being the case. it follows AZ n MAJ, -.
course that no remedy for these ills aa, 80, w
Is gong to prove moro than temporarily anI
pailany effective unless and until the systam
is wiped out root and branch
This VIII be done when the nnaltfna -.
sahs or the various Legislative and sena,or,a,
districts in the State make up their n,ind. 70
nominate and elect. and do nominate snd -.
10 the General Assembly no candidate w. 49,
not uhequiVocaly pledge himself in advance -
o.,iinaaoh ana election to vote for the appli-
catlon of the Legislative knife TO this canoa.r,
sore on tho body polite OF Virginia H. $3.50
sections the people eyincing such da,a-.,
nation NY Demanding that the aspirants for thai-
taVor IN the approaching legislative nrtr,a-. :.
fatty and frankly declare Themselves a 80
urgently important question. This is what orght
t 90 ne Done IN every city and county in the
commonwealth What are the peopla a., NJ
folk going to do about it, Will m 80.
their right to know from the men who ssn,ra
10 represent them in the next General Assem-
bly, just how they win vote on this ava go
matters OF public concern which may enrag ~
attention Of that body. WILL the; ferfrYtt sru
oe sent 90 hlcnmond as heretofore. pele9atas
'fsf'u II SENATOR whose attitudes on piblic rna.
IONS are matters OF certain knowledge not onlv
10 the coterie Of politicians whose capataa.as
they really are? Is Is up to them, and to them
alone. Citizens who will not and do ~. 80.
assert their civic rights and perform their civic
obligations generally get just what they desary
no less and no more.--Norfolk virginian-
Pilot. 'o''ii'-Ai-