The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-05
court AUDITOR
DRAWS $4,000
Citizens Federation Informed
District Supreme Court Of
6cer Is 0verpaid.
HIS INCOME FROM FEES
Salary of $4,000 Is Recommended.
Recorder of Deeds Office Con-
sidered-0ficers Elected.

With the preface that the Auditor OF
the District Supreme Court. an officer
paid in the fees of his office, draws a
larger yearly income from his position
than any other District official or than
the Vice President. Senators, Represent
atives, or the judges of the court In
which he serves, a resolution was sub
mitted, to the Federation Of Citizens at
its meeting at the Chamber of Commerce
last night. recommending that that body
endeaVor to have the auditor made a
regular salaried officer with a salary of
A,009 year.
This resolution was referred to the
committee on finance and legislation.
In the resolution, an estimated income
Of $4,000 yearly was said to be the au-
ditor's The judges of the court are
paid $500. During the discussion, it
was brought out that the fees of the
office of the auditor of the District Su-
preme Court ara at present, discretion
AIRY With that official. The further point
was made that the clerk of the United
States Supreme Court was made salaried
office, when it was found that he was
drawing in fees an income larger than
the combined salaries of the judges of
the court.
Auditor Is OVerpHid.
The resolution set forth that in the
opinion of its SPONSORS the West End
Citizens Association, the auditor under
the present system is being paid far more
than he deserves. 1t suggested that he
he given regular salary of $1,000 a
year and an allowance of $3.50 for clerk
hire: further, that fees of the office be
liked by law and paid into the Treasury
This. il WAS said, would increase the
revenue by Sl1,5OO. Louis Addison DeEt
Is the present auditor.
opposition to the proposed transfer
rnce Of the supervision of the office of
the Recorder OF Deeds of the District
TO the Department Of Justice, together
with the recommendation that this office
should b,. transferred to the authority OF
the District commissioners, waA the sub
iect OF a resolution offered by William
Mex Clayton, delegate from the Bright
wood lark Citizens Association. This
WAS adopted under a suspension of rules.
In presenting his resolution. Mr.. Clay
Ton said that lie understood that rec
"mmendation by the Attorney General
was before the President for action which
would place the Recorder Of Deeds under
the Department.
Mr.. Clayton offered several reasons
why such transfer should not be accept
able to the people of Washington. These
were that it would violate the principle
Of local home rule: that the entire in
come of the Office is paid out of the pock-
Its OF district taxpayers; that the Dis
trict pays all its expenses; that the en-
tire business of the office i transacted
exclusively with the people of the Dis
trict. and that the control of the office
is foreign to the duties of the Depart
ment of Justice.
Cromwell Elected Secretary.
Officers for the coming year also were
chosen u. A. Edwards was reelected
president: Allen c. Davis, reelected
vh,e president William y. Cromwell.
secretary. and William II. Richardson.
reelected treasurer William J. Neale,
the retiring secretary, declined nominal
ton. saying that the press of his bust
ness allows MIN insufficient time for the
duties of the office. \ resolution thank
ing him for his past work was adopted
\ resolution calling upon the District
commissioners to pay the labOrers en-
Iuyed 10y the District Street Cleaning
DEPARTMENT minimum wage of Si6N a
year ur $1.-G' day. was passed. The
proposal OF Dr William NJ. Davidson. Su-
rcTintcndeIt of Schools, to establish vO-
-atiunal education here waS indOrsed.
There was i long discussion by mem
ers Of thu federation as to whether they
Should pass a resolution Condemning ap-
continent of outsiders to District offices
Tins resolution referred to two present
District officials Several members. in
.Iuding William Nick. Clayton. spoke
.Sainst it, Tie resolution finally was
.eferred To the committee on finance and
Legislation.