The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-18
ONLY SOUGHT TO TURN Light ON
THE nee SYSTEM.

in Virginia will be Effected, despite
the malicious misrepresentation of the
purposes of these who are seeking re-
form in that field. The newspapers
which hold briefs for the perpetuation
facts, IT, indeed, they know the facts.
Consider 4 case in point. a morning
publication in Richmond. in an article
concerning The fight on the fee sys-
tenn. deliberately classihcs Aubrey G..
Weaver. representative of Clarke and
Warren Counties in the House OF Dele
gates of 1912, as member OF the Plum
derbund--that combination of Office
holders and their legislative puppets
which successfully sunocated' every
Legislative endeavor to secure the facts
about the fee system. Neither AIR.
Weaver's position III the House nor in
his present campaign entities him to
be enrolled with those undesirable leg
islators who betrayed the public veal
in obstructing publicity as to fees
In the same journal Mr.. Weaver is
described as one who stands forth in
broad day and not only processes but
proclaims that he voted against the
bill for the immediate destruction and
extinction of the fee system" How
could he have so voted when no such
measure came up for consideration in
the House during Mr.. wcavcrs only
term as Il member? No such measure
was proposed. Mr.. weaver says that
"at the last session of the Legislature
1t was proposed to abolish the fee sys-
TEN and place all officials on a salary
basis. which salary was to be cetcr-
mined in accordance with the popula-
ton of the various counties" but no
such proposal was officially before the
General Assembly for its action
Mr.. Weaver further says
In several OF the large cities there
can be no question, that certain city
officials are receiving more coninensn-
ton than is justly their due. hut, in
my opinion, this condition does not
exist in the smaller counties of the
state. Since the counties iii my
district are two of the smallest in the
state. fear that the salaries to be
paid would be so snail that il would
be difficult to obtaiA efficient men to
discharge the public duties. In view
OF these facts, ! would rather see the
fee system amended than abolished SO
that we could correct the evils existing
IN certain sections without destroying
the benefits that exist in others"
There is much merit In Mr.. Weaver's
view here but he seems TO forget that
those who are lighting the fee system
propose that where any officer is at
present receiving fair and reasonable
compensation. it shall suffer no real
reduction What the opponents of the
Zee system are seeking first of all 10
do is 10 get the facts so that il can he
determined what public officers are
underpaid, what are fairly paid and
what are overpnid with charactcris-
tic negligence toward the facts. the
journal that we have quoted declares
that Mr. weavc..s: attitude lis exactly
the view that caused the defeat of tho
BIZ for change in the fec system at
the last session. Members OF the AS
senlbly voted With knowledge OF The
conditions in the smaller countiesr
No change in the fee systcm Of com
pensation was proposed In any bill,
considered by the General Assembi,
The only bill relative to the fee svs-
TEN which was defeated was the wa,
bill. which was killed in the Ho,sa
That bin proposed omar ,cvor,. 49,
officer shall file with the scc,c,or,, y,
the Commonwealth, every coup,y on
Ger with the clerk Of the Circuit C.,,,r,
OF his county, and every citv o1,oo.
with the clerk of the Corporation ,,,,,r,
OF his city, ON or before tn. nm d.,.
Of January, 1913, ana on ina, AN, .,a.,,.
year thereafter :, report ana 49,
ment under oath showing tnc go
gate amount of salary received ~, H..
in fees and otherwise. or due I'M, III.
received during the preceding wear r.,
services rendered by bin In sucb ono, Z,
THAT was all that tho bill sought n a,
Ito get the facts about the a,no,,r, "a
fees received yearly by each fee once
With certain minor cxceptions If III,
not propose to redue. by a single con,
the amount Of foes paid any pulli,
officer. II compelled the fee officer +,
~ y yzrr