The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-02
KOLB POINTS OUT
WEAKNESSES OF HIS
RIVAL CANDIDATES
Continued from Page Three)


'I answer that our Judiciary has felt
the thriving impulse of Legislative munifi-
-eence by being overstoclled with jobs for
office-holding lawyers. In times not very
remote from us, our Judiciary was COM
posed of supreme court with five JUS
tlces whose aggregate salaries footed a
total of $l5,000; our judicial circuits num-
pered nine, and the total salaries paid
our circuit judges was $4,000. Our chan
Gerry divisions We're five in number and
the combined salaries of our chancellors
were $4,000. Law and equity courts were
comparatively unknown. except in the
larger counties where the volume of lit
igation made them necessities rather than
sinecures. The total amount of revenue
yearly appropriated for maintaining the
judicial branch of the state government
III years preceding and up to the admin
istration of Governor Conner. aggregated
$4,000. Let us compare this record of
figures and amounts with those presented
under this system as conducted TODAY We
have supreme court of seven justices
who annually draw from the state treas.
ury in salaries the sum of s35.O00 We
boast an appellate court of three Judges
whose yearly salaries amount to $1,000
There are II circuit judges to whom
we pay every year s5l 600 Five
chancellors annually draw total
salary OF $4,000. Nine law and eouitv
courts are sustained at yearly salary
cost of $4,000. The total sum of main
tanning our top-heavy Judiciary system OF
today reaches the figure Of $4,000. There
is diHerence per anntim, between what
Is paid our judges today and what we
paid them few years ago of 100000.
Comparison of Justice
''The question. fellow citizens. that in
terests you in this matter as tax pavers
is this: Does this difference express RI
us a value received? Have we anv s,,-
preme court justices to grace our modern
bench who surpass in eminence as iurists
such men of past renown as Brickall
Stone, Somerville. Manning. and host of
other jurists whose opinions have given
the Alabama supreme court decisions n
reputation throughout the world? Have we
on our circuit bench of today harder
worked or ADLER judges than CLAYTON
Wiley. Cobbs, Speake and Carmchaei? Do
any of our modern chancellors discount
in cminence. juridical-service to the state
such men as Austelb Cobb and Graham?
If weNcould command the talent and abl
tiles of such men as l have recalled, at
salaries that retained them in office
without bankruptcy to themselves ana
without jeopardy to the credit of the
state. is there any justification, even in
the claim of the high cost of living. ana
expanding developments of business In
QIII8ronC2
in salary cost for maintaining this great
and necessary branch of state ECONOMY?
my candidacy is revolt against this
form of official extravagance. 1t is ius.
titled. neither on the grounds of inabil-
ity to procure competent judges at lower
salaries, nor on Over-worked judges ana
over-croWded dooKets. In proof of this
latter 7 claim, I cite recent report to
the Bar association of Alabama by Judge
Pelham of the appellate court in which
it is charged that our II circuit court
judges work on an average of 104 days in
the year. Think of taxing the toiling
masses of Alaabma and exacting Of them
their hard earned cash, for the purpose
of putting premium on official idle
ness!
About Educational System
''Nor does the money We fritter away
on useless judges and surplus attorney
generals describe our only waste of the
peoples $ revenue. The educational sys-
tenn Of the state has been allowed under
the spur of legislative podigality to be-
come a needless financial burden. God
forbid that could even remotely be sus-
pected of minimizing the means~of popu-