Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-13
:S1(El!G6ly
30 ~On~
1T!:@srK1t
FR)l(IleSS
BY JAMES 9. NEV.N.

Gates of a reform in that manner of
compromising public servants are
now able to quote some substantial
and significant figures.
For instance, John P. Ross. Solci-
tor General of the Macon circuit, re-
ceived net compensation of approx
mately $4,000 during the year 1918,
according to his sworn statements to
the Comptroller General This is the
latest" record in the history of that
office and is attributable largely to
he number of heavy fines in prohibi-
ton cases. The Solicitor under the
fee system, made $4,000 in the Macon
City Court and Bibb Superior Court.
and $1,000 in the Houston and Craw-
ford superior courts
The income of other Bibb County
officers on the fee system, as now
disclosed for the first time by the
law requiring quarterly statements,
vas as follows: Sheriff. SO, 80: Clerk
# Superior Court. $500; Clerk of
city Court, $500 Tax Collector,
$500: Tax Receiver, $500; Ordi-
nary $4,000
Figures throughout the entire State
may now be had bearing upon the
operation of the fee system. and those
cited from Bibb are merely set forth
as an example In very MANY coun-
Ties the fees run far short of those
quoted, of course. while in some few
others they run higher.
The figures quoted from Bibb,
moreover are by no means Conclu-
CO ~ ell lF
the argument for and against fees
There are many expenses attached to
the various offices concerned. and
they must be set off, in fairness,
against the total figures returned. It
is the net income of the offices, prop
erly conducted. that finally will settle
the controversy.
There is much division OF opinion
among members OF the Legislature as
20 the fee question, and it likely will
be long time before salary systems
arc generally substituted. At the
same time, the figures being returned
from the various counties are eX-
tremely interesting. and when the
entire State Is made up. those who
oppose the present system likely will
he heard from again in the Legisla-
live halls, most cmphatically,
Representative Robert y. Harde-
man. OF jefferson County, veteran
member of the General Assembly. and
by long odds the best dressed man
therein, is in Atlanta for tiav or So.
Mr.. Hardeman bedazzled his ru-
merous friends ard admirers in An
lanta this trip with a lovely checked
!
wine colored vest of striped silk.
The tout Notwithstanding Mr..
Hardeman, of course-was most en-
gaging.
There once was a Legislature away
back yonder wherein somebody dis
puted Bob" Hardeman's sartorial SUI
premaCy. but the disputing party
didn't get by with it, and since that
time Hardeman's right to be known
as the champion best dressed man in
the Georgia Legislature has gone I'M
challenged.
The race for Congress in the First
District between Representative
Charles G. Edwards and former Rep
resentative j. w. Overstreet is said
to be more than warm and decidedly
uncertain as to outcome
oNerst,eet serNeu d part OIL term
III 'lie mouse seEerai Years ago DIS
tle successor 10 Juuse RuluS Lester,
dho has osel' poS9esseu Vi iiiote VI
Iees laiilI aiIl a,ilol'lou ever SlhCe I"
ietuih' Eu war Us went lito Cohstes
orlsiiaIly pH d Idlhet narrow margin
OF votes, ana AFTER d iohg convention
ueaoIoch, anu' me ne mas peen re
u iieu coil'i''u ous'A since ms ~
electlom ne never has nad exactly
clnCh on tne ONCE ne IS eoou
hghter' hoWeNer' ana mas managed 10
Keep ms ieiHeS III pretty 'aIf stidpe'
ana II VIII ne no chIld play 10 oea'
Inn
MI. oEerstreet - tre'esS cam
algner' mas d@Iiueuly winning way
WIN voters ana ms trlehoS are very
expressive IN tnci' CLAIMS lot victory
TO ms banners inns tlme ana II IS
TACT that ne Is showing very me
form, indeed, IN some of the counties,
notably builoch, ScreNen and Hryan
whether ne VIII defeat Mr.. 70
wards is, OF course, problematlcal, but
that nc VIII give MN the race OF ms
me- ana perhaps deleat MN, seems