The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11
4 Statement.
Made by Mcfarland Regarding Pro-
bate Judge Fees.

There have been SO many false
statements published by people wholly
ignorant of the facts. concerning the
condition of the probate court. under
the new fee and salary bill and also
many false statements made malicious
ly by political enemies and aspirants
for public Offices that desire to make
these statements to the public con-
corning the condition of this office un-
der the new fee and salary bill.
There are two separate and distinct
functions in this office. one is the pro-
bate court and the other is the juvenile
court. In the probate court there are
certain fees charged to the people who
have business in this office and these
court there is not now and never has
been a fee collected in this office. The
statute makes all costs in the juvenile
court chargeable to and paid by the
county. The juvenile court was Great
ed for the purpose Of correcting ana
reforming minors under the age of 16
years. and the statute stipu1ates that
this shall be done at the expense OF the
county. It never has been done any
other way and cannot be. The juvenile
never has been and never will be. 1t
will always be q charge against the
county. because the law in this state so
makes it.
Previous to the fee and salary bill
Of 1918, the probate court in this coun-
ty collected an amount in fees over and
above the cost Of running this office
in an amount running into thousands
Of dollars a year, which went into the
personal funds of the probate Judge.
When the new salary bill was passed
and went into effect July 1. 1913. all
fees were turned into the county treas
urer. Under the new Zee and salary
bill fees charged by the different Off
GERS for services performed by them
were left the same in every office ex-
cept in the probate court. Here they
were reduced from SO to 60 per cent so
that the total amount of fees now col
lected is only about one-half of what
cause the schedule of fees to be- charg-
ed in this Office was reduced by the
legislature to that extent.
Ninety per cent OF the fees paid into
the probate court are paid by widows
and orphans, and the legislature took
the position which 1 have always ta-
ken, which is that this Office should
be on a self sustaining basis, but that
| it should not net a large revenue to
the county at the expense of the wild
ow's mite. I can see no reason why
the widows and orphans in this coun-
ty should pay, in addition to their reg
ular taxes, several thousand dollars a
year 1utO the 6cACXdA ISVCAuC 4uA0 0y
heavy charges in the probate court.
Because this Office had ct one time net
ted several thousand dollars yearly
above expenses, which went into the
personal funds Of the probate judge. is
the very reason the legislature passed
| the fee and salary bill and reduced the
| costs OF probate proceedings. The
| county commissioners in this county
| still insist and expect this Of
| flee to turn in several thousand dol
dollars yearly to the general revenue
fund.
| THE fees which are now charged in
| this office are fees which are stipula-
| ted by the fee and salary law and
sufficient to make the probate court
self sustaining and as far as 1 am able
to learn, the probate court of Shawnee
county is the only probate court with
one exception. in the state of Kansas
/ that is on a paying basis under the
new fee and salary bill.
.s fsHUGH NC FARLAND,
l ~ probate Judge"