The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-28

pecially the former The people and the present and prospective officeholders. have said the fee system must go They also said the convicts must be worked on the county roads. This has been done and so far with much success.
 In reference to the fee system and put ting the sheriff and other county officers who are the beneficiaries of the present system on a salary there are many things to be considered such as the amount of salary, the employment of assistants or deputies, the liability of the sheriff for alleged wrongful arrest, the payment of special deputies during riot and many other matters connected with the office.
 At this time candidates are making promises. Some of them have published platform, others are running on their popularity some are relying on a slate to pull them through. The people of Jefferson county want reforms. but they want them enacted properly.
 In this connection, Lawrence Penning- ton, member of the board of revenue of Jefferson county, has some very decided ideas. He has given the financial situ- ation considerable study and having the experience of dealing with the business of the county, is in position to speak with some authority. In an interview MT. Pennington said:
 Many Questions for Legislature
 There will be many important ques- tions for the legislature which will con vene on .the second Tuesday in January, 1915, to consider and dispose of Among these questions are placing conyiets on public roads and the abolition of the fee system.
 q am certainly glad to see that so many of the candidates for the legislature are declaring themselves in favor of working convicts on the public highways. |. AS member of the board of revenue am extremely interested in this move ment. I am also interested in the ques- tion of modifying or abolishing the fee system.
 'It is generally supposed that the fec system will be abolished. This is not en- trely accurate The fee system will not be abolished Costs fin criminal cases will still be collected from convicted crim. inals. It is the disposition of these fees which now go to the officers of the law, which will be changed.
 Tt is intended by enactments to be passed at the next session of the legis- i lature to provide for the payment of the excess of these fees, over and above reas. enable compensation to the officers, into the county treasury for the benefit of the county.
 "It can be readily seen, therefore that the provisions of the bill for this purpose should be studied closely Real ly those who have been chief pro- | motors of this matter should prepare a bill, which should be given the widest publicity in the county, showing just how and in what manner the change Is to be wrought. Of course, 1t is not intended to take the burden of sup porting the criminal courts from the backs of guilty criminals and place it upon the shoulders of the taxpayers which will be the result of any law passed making the salaries of off, cers of the criminal courts payable ou, of the general fund of the county.
 Details to Be Settled 'Tf the officers of the criminal courts are to be placed on a salary (and they should be. and 1t now seems certain that they will bel, 1t Is high time we 1 are shown wither we are proceeding For instance. take the sheriff's of 1 flee. We should know what salary is to be allowed the sheriff out of the fees of his office and how the sal aries of his deputies are to be pro- yided for and how the number of dep- uties he can employ is to be limited Ilf at all.
 sUnIess the number of his employer