The Washington herald., 1915-01-22
THE OPEN FORUM.
President of West End Citizens Asso-
ciation Answers Mr.. Dent.

4 iCSidCut vi "CSl LHQ NiukCuS s1SSO-
ciation Answers Mr.. Dent.
Editor of The Washington Herald:
1 have read with considerable interest
the statement published in The Herald
from Louis A. Dent, auditor Of the Su-
preme Court OF the District % Columbia,
relative to H. R. Bill. No. 1907, now un-
der consideration by the Judiciary Com
mittee of the Senate, to abolish the ar
chaic fee system in the office Of the said
auditor, and to substitute in lieu thereof
fixed salary for that officer of $500 per
annum. Having. by invitation of the
Judiciary Committee OF the Senate, ap-
peared before that committee on Satur-
day last and submitted my reasons why,
in my opinion, such legislation should be
had, 1t Is not my purpose or desire to
engage in any newspaper discussion pro
or con, in regard to the matter. Ny
statement made to said committee speaks
for itself
In refutation of Mr. Dents charges,
however. concerning the interest taken
by me. and many other good citizens, to
have the salary Of the auditor of the
court fixed at a stated annual amount,
the same as the Register of Wills, Re
corder OF Deeds and other officers in the
District. instead of the fee system now
prevailing, and from which system he
now averages, according to his own
hgures, $4,000 or more. net income per
annum. l wish to state as emphatically
as l can that Mr.. Dents published state
ment, so far as 1t concerns me, is inac-
curate. A resolution recommending the
placing of the auditor on an annual SAL
airy and abOlishing the fee system, was
introduced at meeting OF the West End
Citizens AGSOCin tim
since which was the initiative action Of
this matter, and without suggestion from
any source to the member introducing the
same The resolution was. by direction
OF the association. referred to our COM
mlttee on law and legislation. That COM
mlttee after one months consideration
or the resolution reported it favOrably to
the association and il was adopted unani-
mOusly. and ordered to be transmitted to
the Congress for its consideration. Soon
thereafter IT. r. Bill 1881, which haS.
been passed by the House of Representa-
uves. after having been favorabIy report
ed by the District Committee. fixing the
salary OF the auditor at 5000 per annum.
was indorsed by the West End Citizens
Association, and in turn by the Fedora
tion OF Citizens Associations, composing
twenty-five representative bodies of citi-
z ms in every section OF the District.
III conclusion allow me to state I do
not know. personally. either Crandal
Mackey Easby Smith, Samuel J. Mas
ters. John b. hinnear or Wilton J. Lam
bert. have not been approached by any
OF the persons above named, or any one
acting for them, either directly or in
directly. 1t is true that / have shown
considerable activity in the effort to have
abolished the fee system in the office of
the auditor of the Supreme Court Of the
District and substitute a salary compen-
sation in lieu thereof. I shall continue to
do so without fear or favor from any
source whatsoever. 1 believe this matter
one Of Importance to our people. not of
the legal profession, and that provision
should be made by law to run that es-
taDllShment on a more economical busi-
ness basis. and in some wav reduce the
cost to litigants unfortunately having
business with the auditors office. What
action / have taken to this time in this
matter has been by direction of nv as
sociation. have no personal interest
in the case otherwise. nor am an enemy
OF Mr.. Dent, whom I have always re-
garded as competent and efficient pub
lie servant.
GEORGE W. EVANS.
President, West End Citizens Assn.