The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1915-09-16


natural, out of proportion.
There are several counties in the
State of Florida, in which, under the
fee system, the Clerk of the Circuit
! Court is paid more than $4,000 a
I year for his services. There are sew.
eral counties in which Clerks are
paid more than $4,000. There are
many counties in which Clerks are
paid more than $4,000. Sheriffs, Tax
Collectors, Tax Assessors and Coun-
ty Judges are paid, under the fee sys-
TEN, amounts varying from $4,000 to
more than $4,000 per year.
Some Deadly Parallels
Under the salary system,
State Attorneys are paid .
$500 per year
Under the fee system,
County Solicitors are paid, from
$4,000 to :. $4,000 per year
Under the salary system,
Circuit Court Judges are paid,
$4,000 per year
Under the fee system,
several Justices of the Peace are
paid from $4,000 to $4,000 per year
Under the salary system,
the State Comptroller is paid,
$4,000 per year
Under the fee system,
Tax Collectors are paid from $4,000
to more than $4,000 per year
Fee System Is Unjust
Long ago, the Federal Government,
and all of our state governments, real
iafng that the fee system was unequal,
unjust and unscientifc, changed the
federal and state laws so that all
federal and state officials received sal
aries. 1t is not an evidence of my
wisdom for me to say that If the
people of Florida can get man to
serve them efficiently as Comptroller
for $4,000 year, the people of Duval
County can certainly get man to
serve them as Tax Collector for $4,000
year; if the State of Florida can en-
ploy General Attorney to attend
to all Of its legal business for $500
can employ an Attorney to attend to
the business of its Criminal Court for
$4,000 a year; if the State of Florida
can employ man to look after all
of the financial business of the State
for $4,000 year, Hillsboro County
surely can employ man to assess
taxes for $4,000 year; and, compari |
sons like these can be made in nearly
every county in Florida.
Every one knows that our State
administrative officers give laborious
and efficient service for the salaries
they receive. Painstaking and eff
cient servants can be secured by the
for attending to the business
of the county, at salaries ranging
from $500 down to $1,000 per year,
according to the size Of each county's
business.
County officers do not believe in the
fee system themselves, since all OF
their Deputies and Clerks, THE PEO-
PIE WHO ACTUALLY DO THE
WORK. are paid a salary, while the
officials pull down the fat fees. These
things are so plain that every one
can see them If he only steps to think
about 1t.
We all agree, except perhaps few
officials, now holding $4,000
places and doing $4,000 worth of work,
that the fee system is extravagant,
unfair, unjust, unscientific and should
be changed to an adequate salary sys-
tenn, thereby saving to the people OF
the state at least $250,000 year. II,
this change be not effected before the
general election of 1916, new officers
will be elected for term of four
years, thereby entailing a loss to the
people of this state Of at least one
million dollars during this term. In
state after state this condition has
been remedied by putting the county
Offices on real business basis, pay
ing stipulated salaries to County Off
Gals and readjusting them to the
changed conditions.
Florida Now Awake
Florida is awake-wide-aw in
more ways than one. Her road build
ing propaganda is the talk of the ma
ton. Her forging to the front as
The Great Tourist Resort State has
been the marvel of the entire country.
She is hailed as a state progressing
by leaps and bounds, in everything
from agriculture TO commerce. Ee
cause of this, the progressive senti-
ment in the state is bringing such
pressure to bear, that there is great