Arizona republican., 1916-06-25
Where the People
 May Have Hearing
The Proposed Consolidation


 Phoenix, June g, 1916. Editor Republican, Dear Sir:-A special election will ba held next Tuesday, June 27th. to de- termine whether the offices of city clerk and city ma gistrate shall or shall not be consolidated and the city clerl, become ex-officio city magistrate. Prior to. and at the time of the adoption of the present city charter and the commission form of govern ment the people Of Phoenix had grown tired and disgusted with the appica- tion of city laws by the recorders court ard the voters voiced their dis approval of the old form by creating the city court as it now stands, and they not only hoped for, but expected better results in the way of money getting and service giving through the city magistrate giving undivided at tention and care to court matters The operation of the city court has fully met the expectation, and justi- | fled the judgment of it's friends, by giving the city more money and the people more prompt and efficient ser
 
 | ne recorders court and which had | been permitted bv the divided and dl- Verslfied duties of the city recorder. | It IS no secret that the move to con- | soiid2te the offices was originally di- | rectod at myself as city magistrate l 'nh the motive winch originated it is even now the force urging consolda- non, and the cry of economy is not in | tne interest Of the city or the tax | payers. but is used to deceive and en- | courage some few who imagine they nave personal grievances to revenge or who are deluded followers of the false economists behind this move ! ment
 Economy in court matters must be measured by service efficiency, and not by dollars and cents Principles and methods are much more important Tn the administration of law than is the man who may be selected as city magistrate to apply the law.
 The term of two wears, for which Was selected to serve. expired on the sth of April last, and if my services as city magistrate were objectionable to majority of the city commissioners they should have elected my successor Tn 3n open. manly way. instead of try fng 10 do sO oy the consolidation pro cess under the spacious plea of econ omy and saving to taxpayers
 dld not exact promise from, nor even request any member of the cit, commission to vote for my reelection lhd they are free to exercise theii pleasure either in retaining my ser. vices or in selecting my successor. but hoth my convictions ard eXperienc, indicate that the consolidation of tn, offices is lad in principle and ruinou. n policy % ;he city and to the peo ole's interests. Regardless of the of re or its emoluments, I am opposed to the consolidation
 The receipts of the old recorder 'ourt, under Judge Thomas, for tn years l9ll-19121913, as shown by tn police docket were s1S639.00, an aver age of S6,2l5.00 per year.
 The receipts of the city court fo TWO years. under my administration Vere $l9,019.00 an average of s9. DISCO per year or $3 296OO per yea more tan collected by the recorder court under Judge Thomas.
 t is asserted that prohibition GU town the work of the city cour Nhii, we may admit this to be tru shoulc be remembered that the re 'elpts Of the recorders court unde Judge Thomas were collected whe the saloons were open and doing bus ness and m the past two years unde my administration there were nine we md fifteen dry months.
 Measured by past performances it 1 flearly indicated that the consolida ten of the offices of city clerk an magistrate as provided in Ordinanc No l26. means the less of money the city and impaired service to tt people. Prompt, efficient ana cor timed attention and care are assure court matters under the present svs 'em' such as "as not given by the O recorders court, and cannot be give by the city clerk acting as city magi! trate, because the city clerk has dive slfled cnties to perform and is r lulred to serve the city commission ms official capacity. very often at time when urgent court matters d. mand attention and as result the a fairs of the commission or the need the court will suffer from neglect inattention.
 Those advocating a consolidation the offices of city clerk ard magi trate, assert it means a saving to f city of $3000OO0 now paid in salari to the city magistrate and his cier interpreter. If this were true. al without the sacrifice of service eff elencN. the consolidation should
 made, bat it is not true. The conso iation ordinance provides that t salary of the city clerk when actiI IS magistrate shall be increased s30t DO year. An interpreter is need tor the court and it is to be presum he will be paid as under the old r cofders court, s600.00 a year. and extra clerical work is needed, a cle will Dc paid for, so that the alleg rsk,r. l.