The Pulaskian., 1916-12-29
PULASKI COUNTY
 SALARY SYSTEM
SHERIFF HUTTON AND CIRCUIT CLERK MALONEY ADVOCATE A CHANGE FROM THE FEE
 SYSTEM.

One of the live issues that will come before the Arkansas Legisla- ture, which convenes Monday, Jan uary 8, will be that of changing the officers of Pulaski county from fee to a salary basis of compensation. Sheriff w. G. Hutton and Circuit Clerk J. S. Maloney have openly espoused the change.
 Sheriff Hutton made an address Wednesday at the State Sheriff's As sociation in which he emphatically advocated the change and at the meet ing of the County and Circuit Clerks Association, Circuit Clerk J. s. Ma loney said he favored such law, if it were properly drafted.
 MT. Hutton said in part:
 "A proper salary bill will work to the interest and economy of the state and to the good of county officers af- fected by it. There may be men who have drawn salary bills who are not big enough for the job, either because they do not understand that efficient men cost money, or because they let petty political spites influence them in making laws, which should be for the good of the state. But proper salary bill that pays proper salary to eff eient men will relieve county officers throughout the state of a great source of worry and much undeserved criti- oic 1frfiC If f1n that is advocated by some is a bill submitting the question to the voters of the respective counties, and to pass a bill suitable to each county which voted in favor of the salary system. Another bill suggested is one to pass a general bill to take effect two years hence.
 "If a general bill is not passed as just outlined, I think all will agree that the makers of a salary bill should counties of the state. The man or men who draw the bill should investigate conditions in those counties with which they are not familiar, and should adjust the bill to fit the va rious counties They should keep in mind the duties of the sheriff, both as a peace official and as a fiscal officer, and should understand that in the more densely populated counties, where vast sums of money are handled by the collector he necessar- fly has to have in his office men who have some knowledge of bookkeeping and the handling of money. These men must be paid salaries at least as good as they can earn elsewhere. Some think they should have better salaries for their term of service ends generally with the term of the sheriff who employed them, and they should have some bonus to pay them for leaving a good position to take a po- sition that may last but a short time In counties where the collector is forced to handle so much money at times, it is not feasible to send the bookkeepers and tax collectors out on criminal and civil cases.
 While the criminal business of Pu- laski county is not so great as it was when liquor was sold here, it is still larger than most of the other counties, because of it's larger population, and anyone who will investigate can easily learn the cost of running down crimi- nals and even of simply keeping the peace. For this work honest and brave men must be employed The salaries paid my criminal deputies are not large and yet these men risk their lives many times during the year.
 Last year as collector I handled