The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-04
FIRST RETURNS UNDER
new FEE SYSTEM Law
Commissioner OF Revenue w. II.
Sncad. OF IIynchburg. Sends His
Check For Sf,34S.77.
MAXIMUM EARNINGS FIXED.
When Fec Incomes Exceed Such
Amounts Excess Comes TO State.
Compensation Commission to Frame
Schedule.

The first return to the State auditor
or fees collected by fee officers in the
state in excess of the annual amount
Of salary allowed them under the
amendment by the last General AS
sembly to the act of March 81, 1914,
was received yesterday by State Audi
tor c. Lee Moore from william H.
Snead. com mtssioner of the revenue
for Lynchburg. Mr.. Snead sent In his
check for s1.34S,77. representing the
fees he had collected during 1916 over
and above his salary and the expenses
Tor the operation of his office
Under the amended act of 1916, IL
was provided that the salaries of all
fee officers in cities of not less than
$4,000 nor more than $4,000 popula-
ton, in which class Lynchburg is in
cluded, shall not be more than S.
500. The expenses of the office of
the commissioner of revenue in that
city amounted TO $500 and the
amount returned was collected in ex-
cess of this. According to the law,
one-half of such returns are put into
the treasury OF the State, the other
half being turned over to the local au-
thorities. and under this provision Mr.
Moore yesterday mailed a check for
s674.3S to the Mayor of Lynchburg.
1t Is expected that returns will be
received daily by the auditor from
this time on from fee officers all over
the State. The law covering the return
became effective on January /, 1915,
and reports for the entire year are
required to be made. Just what the
amount of money this will represent
TO the State cannot be estimated, but
that 1t will amount to several hundred
thousand dollars is regarded as likely.
Commission Created.
Under the act of March 81, 1914,
it was provided that commission
be created to consider the eampensa-
ton of court clerks, examiners OF rec
ords treasurers. commissioners of the
revenue. sheriffs. high constables, and
city sergeants. and fix the maximum
amount of compensation for such Of
hcers. This was done in the hope
OF abolishing the bitterly opposed
fee system" in vogue In the State
In the session OF the 1916 Legisla-
ture. an amendment was passed to
the previous act limiting the salaries
of the fee officers, according to the
population of the cities. until such
time as the commission has had the
opportunity to report on its findings.
4
Salaries Fixed.
The amendment of 1915 provides that
all fee officers as mentioned shall be
paid an amount not in excess OF the
sums named as follows: In cities hav-
ing a population of sixty thousand or
more, said compensation for any such
officer shall not exceed the sum Of
$500 per annum; with n population
between $4,000 and $4,000. such COM
pensation shall not exceed $500;
with a population between $4,000 and
$4,000. the said compensation shall not
exceed $4,000; with n population be-
low 10000. the compensation shall not
exceed $4,000. provided that this act
shall not apply nor be operative as
to cities. towns with a population of
less than four thousand. and provtd-
ed that in cities containing more than
125, 900 inhabitants. the compensation
to be paid the city treasurer shall not
exceed the sum OF $1,000.
Fee officers in counties with a pop
ulation OF $4,000 or more shall not re-
ceive more than $1,000 per annum
with population between $4,000 and
$4,000, the said compensation shall not
exceed $4,000. and with a population
under $4,000 the compensation shall
not exceed $4,000. No clerk of the
Supreme Court of Appeals shall re-
ceive as his total compensation more
than $1,000 1t is further provided
that examiners OF records cannot draw
more than $4,000 per annum
1t has been pointed out that while
the fee system is extremely unsatis-
factory, II works to good advantage
In the very small communities where
fee officers have TO be maintained, yet
the business transacted by them Is too
small to be handled by ealaried off,