The Arizona copper camp., 1918-08-17

In fine he may devote his attention to
the performance of his official duties,
unembarrassed by any feeling that his
worth is being niggardly rewarded in
money, and the Offspring Of such
feeling which usually moves in the di-
rection of increased compensation. At
the same time there is the counterpart
which attends him with security from
the wretched thought that others may
become imbued with the conviction
that his stipend is much too large for
one of hi scapacity, and thus move with
the proninghook by way Of economy
in the public funds, or that desire
soil in the breast of a people desiring
to get rid of an officer altogether, and
to that end take away that compensa-
zion which he hath
AS it was in the Yuma County case
so it is in ours, a matter of paramount
Importance then to ascertain what COM
pensation was fixed and prescribed by
law when the terms of office of our
present county officials commenced.
All county officials of Pinal County,
with the exception of the judge of the
superior court and his clerk, were
elected in November, 1916, and quail
fled for their respective offices in Janu-
ary, 1917. At the latter date county
salaries wer paid under the provisions
of paragraphs 1926 and 3241, inclusive,
Civil Code of 1913, being the salary law
passed in 1912. But in the case of
Hunt VS.. Mohave County, 1852 Pac. 600,
decided by our supreme court on Feb
ruary Sd, 1917, said salary act was
thereupon declared invalid as being in
contravention to certain provisions of
our state constitution.
We are, accordingly, obliged to look
farther back for our authority in the
regulation and payment of county sal
aries, and we find, after having arrived
at statehood, provision in our con-
stitution creating and naming county
officers for the new state as sheriff,
recorder, ETC., and article 12, section a,
provided:
"The duties, powers and qualifica
tions of such officers shall be prescrib-
ed by law. The board of supervisors
Of each county is hereby empowered to
fix salaries for all county and precinct
officers within such county for which
no compensation is provided by law,
and the salaries so fixed shall remain in
full force and effect until changed by
general law"
Thus we see that in the absence of
laws fixing the salaries of such officers
the board of supervisors did on March
6, 1912, by resolution, fix and raise the
salaries of certain county officials,
while by their silence and acquiescence
ON the same subject they permitted the
salaries Of the remaining county Of
ficials to remain as fixed under the sal
dTy ACT OL 1SU1, ClV1l COO0 ana dHl0nO-
ments thereto, which, in the case Of the
county attorneys office, was $2,400 per
annum.
Accordingly, in 1917, at the time Of
the assumption to office Of all county
officials, with the exception of the
judge and the clerk of the court, we
find salaries paid in accordance with
the salary act of 1901 and amendments
thereto and the resolution of your hon
orable board passed on March 6, 1912,
as aforesaid
If permissible, chapter 61 of the Ses-
sion laws of 1917 would in effect in
crease the salaries and compensation
of all county officers through each of
the last six months of 1918, for which
period the said officers before men
toned had been elected in November,
1916, and their salaries already fixed
and determined, as aforesaid.