The Arizona copper camp., 1919-01-11
BOYCE REFUSES
BACK SALARIES
Gov. Hunt and Wiley Jones,
Who Filed Demands at
Last Minute Of Old Ad-
ministration Must Wait
Until Supreme Court De
cides or Else Bring Suit.

PHOENIX, Ariz., Jan. 10.-State
Auditor Jesse Boyce announced today
that the salary demands of Governor
Hunt and Attorney General Wiley
Jones, presented under the provisions
of Chapter 81, Session Laws of 1917,
will not be paid until the question of
the legality and application of the
measure has been passed upon by the
supreme court. These demands for
back salary due them were filed with
the auditor Saturday by the officials
The warrants were presented in &C
cordance with the recent supreme
court decision (Yavapai county SUI
pervisors VS.. Stephens) in which the
constitutionality of the legislative
enactment was upheld. The case,
however, in the opinion of the auditor,
merely establishes the fact that the
county officials are entitled to the
increased salaries provided in the
classification law, and does not neces-
sarily affect the status of state Off
GERS
In discussing the matter today,
Boyce stated emphatically that he
would not approve the demands pre-
sented by the state executive and the
attorney general. Until the question
is settled by the supreme court or he
is mandamused by court of compet-
ent jurisdiction, the auditor will con-
tinue to issue vouchers for the sal
aries as authorized under the law of
1912, as he has done in the past
The classification measure also af-
fects the salaries of all county judges
except those in Apache, Navajo, Pima,
Claims for the full amount of the in
creased salaries have been submitted
regularly in the past year and nine
months by the superior court judges
affected, but in each instance the
claims have been paid at the rate
prevailing under the statute in force
prior to the enactment of the new
classification law.
A case which may settle this much
mooted difficulty is now pending i'll
the supreme court. The suit. ILaine
VS.. Greenlee county, was instituted
by Superior Judge F. B. Laine of
Greenlee county to determine the
constituionality of the measure. The
decision, it is expected, will determine
the application of the new law to the
increase of salaries of state officials.
It is the contention of the state au-
4 ttr HAT it is not constitutional to in
crease the salary of a state official
during the incumbent's term of office.
Accordingly, he will resist the pres
sure which has been brought to bear
III an effort to secure the payment of
the claims. He indicated thai he
would welcome an action which you'd
clear up this point.
The claim of the governor for back
salary amounts - $3.50 year, his
salary having been increased by the
law from $4,000 to $6,500. The in
crease in the case of the attorney gen.
eral was from $4,000 to $4,000 per
fnnum. The demand of the governor
calls for $4,000 and that of Jones for
$4,000.
The presentation of the claims at
the time they were filed is generally
regarded as an eleventh-hour effort
to have the mallowed and authorized
before Gov. Hunt gave UP office. 1t
was thought doubtful, even if the de-
nands were honored later, whether
the approval of Governor Campbell
could be secured without litigation.