Evening journal., 1919-02-04

larry should not be granted the in
lcreases provided by Senator Robert
sons bill, Major Bradford declared that
these judges are miserably underpaid.
"shere is no excuse for the State OF
Delaware TO underpay It's judiciary" he
declared. Il think $500 is the least we
should consider at all 10 pay our Judges.
] hope the bin will receive your favor
able consideration.
Former Attorney General Robert H.
Richards, the next speaker, remarked
that "the only interest we have In COM
Ing here today is for what we concede
to be for the interest Of the State"
In making salary comparisons he point
ed out that the Supreme Court judges
Of the United States receive Si4.500
year, the district judges are 10 receive
$500, and the circuit judges, under the
same bin Increasing the salaries OF dis
trict judges will receive an increase OF
from $1,000 10 $500 per annum. But
you must remember that those judges
receive the salary as long as they live"
he said. "They are appointed for life
and when they reach the age Of 20 years
or have served the allotted time they
can retire at full pay. II they get in
capacitated through illness or other
reasons no one can take their salary
away from them." He declared that
the judges OF the Court OF Appeals OF
New York receive $1,000 a year, the
Supreme Court OF Pennsylvania, $4,000
and the Common Pleas Court Of Phila-
delphia, $4,000. In Delaware County,
Pennsylvania, adjoining the upper end
OF this State, which has no city as large
as Wilmington and which is classed as
rural county, the judge receives $1,000
year. He pointed out that the Della
ware Judges must do all the judicial
work In the State, serving both at the
county court sessions and upon the Su-
preme Court They are busy men now,
he declared. and the business will keep
increasing as the population increases.
Mr.. Richards declared that II was an
impossibility for the Judges 10 live upon
$500 a year In the manner In which
the. people OF the State expect their
judges 10 live, and pointed out that
the Judges OF Kent and Sussex coun-
ties are frequently called TO serve at
the sessions In Wilmington, and are re-
quired TO pay their own expenses, which
he declared would amount 10 about ST.
900 year.
1T ls only falr TO the people OF the
State that you make the salary reason
ably respectable so that the Judges can
maintain the dignity Of their positions"
no concluded.
Former State Senator George w.
Sparks OF Wilmington. was the next
speaker. He also made a strong plea
for the salary Increase, declaring that
II was almost impossible 10 get first
class lawyers 10 accept the honor under
the present salary. He declared that 10
was growing more difficult all the time
to get the right kind Of men TO accept
the Iudgeship, pointing out that the
average busy lawyer can make $4,000
a year.
Representative McNabb interrupted
Colonel Sparks at this point. "Do you
think the Increase will draw In any Of
those $4,000 men2" he asked.
Colonel Sparks, In reply, pointed out
that such men have accepted the office
at S4s0O. He pointed out that ali prices
OF commodities have Increased and that
Il Is only fair that the salaries should
increase as the living expenses increase.
Joseph Chandler, former foreman Of
the New Castle County Grand Jury,
added a strong plea for the salary in
crease He said he was familiar with
court conditions, and declared that all
officials Of the New Castle County
courts. from the judges down 10 the
detectives. were Overworked He de-
clared the salaries must be increased to
keep the standard OF the Judiciary up
to what II is today. and pointed out that