The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-28
Measure Had Come From the
Committee With An Ad-
verse Report.
MAXIMUM SALARY is
FIXED AT S6,000.O0
Bill Does Not Affect Officers
Whose Net Income Is Less
Than 100000.

TALLAHASSEE, May 27.-Repre-
sentative Stuart of Hillsborough sue
ceeded Friday night in passing the SAL
ary bill affecting county officers. Since
the bill had an adverse report from
the house committee, it's companion
bill had been killed in the senate and
one of the strongest loiybies the state
has ever seen had been fighting it hard
for the entire session. Mr.. Stewart is
being complimented on all sides to-
night for having turned a great piece
of legislativework.
The bill does not affect officers whose
net income is less than $4,000. Above
that sum they must begin putting the
money back in the county treasury up
to- $4,000 which is the maximum Of
flcers in fourteen counties are effected
there are now 35 county officers in the
state who last year, according to fig
ures compiled by Representative Croft
ton, each drew more than the salary
the legislature has agreed to give the
supreme court judges, namely $500, of
these. three are county judges. ten tax
collectors, six tax assessors, eight sher-
ifs and eight clerks.
The new law will become effective
Jan. l, 1922, on motion of Representa-
tive Newton, and accepted by Stuart.
In the bill it was set at July 1, but
Stuart was willing that there should
be longer time to change over the
bookkeeping. Representatives Will
lard of Dade, Stokes of Bay and Wade
of Clay argued against the bill. Rep
ressntative Stokes says it grew out of
the policies of Hillsborough county.
Keen of Polk thought it absurd that
county officers should net two and
three times as much as the governor
Are we here to legislate for an Of
ficer," asked Mr.. Stuart in his talk for
the bill. 'The question is not, is the
friend of the gentleman from Dade. the
clerk of the court of that county, worth
year, but is, is any clerk
worth more than $4,000 a year, which is
The figure set in this bill"
He pointed out that in Hillsborough
The clerk drew $4,000. The Sheriff
$1,000, the collector $4,000 and the
assessor $4,000, while in DuvaI, the
collector got $4,000 and the assessor
nearly s2S,000'net
Is there any reason why any public
,ffice in the state should get such a
'alary," he asked
AS soon as this bill was introduced
Tallahassee was invaded by one of the
most cowardly lobbists that has ever
lisgraced the capitol" said he. at
vas commonly known as the whisky
obby. Will you let that kind of a lobby
influence you in your official actions?
Viii you let yourselves be governed by
lobbyist SO shameless that IL openly
oasted on, the streets Of Tallahassee
nat you did not dare pass this BILL"
Representative Futeh refuted the ar
ument made by Col. Wade that it was
ot fair to break a contract made with
nese officers, he showing that instead
I the state breaking the contract, the
Ulcers Were elected on the theory
nat they were to draw the salaries
AIMED in the Carlton law much small
n than these named in the Stuart
lw, and they themselves broke the
ontract by going to the supreme court
} have the law declared unconstitu-
onal.
When the vote. Al to 10 was declared
n. Buston changed his vote to yes
Continued On Page Two)