Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-23
ABOLISH OFFICIALS
FEES, PAY SALARIES,
HARDW|CK SUGGESTS

Governor-Elec Hardwick will -
vor abolition of the fee system fol
county officers if a fair and bust
termining their compensation on 6
salary basis, it was stated by hin
Friday in discussing the matter.
1.-The enforcement of justice mos
certainly ought not to be CONNER
cialized," said Mr.. Hardwick, in ref
erence to the fees of solicitors gen
eral and city court solicitors.
In this connection, however, he
pointed out that the question whether
solicitors shall be paid by fees or by
salaries already rests in the hands
of the people through their repre-
sentatives in the legislature. The
counties composing any judicial cir
cult can have their representatives
pass an act abolishing the fees OF
the solicitor general of that circuit
and placing him on a salary pro-
rated among the counties.
Regarding the fees of county ad-
ministrative officers, Mr.. Hardwick
pOlHl6u OuI Ill1I "AAASA
would be adequate in one county
would not be adequate in another
county, and vice versa. Hence, any
bill to abolish the fees of admins
trative officers, in his opinion, should
be framed in such a way as to give
the local boards of county commits
sioners, or the local grand juries, OF
some other local authority, the neces-
sary leeway to fix the salaries OF
the officers now paid by fees.
AS to abolishing fees, he indicated
that he would not favor that. but
would favor a continuance OF the
fees, provided they went into the
general county treasures instead OF
into the pockets of fee-paid officers
whatever revenue was derived by
a county from fees" he said, "Woulo
reduce by that much the amount OF
tax which would have to be levied
In many small counties. where the
population is spare. and litigation Is
scattering, the fees of administra'
tive officers could not be called ex-
orbitant or excessive, Mr.. HardWlcF
believed, but in many large and me
dunn sized counties the fee-pald OIL
GERS are getting incomes far In ex-
cess of the market value of a sim
liar service in the business world.
Mr.. Hardwick did not indicate that
he was going to remoccend the abo-
litior of fees in his inaugural address
to the legislature. His comments on
the subject were made in the course
Of a. general conversation touching
matters which are likely to come be-
fore the legislature. Abolition of fees
is a matter now receiving much at
tention in the press of the state. and
a majority Of the members OF the
house and senate recently indicated
{. reply to a QUESTIONABLE sent out by
the savannah Morning News that
they would favor abolition of fees.
1t is interesting to note that not
over 100 officers paid by fees, out
of total of 1900 or more in Geor-
gia, have yet made reports to the
COMPTROLLER general of their fees col
lected during the first quarter of this
year. The law requires them to re-
port quarterly, not later than the
tenth of the month following the end
of the quarter. and makes 1T mis-
demeanor to fail to report.
All Fulton county officers paid by
fees have made their report except
Solicitor John A. Boykin. 1t was
stated at his office Thursday that his
report had been mailed to the comp
troller general. 1t had not been de-
livered at the comptroller generals
office on Friday.
T. M. Armistead, tax receiver OF
Fulton county, on Friday reported
on his fees and expenses for the
first quarter of the year. His report
showed hat no fees at all had been
collected in that period, and that his
expenses of winning the office had
been s3,125. The period in which his
fees will be collected will come later
in the