The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-11-29
RACINE BOARD
BALKS AT RAISE
District Attorney Salary
Question B0thers in
Racine County.
STILL ON PART TIME

Racine county as we'll as Kenosha
county is bothered over the question
as to what is proper salary for the
Office of district attorney. In Racine
on Saturday the county board of SUI
pervisors there baked at the adoption
of plan for putting the district at
tornev of that county on full time
basis at a salary of $4,000. In Keno
sha county the board of supervisors
are now undecided as to whether cut
shall be made in the office of the dis
trict attorney here.
In Racine county the Office of the
district attorney is to remain on
part time basis. Efforts on the part
of some of the members of the board
there to change the Office to full time,
in which action they cited the fact
that Kenosha county is now on full
time schedule, failed when the resolu-
ton for such a change was defeated
90 to 8.
Wanted $4,000 Salary.
AS this is burning question in Ke-
nosha county, the following account OF
the discussion of it before the Racine
board will be of interest in Kenosha:
When the resolution was first pre-
sented 1t called for salary of $4,000
per annum for the district attorney
and $4,000 for his assistant together
with other expenses such as $4,000 for
stenographic help and $720 for office
rent, etc. However, when the ordinance
was read yesterday afternoon it was
in an amended form and the salaries
were left blank, it being explained
that that would be taken care of when
the committee on salaries made its re-
port on the salaries for the office.
Beck Addresses Board.
District Attorney Beck addressed
the board, declaring it was very i'm
portant matter and he said he was
rather surprised that the board was
attempting to take hasty action on the
proposition.
"a district attorney must have
ability and experience" said Mr.. Beck.
"Racine county at the present time
has a population of $4,000 and the
county is paying the district attorney
salary Of $4,000. The matter of ex-
pense is involved in this resolution. 1t
is business proposition. / have tried
to render the service which you de-
mand and which the law requires of
me. Under the present system you are
paying $500 as the salaries of the
district attorney and assistants, the
stenographers and rent of office. I'm
der the full time system the total ex-
pense would be $14,200, including
So, 900 for assistant, $4,000 for steno-
graphers, $1,000 for rent, $4,000 for
library and $1,000 for equipment, etc.
Comments on Full Time Office.
SIN regard to whether or not it is
good thing to have full time Office,
let me make this observation. More
is being required of the district attor-
ney than formerly on account of the
increase in the population. What kind
of man can you get for the money
The district attorney must run with
his party for the office every two
years. In reference to a lawyer be-
coming a candidate for this office
every two years let me say he must
spend seven years in obtaining a legal
education and his practice is built
up by slow degrees. The type of a
man who becomes candidate for the
Office would be a lawyer with not
much practice and not great deal Of
experience. | am not saying anything
about his ability-he might have 4
great deal of ability and lack the ex-
perience. He ought to have the expert
ence and great deal of ability.
Salary Paid in Kenosha.
"In Kenosha the salary of the dis
trict attorney is $4,000 and his as
sistant $4,000, making q total of So, 100
while in Racine county you pay in
salaries to the district attorney and
his two assistants $500. You can get
cheaper men. In reference to the
equipment if you had a courthouse
where the district attorney could have
his office in the building he would be
nearer to the courts and could do bet
ter work. The only additional expense
which has been incurred by my ad .
ministration over my predecessor is
one assistant and stenographic serv-
ice The records show the work has
doubled over the previous administra-
tion. | do feel you are entitled to the
very best service you can get. You
must RENE mber the greatest and grav-
est responsibility rests on the district
attorney in the exacting things of the
community. ThiSis no time in the de-
velopment of the community when
crime is rampant to weaken the arm
of the district attorney, but rather
it is the time and the opportunity to
strengthen the prosecution.
Supervisors Holland stated he had
talked with local attorney and had
asked him what he considered was a
fair salary for the district attorney
and he had stated about $4,000. Super
visor Pritchard pointed out that under
the proposed new administration the
expense would be at least $4,000
greater than as it now exists.