Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-06-14
Abolish the Fee System

ONCA liz
pretty well unit on the ques-
ton of abolishing the fee sys-
tenn. The public-we dare say
ninety per cents opposed to
the fee system.
It has been charged that bills
abolishing the system would
have passed but for lobby al
ways active about the State
capitol. Whether that be true we
do not know, but we do know
that so far efforts to abolish the
system have failed.
When fees for any public SER
vice exceed reasonable salary
for the man performing the SER
vice, the fee should be lowered
or the office placed on salary
basis.
In smaller counties, where the
fees are few and all of the time
of the official is not demanded
the fee system probably should
be continued.
This is a matter for each in
dividual county to settle for it.
self and each county should be
given the right to do so by con-
siitutional amendment.
The Savannah News says in
commenting on the fees paid the
Fulton county solicitor:
Up in Fulton county the So
lieitor Of the city court, Roy
Dorsey, submitted his fee report
the other day for the first quar-
ter of this year. He showed that
the receipts of his office for the
three months were SIS, 785.07
and its expenses $5,538.94, leay-
ing a nice little nest egg for the
solicitor of S10246.12. Not bad
for three months. 1t is at the
rate of $4,000 year, which is
more than any salaried employee
of the public in the whole Unit
ed States gets in one year, with
one exception, and that exception
is the president of the United
States.
Now maybe the solicitor of
court up in Atlanta is worth
more to the public than any sal
aried public officer or employee
anywhere in the United States,
and then again maybe he is not
Be he ever so brilliant, so hon
est, SO painstaking, so careful of
public and private interest and
right, nevertheless he is not
worth $4,000 a year to the peo-
pie of Fulton county. Many man
would be willing to take the of
flee and give excellent service for
$4,000 a year, or even for less
than that.
The difference between what
the office pays and what it
ought to pay is pure loss to the
people of Atlanta and Fulton
county Thirty thousand dollars
is too much to one officer in one
year. If that is good system,
If that is good policy, then the
words don't mean what they
seem to mean.
Every public official should
be paid a reasonably fair sal
AIRY provided his duties are a
necessity and his work satisfac-
tory.
Why under the sun do we, as
a people, refuse 10 apply the
same business methods to gov
eminent that we apply to our
own business. Extravaganza in
government is a tax on the in
dividual.
We-you ard us-pay the
bill. Every public officer is on
OUR pay roll; he is working for
us and it is our business-or
should below and what we
pay our employees.
If we desire our county Off
cials placed on salary basis, it
us up to our representatives in
the General Assembly to see
that it is done.
If lobby is maintained in
Atlanta to defeat the will of the
people. it should be exposed
and every public official con
tributing a sum to fund the lob.
BY should be turned out of Of
fee for attempting to thwart the
will Of those who employ him.
Several Sumter county grand
juries have recommended abol-
ishing the fee system in this
county, and the last grand Jury
recommended the combining Of
the offices of tax receiver and