FEES AND SALARIES.
For many years complaints have been made in the more populous Counties that the fees and salaries of officers were too large for the services perforated, it has also been asserted that the means to which there are often strong temptations to resort, for obtaining nominations for offices so lucrative, and for securing success at the polls, have a corrupting effect upon elections. Before the adoption of the Constitutional amendments of 1881, the Legislature was deprived of the power of curing this supposed evil. In that year an amendment was passed which has removed the difficulty. This amendment was submitted to the electors of the State, and prevailed by a majority of more than 90,000 votes. A session of the Legislature has intervened since the amendment was adopted, but no act has been passed regulating the compensation of officers in the manner contemplated. Every officer should be adequately paid for his services, but it is due to the people that no greater sum shall be taken from them,in the way of fees and salaries, than is necessary to pay to the officer a fair compensation. Officers frequently, however, relinquish regular occupation to obtain these places, under an expectation that the rate of fees prevailing when they were elected will be substantially maintained. It might be just, therefore, to postpone the operation of the regulation act for a reasonable time after its passage. A bill property regulating fees and salaries will require much thoughtful consideration, and should engage your attention at a very early period of the session.
