FEES AND SALARIES.
Mr. SAYRE offered a resolution authorizing the Senate Committee on Fees and Salaries to fully investigate the facts in relation to a fee and salary bill, which shall be in accord with the recently adopted amendment to the Constitution, with authority to si^nd for persons and papery. He believed it would be a certained that three-quarters of a million of dollars are annually taken from the people wrongfully by constructive fees of officials in this State. This great outrage, being perpetrated every day and hour, should be put a stop to.
Mr. VOYLES was against the resolution because it looks too much like proposition to send for the County officers of this State. The people who are not County officers are also interested in this matter.
Mr. BUNDY hoped this resolution would be adopted. If there is one subject more than another in which the people of this State are interested, it is the fee and salary question. County officers are getting rich in one term by reason of their charging constructive fees. Nothing can be done intelligently to remedy this evil till a Committee has heard evidence.
Mr. WILLARD saw necessity for information, but it will be time enough to grant this power when they ask for it.
Mr. FOULKE could see but one purpose in opposing a motion of this kind. No one can tell without experience what these officers can perform their services for. Whether or not there is cause for complaint, the people demand that something shall be done with the fee and salary bill. Unless it is desired to suppress all action on this subject, he hoped the resolution would pass.
Mr. VOYLES opposed the resolution, because of the construction put upon it that it would be a call for County officers to come up here. He saw no necessity for the resolution at this stage. stage.
Mr. BROWN moved to refer the resolution to the Committee on Fees and Salaries.
The motion was rejected by yeas, 23; nays, 24.
Mr. CAMPBELL desired to see the resolution passed. He believed some offices supposed to be very rumenerative were not, while others not supposed to be lucrative were indeed so. There is a great difference. He was sorry to notice a somewhat partisan division in this matter.
Mr. MARVIN was surprised at the introduction of this resolution by the author. For 100 days the present law was before the Senate, and it was passed by a Republican body and signed by Republican officers. He was willing to try the present law two years longer.
Mr. HILLIGASS deprecated making this a party measure, but regarded the resolution" as unnecessary. He thought an equitable adjustment can be made by calculating upon a basis of population. He hoped this Legislature will adopt an equitable fee and salary bill. He also opposed the resolution because it proposes to give into the hands of this Committee power unlimited.
Mr. WILLARD made an ineffectual motion-yeas, 11; nays, 35-to lay the resolution on the table.
Mr. BELL now hoped to see the resolution passed. He believed in getting competent men and paying fair price for services. He hoped the unlimited power conferred by the resolution will not be abused With a little discretion not much mileage will have to be paid to County officers [Laugnter.]
Mr. WHITE hoped the resolution will pass.
Mr WILLARD hoped the resolution will not pass, because it gives the Committee unlimited power to summons any person from any point of the State to whom mileage and per diem will have to be paid. It may be productive of great expense, which the Committee has not asked for. After consultation if the Committee ask for this power it might then be granted.
Mr. ADKISON asked who was responsible for the political aspect in which this resolution was receiver. One County in his District is largely Democratic, the other is Republican, and there is no objection there to a project of this kind. There is a necessity for it. We do not want the kind of evidence that will come up here for the purpose of influencing legislation. He favored the resolution.
Mr. BROWN also favored the resolution.
Mr McCULLOUGH understood the feeling to be universally in favor of a law under which there can be no constructive fees. There are too many County officers about the Legislature when the question of fees and salaries is considered. As a rule the more that is heard about fees and salaries from County officers, the less is known about that subject. Men interested directly in the deliberations of this body will color their statements. The resolution would probably be too expensive at this time; and it will bring here a class of men that will not enlighten the legislators on that subject Some members on this Committee have had experience, and if the Committee shall ask for further power in the premises he would be willing to giant it.
Mr. HENRY regarded the resolution as a proper one-the Committee will not send for persons and papers unnecessarily. All are satisfied there should be action by this Legislature on this question. We want an investigation, and evidence on the subject brought before the Senate. This is not apolitical question. The present incumbents of County offices are not The only men in the State who can give desirable information concerning fees and salaries. He deprecated the laws now on the statute books that almost drive litigants out of the Court.
Mr. WILLARD moved to refer the resolution to the Committee on Fees and Salaries, with instructions to report whether there is a necessity for the passage of this resolution, pending which-
There came a recess till 2 o'clock.
