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Show LETTER FROM BEAVER. Territorial Fee Bill Should be Amended. Bkaver City, Utah, Jan. '2074. Editors JJaald: The business and condition of this Territory have so changed since the existing fee bill for officers was enacted, enac-ted, that a change in the fee bill, for an i increase of compensation is imperatively impera-tively demanded. All must recognize recog-nize the fact that the increasing importance im-portance of the grazing and agricultural agricul-tural interests, the development of mines, the erection of mills and furnaces, fur-naces, and the building of railroads t in the Jerntory, have completely rev-j rev-j olutionized business from whal it was i when the hardy pioneers of Utah . were struggling for an existence; at ; which time our present iee bill w;is enacted. Formerly officers did business in a neighborly way. They incurred , no expense in travelling, , and charged the small statuary fees, ; or frequently nothing at all, from the fact that busines was limited and fees insignificant. They did not dc-: dc-: pend upon their incomes foraliveli-! foraliveli-! hood. Such incomes were inaulli-cient. inaulli-cient. Men had to bo persuaded to : hold ofli et and only did it fur the accommodation ac-commodation of their neighbors. Now, business has increased, but fees are notoriously inadequate. An officer offi-cer must attend to his official business, busi-ness, and must also devote the greater great-er part of his time to some private business for a livelihood ; thereby greatly impairing his efficiency as an officer, retarding the business of liti- j ganta, and givim rise to actions on the officer's official bonds. No suitor, suit-or, no attorney makes allowance for inadequacy of fees, when considering an officer's shortcomings. It is in the ' nature of things every man for himself. him-self. Therefore, in order that an officer offi-cer may be an efficient one, may take ' time to devote to his duties, he should have goal and sufficient compensa- y tion for his services. The fees of jurors and witnesses are, also, insufficient. Witnesses under the present fee bill are paid a per diem of filly cents, and this is frequently fre-quently long deferred. Jurors are paid a per diem of seventy-five cents, and this in county scrip. Whereas, if; a man is called away from home and this is oftener the case than otherwise in the capacity of a juror or witness, his expenses are from two to three dollars, or more, in currency, perday, anywhero in the Territory. The people recognize the meagemess of tbe present feesofofticers and often in a spirit of justness, pay officers more than statutory fees. But this is objectionable. ob-jectionable. Compensation should be certain and fixed ; otherwise, there may be a chance for extortion, for complaint and misunderstanding, if not something more serious. In view of this condition of things, I think the Legislative Assembly of Utah, at its present session, ought certainly to enact a just and reasonable reason-able fee bill for every kind- of officer in the Territory and jurors and witnesses. wit-nesses. The neighboring States and Territories allow officers, jurors and witnesses reasonablepay for t ieir services, ser-vices, why may not Utah do the same ? John Hunt. |