Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 117, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1904 — THE OLD SYSTEM [ARTICLE]

THE OLD SYSTEM

* How a Denouncer of Extravagance Flourished in the Good Old Days. M* ••*6'* ——— As an example of the operations of the old fee system terminated by Republican legislation, a tabulated statement of the fees received under the Democratic fee and salary law of 1891 by Attorney General Smith, is appended: For fiscal year ending Oct 31. 1891 $ 7,783.76 Year ending Oct. 31, 1892... 12,001.30 Year ending Oct. 31, 1893.1. 15,811.77 Year ending Oct. 31, 1894... 31,679.79 From Oct. 31 to Nov. 22, '94. 17,630.17 Total $84,906.79 It will be noted that during the last three weeks of this period Mr. Smith drew in fees an average of $827 a day, Sundays included, or more than SIOO per working hour. Mr. Smith was the presiding officer of this year’s Democratic state convention and assisted in framing the plank in the Democratic state platform which accuses the present administration of "extravagance."