1892. ] OF THE SENATE. 559

Court and other tribunals which Congress, from time
to time has power to establish, provides, the Judges
of the Supreme and inferior Courts shall hold their
offices through good behavior, and shall at stated
times, receive for their services a compensation which
shall not be diminished during their continuance in
office.

Congress, from time to time has increased the salar-
ies of the Federal Judges, and its power to do so is
under the wording of the Constitution similar to our
own, and has never been questioned.

Probably if our Constitution like that of the United
States had received the benefit of a revision by a Com-
mittee on Style, no question would ever have been
raised as to the power of the Legislature to increase
the salaries of the Judges. The proposition is not a
new one. It has been several times before the Legis-
lature. Some difference of opinion has existed upon
the subject, but rather a doubt as to the constitution-
ality of the measure than a decided conviction against
it.

Your Committee think the importance of the sub-
ject justifies a report at length of the reasons for the
conclusion at which they have arrived. They have
not relied alone upon their own judgment and re-
searches, but have had the advantage of the opinion in
writing of several of the most eminent lawyers of the
State and of the committee on the amendment of the
law of the Bar Association of Baltimore city. All
concur in the opinion that the proposed bill is a con-
stitutional measure. And while the question sub-
mitted to tins committee is the mere legal question of
the constitutionality of the bill, we cannot refrain
from expressing the opinion that every consideration
of justice and of sound public policy dictate that the
State should not be niggardly in dealing with the com-
pensation of the faithful and capable public servants
who have heretofore so justly and ably protected the
lives, liberties and property of our citizens, but we
should pass the bill which only makes a very moder-
ate addition to the present inadequate compensation
of our Judges.