Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-02-06


Wisconsin more expensive than i, is at pre-
sent in several states of the Union which
have now larger population than Wis
consin will have within the next eight or
ten years. The following table exhibits
the average cost of government in six states
of the Union, including their Judicial, cx-
ecutive and legislative departments:
Cost Of Govm't. Pop. in Is 20
N. Hampshire, S,6,lS6 254,574
Vermont. 30,603 29I ,949
Rhode island, $500 los, $50
Connecticut, PAPA 3O9,9.S
New Jersey, $3.50 373,306
Delaware, 2l,7l3 7S,0S5
From the foregoing ii will be seen that
the average COS: of state government in
,hcscrsx states is S25,352 per annum II
Of course will not be understood that this
covers the whole amount of expenditures
of these states OF erery kind; the erection
OF state houses, prisons, aims houses, &C.,
in mahy instances swcls the amount of
general expenditures. But as expenses Of
this character are entirely disconnected
from the subject matter under considera-
ton. they cannot be includ, d in the esti-
m itrd cost of state government In order
That the view Of the minority Of your COM
mlt;ce in relation to the expense necessary
TO snPpo't state government may be more
fully unde'stood,it is proposed ,c GO into
detailed esiima'e'cf each department.
Is. Tie Er"catirc Departmental cs-
timating the exI crses OF this depa r,ment,
1t is fair TO follow The precedcn's Of other
new states on heir coming into the Union,
especially IN al c,,ses where the saa rics
fixed by law in those states was found to
be an aJequatc<co By the Slh
aitic!eo! the constitution OF Ohio, the sala-
ries of the Off ers Of the executive de-
partncn: o! the government were esab-
Iishcd fIom the year 1902 O Is s as fol-
lows: Govern n $1,000 per annuln; Sec
rotary of state S. o.; auditor $3.50; treas
urer $3.50. The C institution o. the state
OF Indiana fix the salaries Of the officers
ot this department from lSl6 until lSI9as
follows: governor $1,000; secretary of
state S400; treasurer S40O; auditor 500.
The average salary for governor in The six
states New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhod:
Island, ConneC:icu, New Jersey, and Del
aware, is Icss.han $1,000 per annum. In
Illinois the salary Of governor has been
fixed at 81 90 per annum since the orga-
niz1ton o! the state government.
The organ ,liol of The executive de-
par,metts of the different stltcs is 81 v;ri-
Gus ihAr'ia is difficult to present an average
e tlma.e orahc salaries paid to officers be
low the rank Of gov, rnor. OF what Off
cc-s The rx cu,ivc dcPa I'm ntof our ruturc
government will be compo ed, whenever
We form state SOW reigaty, it is impossi
be at this tins TO PREDICT; but i, is .lieved
that the most econo ninal rs wei rs effic-
lent Arrangement of this departm nj
wonld be a'F6vernor, lieutenant govern
or, sec etary OF state, auditor, treasurer,
and ait rncy e @n"ral. The o,fic1 Of at
torney general has been dispensed with
i'll some of The states, and in Others
where this office is re;ain"d. il is regar-
ded as a mere sinccare still, To satisfy
those who may be anxious to retain this
Office in oar future orgnniz ton, we have
given II place in our estimate. Without,
therefore, incliuing 10 the lowest prcce-
dents which have been given, the following
is believed TO be 4 fair etim1tc OF the cx-
Panses o! the executive department Of the
future state Of Wisconsin:
G,vcrncr. (salnry.) $1,000; lieutenant
governor $5 per day during session Of
SO days $3.50; secretary Of state 5000;
auditor 500; treasurer $500; attorney
general $3.50.
IL TIE Leg 'd1t'r- Departnsnt-The
safes of Ohio and Indiana, al the time of
adopting their state constitution, fixed The
pay Of members Of the Legislature at tico
dollars Ter day. This is the present per
diem allowance in s1me Of the old states.
and others ii is even less 1t Is conceded
by almost every one Who has had Lcg>a-
tive experience in this territory, that the
Business Of gis' alton might he done in a
session Of ihlr'y-fivc or forty days in each
year, for several years to COM. TO pre-
vent ali danger, however, OF adapting too
limited period, the number of fifty days
will be assumed in The estimate.
As il rcglrdS the number of members of
which the legislature should b, composed, il
is believed TINT $ xty mcmbers-fir V in the
lower and twenty in the upper branch would
BE- Sufficient for at least a number of years.
20 answer all the objects of legislation, and
o secure the rights of the people. Greater
economy would perhaps be secured, were
he legislative assembly TO meet bicnnially,
as n Illinois, and several other states; but asi
this practice is not free from objection, we
shall not recommend it in our est:mltes
Your committee wCild then present The
following as an estimate o. the Legislative
department:
A leg stature of sixth members. and ses-
son of fifty days, at So per day, $ 5000; M
leagc, 81 for every twenty miles travel, ave
rage SIS each member. 800 dolls; thirteen
officers at , dolls per day, 1900 dolls. ;state
printer 300 dolls; stationery and fuel 1910
dolls; chaplains, 500 dolls. postage and
newspapers $50 dolls; librarian and supcrin-
tendent of public property, 300 dolls; Incl
dental 200J dolls.
3d. TIE judicial Here,
agln.your committee Will refer 10 precedents
in order 10 aid in arriving al proper estimltes.
In the states of Ohio and Indiana, the slla
rics of Judges of the Supreme Court were
originally fixed at 1000 dolls. per annum.