Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1853-09-29

N'ScmOiy' and lhe salaries Of State and Judi
'Hl OAssTs BY SO doing YOU -il much Oblig,.
A TAXPAYER.
49,
s., CARROLLroS, Sept. s6th. 1858
sR: Ysurs Of the Rsi inst, came duly to
hand have no hesitation in making public
my intentions with regard to the retrenchment
Of The expenses Of the State Government but
the "snner suggested by yOu is to me novel:
snlsssyou desire my answer. fer more than
your own eye. On the day Of the convention.
batPlaetd me in nomination, stated public
ly' that | was in.favor Of retreuehing eTPrndi-
tursI. Wherever il could be done. still sd-
here 10 that conviction as being alike due to
justice and the disappointed expectations Of
the people. -,
When entered the legislature in l843 we
found the affairs of our finances. in almost =
hOPeleii condition. The interest due on our
public debt was uupaid, and the means to pay
it VAS largely deficient. A very large lst Of
delinquenls, was found en- our tax duplicate
and a general depression existed in all eur
mOAVlOry affairs Every consideration, called
uPOn.hemsmbers Of tbS legislature to provide
some rsmsdy.- for the condition OF things "a
they hen existed. and Il l. most efficient means
of shscling that desirsb'e object, wss re-
treAchment Of the aexpcnses Of the Govern
tnent The salaries Of nearly every officer in
-
the State had beea increased during the session
of 1889 and 40, which was largely democratic.
The session Of l84S and WAS the first year
after 1910 that the Wings had majority, and
II any one cause prevented over another, in
giving them the ascendeney, it was the hope Of
rsIrenchirg the expenses Of the government.
Accordingly at that session law was passed
reducing the per diem of the members, to two
dollars per day, and alike reduction of all 9th
er officers, This bill received my cordial sup.
port. Judicial salaries were reduced more
than twenty five per cent While these low
salaries existed, there was no trouble in obtain.
ing the best talents Of the State in both tn, Ju-
dicialand Legislative departments. This an
sWers the objection, that high salaries. are ne.
Osssary 10 secure the services of competent
men. Atno time in our history did we have
on the bench or in the counsels as much talents
as when these low salaries existed Notwth
standing this very large reduction of expenses
the democratic pisss and the leaders of the
Democratic party claimed and insisted that a
greater fetrenchment was necessary, and no
element entered larger into the canvass, that
brought about the convention, that framed
and adopted the constitution, than did the
promises that were made by ths; party, that
the expenses should be retreRched, and the
taxes lessened,. The new Constitution was
adopted aud the Democrats obtained control Of
every branch Of the State Government The
people had good right to expect that the prom
isss previously made to them would be per-
formed But theyywere doomed to sec disap
pointmsnt. Instead of retrehching they in
ersassdths pay of every service authorized by
law. allexecutye salaries were nearly doubled
The number Of salarisd Judges were largely
b r increased. diminishing the duties each one
would haveIo perform, but increasing the sala.
ries Of Supreme Judges, from twelve, to cigh.
teen hundred dollars and the { ommon Pleas
Judges from one thousand to sixteen hundred
dollars per year.
But the grestest outrage after the promises,
chat had been made, was the increase of the
yer diem of members TO four dolla,s per day.
AT no time since the organization of the State
Government, had lhe per diem Of members cx.
ceeded three dollars per day until authorized
by the present law. In the ssme proportion
have the taxes increased In l845 time oI
low salaries, the total taxes levied on Carol
COun::JJ was .$i4.7la.4S. but in 1859 it is in
ereaseditO sG7,76b04,7, This large increase
truly alarming, and inmy Judgment the only
relief against the burtben imposed upon th'
people consists in the most rigid economy BY
bringing every officers pay down to forTer pr,
ices. lthel efore IN answer to the inquiry, mos
distinctly say. that should be elected r pre-
sentative, will apply the pruning knife t
> every branch .of expenditures, and exert, al
honorable means, within my power, to reduc
the per diem Of members, and the compenss
tion Of all officers whatever to the former stand
ard, and 10 loP off all sinecurcs, and place
men. and oppose the appropriation Of ever
dollar except whatis necessary for an econom
ical administration n Of the State Governmen
a',pl . .H. 's.' s.1-.... E. R. ECKLEY.
To TAXPAYER.
:, l,ew eti., For the Free Press.
To TIE EDIToR:
Permit me through the columns of your pi