Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-02-14
REMARKS OF MR.. STEELE,
OF RICHMOND

Delivered in tile House Of Commons Et6 5, 1SJJ
In the debate in the House the bill concerning
"Salaries and Fees, Mr.. Steele sad that he would
not, at the present tlme have said word on the
subject under discussion but for the fact that he had
introduced, during the early part of the session.
bill to increase the salaries of certain officers, and
alusion had been made to it during the progress II
the present discussion. His friend from Warren
(Mr. Jenkins had said good deal which in bis
opinion had nothing to do with the question. 1t
the also with his friend from Iredcll (hIr Sharpe
Railroads, and the liberality or iberality OF any
gentleman upon the subject Of Internal Improve
ments, were entirely foreign to the question. The
only issue was, whether the salaries of the Officers
whose pay 1t WAS proposed to increase, adequate
to the duties which these officers required 10
perform His opinion was that they were entirely
inadequate. The Governor could not live in so
pensve place Raleigh upon the present salary.
This must be evident to any gentleman. The result
of such policy was to confnc the office to Of
wealth. This officer should be paid at least enough
to meet his necessary expenses. The Governor is
expected to live in good style and to show liberal
hospitality. This ne could not do upon the present
salary, and no Governor, from 1886 to the presenl
time had been able to do it.
The Public Treasurer does not get enough The
abors and responsibility were very great. This Of
1icer IS required to give bond of $250,0O0. lie
had great deal of extra labor III connection with
the bonds Of the State. He was required to sign
MS name to each bond and its coupons siXty-one
times. At this rate he would be obliged to write lbs
upon the bonds for the North Carolina Rail
road SO, 900 times. A Public Treasurer ought not
only to be an honest man possessed of the ordinary
mathematical rather arthmetica ability to enable
him to keep his books correctly but he ought to be
a 1tRancier. He should have financial talent 50 that
he might be able to suggest schemes Of revenue 10
the Legislature. whereby the means of floating and
Gqudating the public debt can be raised with the
least burdens upon the people Such man cannot
be had for the salary now allowed. Give gooa
salary and you get competent
This was equally true in regard to the other OIL,
GERS; but the bill proposed to increase the fees Of
the Secretary of State he would say nothing in re-
gard to that office.
1t was true that these officers knew what the sa'f
ries were when they accepted This, however, WAS
no argument. The object was to get competent men
and the only question was whether the miserable
salaries now allowed sufficient to procure TIC
services of such men. He thought they were not
If the salary of the Treasurer were 500 it would
be easy to get plenty of persons to take the olnc
But would they be lit men? By means-thy!
would rob the public True economy required TIC
payment of adequate salaries to public officers PuD
lie affairs would be better managed and money WOu''
be saved
For these reasons and others which he did ho'
have time to set forth, he would very cheeruly sup
port the bill