The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-02-12


~ ~ Apeoiasment Of pcleEatss I" Rsesia Con-
ssssicl of he lsA Jed,cia District, 10 pat Ia ncns
snAtieu ssssls csndidstc Cor ysdec OF aid Die.
It'd. ~ order Of tie Co. Central Com
ssks J. p. PATTON, Chairman.
he AiAsrnanis salary
Ny the Council proceedings which We
psSlished yesterday. citizeas were made &C.
sssiated with the fact, that our worthy Al.
desmen have passed "an ordinance cs,sb.
!isaiss the salary OF Aldermen for the city
sf Davenport" Th. ordinance reads ss
follows:
AN ORDINANCE
Estsllishine ia. salary Of Aidermsn for tie
City Of Davenport.
SSc. 1. Ne it enacted BY the City Coun.
oil Of the city Of Davenport, that from and
after the first day Of April. A. d. 1856, un.
Ill otherwise ordered the salary OF each Al
aernan shall be the sum OF Two Hundred
Dollars per year, the same to be paid quar-.
terly out OF any city funds not otherwise
appropriated. Provided, hewever, that
WAers Aldermen have removed from the
Ward, or resigned their Offices prior to the
passage Of this ordnance, they shall be
paid nothing for their service, and when
elections have been held to Gil vacancies,
the payment shali be made pro rata for the
tine served.
ssc. 2. Any Alderman failing to Be pres.
snt st al regular meetines, or any special
asssing II duly notified Of The came. shall
terfeit two dollars for every such failure. t.
y dsducisd from his salary or any part
thereof, ualsss in the opinion Of the Mayor
esd Council reasonable excuse 10 given
II such failure then be shall b exonsrs
Nd.
SIC. ,. All ordinances and parts Of Or
dinances conflicting with any Of the provi-
sione Of this ordnance are hereby repealed.
Passed. February ., 1857.
il viii - seen By the ADORE, that our
Aldermen have voted themselves pay for
thsir services sinss the day Of their elec.
uoa 10 el6ee. 1t The rate Of o9oo per an
ssn sssh Aldsrmanic corporoeisy. 1t
sssms they sst proper value on their own
sssvicss however little Opposed the public
> % Do %, II least to any rsmarkabls ex-
tent Now We do not vish il thought that
" ere opposed TO paying Counciimen for
thair Absrs. We take IL for grated in this
instance. that whether or not the laborer 10
ssvtly Of his hire, some price should bs
laid him for his services; and we also take
b for granted, thst they honestly issesd Civ
Ing services conmsnsurats 70 the pay, no
natter what their blenders or shertconinRs.
although there are good citizens Who would
probably serve the community quite -
hasdsomely without denanding any pay
Dat We are certainly inclined TO think that
eur Aldermen, in the passage Of this ordi-
nasee. are not only setting an undue value
On tAsir services, but are exhibiting want
Of proper dehesey in voting themselves
hack pay. They ran ios o6ee and were
elected. to serve the city without pay; and
after this, to vote themselves salaries, 10
certainly not carrying the Intentions Or viii
Of those by whose votes they were placed
in their positions. Whatever their legal
hight, We deny their moral righ. to take
any such action, however much they may
think their services to the city can only be
properly rewarded by dollars and cents
Had they passed an ordnance Of this ma
sxrs 70 take eject or commence after the
elesaion Of the next Bosrd Of Aldermen,
they would have shown proper sppreeis,
ton Of the y-isespe Of paying counsilnen-
without leaving the impression upon the
public mind that personal interest more
than principle vas actuadne them In their
course. As il lie. after al their cry about
working for no pay, and sometimes making
this m apology for bad work, and then turn.
iag around and voting themselves high pay
for their past services, they have exhibited
. feeling probably more selfish than public
spiritsa, and which will meet With no HAPPY
rssponss in tkis community, we are sure
We most have some higher assurance than
the opinions Of these gsnilsn.sn themselves.
that their services are worth t2.4oo per
year more than their predecessors, and
that they are governed entirely BY principle
10 voting themselves o20o salary sseh. be.
fore we can very readily believe il.
This 10 4 liule matter in which tai pay.
On have some interest, and they vii hold
the present COUNSEL responsible for i,s &C.
tisn. II viii not excuse ons member that
hs gave bic pay to Relief Society. His
vote helps d establish the ordinance, and to
inAici the add tionsl tax upon the people
II only illustrated that while willing to per.
petrats . wrong, be declined svsilins
himself Of its benefits, and sough, to es-
cape the responsibility.
Nov let us zee just wha, pay our Alder
men are voting themselves. Their regular
nestings are held the nrst and third Wed.
sesdsys Of every month. 0, twenty -four
meeting, ayear. This Is wha. they vote
themselves o2oo year for attending, a..
shsssh there are occasional specisl meet.
iags. This 10 paying themselves eish. dol.
lars and third for each sSsning's service.
Or call it with extra meetings. sigh. dollars
. asyl Truly, either The ability or The
nsAssiy Of these Aldermen 10 Of excessive
proportions. Eight dollars for sitting 10
big arm chair, in comfortably heated, gas
lighted, well carpetsd room, during . por-
don Of an evening, pleasantly discussing
she Affairs Of the city, with an occasional
stroll seine leisure ten minutes Of IN inter
vening day between meetings to examine
. gutter. alley or street. We ear only
sdmire the foFbsaranes OF our Aldermen in
no, voting themselves ross, beef supper
ssch evening. But II they don't ell get
f., on roast beef il will not b. because
their salary won't enable ths0 to pay
twelve and a half cents per pound for
choice cuts-bu, probably because they
compel themselves 10 walk to the merke.
Houses TO get il. II this affair goes unre-
buked by the people, we may next expee,
10 hear that our Alderman, in imitation of
thsirC hicsgo.brothe,s have voted themselves
gold headed canes. They have the same
right 10 do this that they have to vote them. |
, elves this exorbitant salary, and they have
the same right to vote themse Ives entitled |