The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-07-22
~ Some friend Of Mayor Baker is in

~ Some Trend CT mayor BAKER IS III
sisting, through the columns of the EnqHi-
5sT, upon his claims TO double salary. We
are in favor of liberal salaries to public Off
GERS, as means of securing ability and in
tesrity and we do not deny that the ser
vices Of Mayor are worth $1,000 per an
nun, and if diligently, and faithfully, and
ably performed, they would DO cheap at
$4,000 year. But pay is not the question
involved in the consideration; it is the NOR
81 influence Of the act. Mr.. Baker was cleo
ted as the reform candidate-the man who
Tss to restore our city finances to order and
prosperity. He was supported chiefly
and by hundreds against sill the promptings
Of their political feelings-on the pledge
that he would introduce system Of re-
trsnchnent and the most rigid economy
He has In various ways insisted upon en-
forcing his system of retrenchment against
others, most uncompromisingly What will
be the popular impression when the people
learn that his own demands and his fam
iiy, are to be exceptions to his own rule p
The prescriptions he makes ont for Others, il
not the medicine be takes himself. He knew
the salaries that Jones and Hopkins had re-
ceived; they had large private business TO
sacrifice in assuming the Office; had he rea-
son to expect that his personal sacrifices in
the public service would be compensated by
4 salary which had been refused to them ?
He made no such intimation to his friends
or the public.
To ask or accept double salary under
the present circumstances, viii be to incur
public prejudice and odium that will coma.
pletely nullify all the good influences of his
election, and paralyze all his energies and
labor5 for the public good whatever may be
Ms efforts and abilities, his power to serve
the city will be 50 much impaired, that he
will be unable to accomplish as much as "a
man much his inferior, in the same position
The moral and popular influences he could
WELD was the important consideration in
selecting him for the Office If he will
fully destroy these his usefulness is at an
end; we shall have II high-priced Mayor
who can do us no more good, if as much, as
Squire Rowley, or others who would have
served for he old salary We are familiar
enough with popular sentiment TO know
that Mayor Baker will, from the moment he
touches the first dollar Of IN increased
salary, be the most unpopular officer that
ever occupied his present Office; all conf
ience in his professions will vanish. We
have too much faith in his prudenee-his
eonsistency--in his devotion TO the public
good to think he viii accept the increased
sum, if proffered TO him, The city had better
give him ten times the amount in some
other form. He is eminently capable OF
giving all the legal advice that the city re-
quires; and why not abolish the Office of
City Attorney, and give him the salary OF
that Office ?-or bestow both the Offices of
Mayor and Attorney and their salaries upon
Mayor Baker He goes through the same
Investigations and labors as Mayor that is
required OF the Attorney; His services
would uos be materially increased, while
pay 7ould os doubled