New-York daily tribune., 1861-02-18
ALBANY ASSURANCE" AGAIN.
Of The N. Y. Tribune.

ALBANY, Feb. II, 1861.
I am glad you " hear both sides" the question Of
Increasing salaries and multiplying Offices, though l
consider your New-York Secretary not precisely the
party to be heard behalf Of The positions he assumes
Although New-Yorker, tie advocate Of Mr. Barness
s. 600 bill assumes familiarity with affairs in this
city, and Mr. BIS business in particular, that are ex-
traordinary, TO cay the least Bot shal! not discuss
the "personal considerations involved in the matter.
When tie Insurance Department was conferred upon
the incumbent be NAV have "suppo'ed that he couid
"st attend 10 bis law usness az before, which was
ga good practice" This is, indeed, natural enongh
when il is remembered that the Insurance oieIAspip
while in the Controllers Office was condemned as
snecuTe But when Mr. Barnes, even with The clerks
with which ti Office s supplied, found he could not
"attend to bis Law business as before, why ca henot
surrender hr Office TO some gentleman experienced III
Insurance matters who would lie quite happy ana con.
tent TO hold the position at $500 per aenum and
privileges
II il no answer TO say that it ia no matter how much
s paid TO the Superintendent nasmuch as rot cent OF
il comes ont Of the State Treasury. On that pretext,
the Marty in rover at aDy riue might quarter s para
sites and dependents upon all ca Of corporate bodies
iron conrsbios cotton and wooden eomI anes steam
boat and railroad comraI ies r kroad and turnpike
comuanea ard especially bors. s.-TairOad and ferry
COMPANIES These would afford rich piekings. The
railroads had once such snperN sOry comni>eon over
the but they TAD tie power to ~ Ihemsrve: OF the
annoyance and eNpente lHS dLAs nave Oosh ieeeio'
tunate.
The ground of objection, however, e above and be.
youd the points presented bs y"ur zeolous retary
coneppondent Exorbiant -ilaiies and virtual slne-
cures had become such oense as Ia lead stIIngent
constitutional provis aea nst them Leg sltve
ro.Ons were reCily restricted, snd salaries u STATE
officers and Judges have been limited aid tied up as
10 defy even the power OF The pi"test TO increase
item For the Offices of C"nt6oler aud Attofney-Gen
eral in particular the BIZ hest order o. talent II requires,
and yet they get 10 tnan the Superintendent OF
Insurance Now conpar" your Snpreue Judges ana
their labors and remuneration ih those OF this ocai
IL necessary all to enlarge upon the comparison
or contrasts .
Mr. Barnes, personally, has nothing to do with the
matter. He is much I'd rired for his excellent and
amiable personal Gualities and sstOaions but these
should not make for agai st Il is increase Of salary
The objection in tie least To the man, but solely
10 the proposition The ilire ostensiby made 70
protect the public-not to help Sscrtorts, sDd other
officials to do busiDess iU a manner which enables
them 10 enjoy enormous sHnIes, crupy pyatial Offices
and reidences employ lgious Of agents. and after ALL
distribute large dIyideId- Fl ckbOders, The New
York Secretary should have been the last TO ex-
pose tie Superintendent the suspicion Of such an
advocacy. 1t can oply create disirust.
II the Million who produce and earn all that s en-
joyed and anasfed by tie banks, insurance companies,
and O;ber Institutions of credit and confidence,
were permitted 10 zee things they are would not
he left for Que here ard tteTe tDggge in the thank
less task of exposing iDposi is Of this eharacter
INSURANCE.