The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-03-01
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We may be permitted, without giving
Oasnss or "stirTing up anger" to urge
upon the Legislature the propriety if not
necessity Of practising the most rigid
economy. We suggest to them to make
q thorough sitting Of our State financial
system, and reduce every possible expense
to the lowest possible working point, con-
sistent with the States welfare. This the
people are looking for and have right to
expect in these disastrous times, the Sc
verest ever experienced in California. All
have suffered more or less by the floods,
and the most willing may be unable to
pay enormous taxes-Fedcral, State,
county and city. They should remember
that the taxes have increased at time
of unusual gloom--when the State is
threatened with bankruptcy No-brInch
Of business is prosperous. The Legisla-
ture can, il they will, reduce the expen-
ses of the State two or three hundred
thousand dollars, and thus make the Uni
ted States taxes, for the support Of the
war, light burden. If this is not done,
it is possible that thousands Of industri-
Gus and honest men, materially injured
by the foods and cramped for means, will
be hopelesSly ruined. We can see neither
sense, justice nor propriety in pSyi0g
enormous salaries to Office holders, for
comparatively light and easy work, while
thousands Of laborers, mechanics and
farmeiet,~rr,y make living by constant
and severe labor. True. "tbe laboCer is
worthy Of his hire" but the "hire" should
be in proportion to the labor he performs
not more nor less. Neither State nor
county should pay more for services than
private individuals, and yet in many in
stances they pay as much again.
Every Office holder, from a justice Of
the peace Dp. S>1OUl6 esteem it duty and
cheerfully part with portion Of his fees,
income or salary, as measure Of patriot.
ism to save the laboring population from
utter ruin. II times were flush and the
people could afford it, it would not be
burdensome and might not be improper
to pay them high salaries, but at the pres.
ent time, when all classes have suffered
losses, when taxes are increased, when
Congress has increased the duties on tea,
coffee, sugar and other necessaries of life,
when thousands are out Of employment
and willing and anxious to work for small
wages, the salaries of Office holders ought
to be reduced; and the people will not be
satisfied unless they are, and will not for
get that party or man who opposes a re.
duction. Hundreds of honest and indus.
trious and intelligent men, the peers Of
the highest office-holder, by hard and un.
renting work, exposed to all kinds Of
weather, are not making over fifty dollars
n month, while office-holders, sitting in
cozy and comfortable rooms, protected
from the frosts Of winter and the heats OF
summer, and with but little to do, are re-
ceiving from three to ten times as much
a month from the public, and growing
rich at the expense of the laboring and
producing population of our State. This
is not only radically wrong, but unjust
and ruinous, and if confined will make
the producers the mere "hewers of wood
and drawers OF water" for those in power.
Let those on whom it devolves, therefore,
at the earliest practical moment, reduce
the fees and salaries Of State and county
officials The times require, the people
demand a reduction, and their demand
should not be disregarded. 1t rests with
the Legislature to act in the premises,
and that party which shall propose and
carry into effect the wishes of the people
in this particular, will do the State SER
vice and render itself invincible at the
next election.