Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-01-09
DAILY SENTINEL.
Non DAY MORNING. JANUARY 9


PUrioos TO the Inauguration OF Governor
WiLz<kD. in 1867. bill had passed The House
Ore Fe-entatives increasing the governors sal
AIRY fom 81 500 TO S2.5OO year. This mess
IRE had to become . Law before the incoming
governor was qualified. or else he could not re
esivs rs benefits. the constitution prohibiting Any
increased compensation from that fixed by ia"
daring bis term Of oficc. The Senate. at that
session. contained majority Of republican sen
ssors When the bill came up for consideration
In dat body on Saturday morning, 10 having
previously passed the House. the republican
rsnbers refused to act upon II. unless the ap
postionmen, bill. presented the day prsvions.
shoGld 6rss become law stA
This was made condition positive 70 secure
shs advance Of the governors salary. which all
parties admitted was entirely inadequate. bill
spportioning sepators and Representatives requir-
Cd good deal of consideration. Jet on the third
dsy of the session The republican senators insisted
upou Us passage a. condition to secure an in
ersase of the governors salary, when even the
measure they proposed was so incomplete that il
wss materially altered by its friends after IL was
introduced into the Senate. The democrats
we're wiling 10 accept bill providing fair and
squsi superintendent. but they promptly decided
chat they would not pass any measure upon The
eondisions dema nded by the republicans.
In consequence Of this determination the bill
which had passed the House for Increasing the
governors salary from 81 500 to 81 500 year
vas lost. and during the term Of Gov. WILLARr
there was no addition Of compensation. but Q
law was enacted under his administration, which
gave his successor 50 900 year. The present
executive has had the benefit Of this increased
pay, although his political friends defeated oil
intended to give his predecessor in Office $3.50
year.
A few weeks ago there was held in this city 6
meeting Of many of the members OF the legisls'
tnre. without distinction Of party. to take into
consideration the expodiency Of raising the pay
Of all public officers, including the members o.
the general assembly
Some Of the leading republicans present at the
meeting took ground against the proposition. fo'
the reason, so far as the members OF the lesisla
ture we're concerned. that they knew when theJ
accepted the nomination and election to the posi-
ton, What the compensation was, hence thel
could not with propriety ask for more pay Ih'
argument was aI.o used that members should b'
willing to put up with the inadequate comPensa
ton so long as our soldiers in the field, who wer
fighting the battles OF their country. were receiy
ing only sI6 a month from the government TO
their services II this position holds good in tn
case OF the members Of the general assembly.
can be applied with equal force to all officers J
tn civil employ ment OF both the state aud na
s tional governments.
Il Governor MoRroS knew just what the salar
Of tho position was when he accepted the nomina
Hon for reelection, and this remark will hol
hue in regard to all who were seeking CIV
offices at the late election. All knew just th
fcompepsation attached to the positions they wer
striving to obtain, hence il one class has no jus
ground for an increase ofpsy. upon that ground
ruder the peculiar circumstances OF the country
the rule will apply with equal force to all
believe that an adequate compensation should b
attached to every employment IN tire public sci
rice, 20 as TO secure the best talent to discharg
Is duties with fidelity and integrity.
The paw should be sufficient to prevent an
abuse Of the trust conhied to public officer {
advance his personal interests And this com
pensation should be fixed without any refefenc
70 partisan sympaibies or prejudces The part
friends of Governor MoRroS say that the saiar
q s.. 900 a year, double that received by hi
D edecessors in office, with all the pcrquistes ut
ta:hed, not sufficient to support His Excel
l.ncy in a style bsftting the chief executive of
great state Ike Indiana. commonwealth q
rich ssd powerful as ours should not be nigg ard
~ in that regard. yet while it IS liberal to on
officer it should be equally 80 10 all in the publ
service. At time like the present
however. when the nation !:
struggling to maintain it, very life. there shout
b. rigid economy in every branch OF the publ
service not only. but public servants should b
willing To make sacrifices to maintain the IA
tional credit which they are supposed TO repre-
scot. We are unwilling to believe that Governo
Moarox is influenced by mercenary motives
TIA. he desires to make money out of his pos
ton. and il should be remembered that he ha
not asked for any increase Of pay But II th
present salary il not sufficient TO support tn
governor in the dignity and style which he think
due his elevated position. there can be no reason
able objection to making it ample for those pun
poses.