The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-12-09
RETRENCHMENT

Inc Boise Statesman of Dec. 4th contains
an article favoring the reduction of salaries ot
all officers in the Territory who are solari.d
and also modification of the fee bill Of local
officers, and calls the WORLD ito business on
these points We have not the time nor snace
with this issue to give our views at length nm.
on the questions propounded by our cotempo.
rary' II they We're intended as questions, but
we Will observe that our friend is dealing in
Democratic thunder when he advocates re.
trenchment and reform. He says: 1--WE be
lieve IN system of economy which will lop off
extravagant expenditures at home as well as
elsewhere" We take no issue with him what.
ever on that point, but endorse that policy our
selves. Should we advocate contrary course
we might render ourselves liable to suspicion
at least, if not of being tainted with Radical.
ism. We think the salaries of some of the of.
hcers are entirely too high for the duties per.
formed, and agree with our contemporary that
all Federal officers should be paid by the Gen
eral Government. We have always entertained
that opinion, and see no reason now why we
should change it. While we believe that the
) judiciary should be well paid, in order to in
duce men OF talent and high standing in the le-
gal profession to accept such positions still we
consider that it is the duty of the General Gov
eminent to pay such salaries and not take it
from the pockets of the people who have had
no voice IN selecting the persons appointed to
such responsible and important positions. The
salaries allowed by the Government to the
Governor, Secretary and Judges are totally in
adequate to the duties which they are required
to perform, but in accepting the positions the
incumbents did SO with their eyes open, aud
they have no claims upon the people for addi-
tlonal compensation. AS to reducing the fees
OF those officers who are not salaried, without
making careful examination into the matter
We are inclined to think reduction of any
consequence would render the Offices worth
less. Our friend of the Statesman must re-
member that the exorbitant salaries and heavy
fees were the work of Republican Leglsla-
ture 1t is true, one Democratic Legislature
did repeal the Act prov ding for increased com
ptnsatiOn for certain officers. which included
the Governor, Secretary and the Judges, the
Republican members Of the Legislature at that
time, If our memory serves us, voting against
the Act to repeal, but for some cause the
Legislature Of last winter re-cnacted the orig
inal bill passed by the first Republican Legis
lature; yet we are satisfied that il there was
TO be session Of the Legislature this winter
the members would SEE the folly Of paying ad-
dtional salaries 10 United States officers and
to the Judges, aud would 'rctrcnch" IN a man.
ner satisfactory TO the people. We shall refer
to this matter again in future issue, and in
conclusion will inform our contemporary that in
writing our articles we initiate neither the style
of Brick Pomeroy nor J. 5. Reynolds, and are
perfectly Indifferent TO whether our style
suits either We eadeayor to so write that
our views as well as our language. may suit
our patrons and the Democracy, and in doing
so We expect to publish some unwhoesunc
truths in PLAIN language that may rufile the
feathers Of Radicals.