The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-05-22
SOMETHING ABOUT SALARIES.

he more we rellecL upon the
natter the more we arc convinced
hat our city council made . grie-
'ous mistake in voting Themselves
salary. The amount TO each indi-
yidnal is trilling and even the aggre-
,ate of five hundred dollars, though
. years living to an average family
is not very frightful,
in view of the extrava-
CANT notions which have been prev
llent of late years. We don't par
regret The loss of the mon
by, though it will add one mill to
the city taxes directly-how much
more indirectly time alone can de-
termine. Nor do we regret the act
on account of its effect upon "the
so regret that the May
or should have blunted the edge of
his disapproval by abiding TO a
so absolutely without |
consequence.
Our regret at the action of the
council is that it exhibited so fla
grant q disregard of the existing
popular sentiment and that at a
time when the whole community is
struggling to meet the changed order
of things which demands the most
thorough economy on the part Of ali,
they should have opened an avenue
of expenditure heretofore closed,
one, too, which served only their
own private purposes, and thus set
an example of defiance of public
sentiment; of imposition upon the
people, and extravagance, which Will
find willing imitators in many quar-
ters. twill, in fact, operate direct
Iy upon the council themselves in
their own action with reference to
the compensation of persons whom
they employ Oh behalf of the city.
How can they logically move for
the reduction of salaries of others
when they have just raised their
own? Already the question of
pay for the members of the board
of education has been broached-
growing directly out of the action
of the council. The same ratio of
pay to them would add another five
hundred dollars to the taxes and it
Is easy to point out places where
the application of the reasons alleg-
ed for the action of the council
would add more than two thousand
dollars TO the annual taxes of this al
ready OVerburdened community.
We are not unmindful of the plea
that the work is worth the pay, and
therefore they ought to haYe it. But
let us call attention to some of the
facts. No member of the council
has heretofore received any pay,
and it has been very rare indeed
that q member has been chosen
without contest. The last council
after serving q full year-half o.
them two years-suddenly discov'
cred that they had been earning
money which thoy had not received
The ordinance for compensation
was then suddenly passed
but promptly met with :
defeat at the hands of Mayor Spi
Ger. The new Council with the
help of three members of.the old ont
who had been a year in finding GU
the value of their services, passed
the ordinance over the veto of tn,
. new Mayor. The Council nominal,
holds twenty-five regular meeting
q year-actually about half tina
number. The business at thes
meetings is usually ofthe most trivi
r al character. At more than half o
9 them the entire business is tn
, passage of ordinances making ap
g preparations for ordinary expendi
I, lures. The business of a membe
Of. tho council never calls him ava
e from home, and observation lead
us to the conclusion that no membe
: ever attends q meeting when eithe
!. business or pleasure calls him else
o where. Taking the time actual
r spent, and at the usual rate of wage
: fifty dollars year is full high,
{ not extravaganza.
4 Must every person who labors fo
c the public get full pay for such Ii
y Dor? Apply the affirmative of TN
IA proposition to all our affairs and sc
Q how the matter would work. TIL
c fact is there are many positions
8 which men ought TO labor for th
s public benefit without compens'
sion. II is apart of the burden one
called upon to bear as q member O
: society. Not that q man should pc
form labor gratuitously which in
terferes with the earning Of his liz
. ing, or seriously and cOntinuOusl
Z with his business. If Emporia la
. paid regular wages TO all the me
U who had served her in matters V
{ tally affecting her interests,
u would have doubled her taxes eI
= cry year of her existence.
We hope that the fair minde
'' men who compose the council wi
sec their error and make haste
u undo it before irreparable harr
y will have resulted.