The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-02-07
enc naun th,, salaries.

Cut Down th,s salaries.
The times imperatively demand change
in the administration of our government
The depressed condition of the financial sit
uation working damage to all productive
agenies necessarily entails upo n the coun.
try rigid economy. The spirit of extrava-
vance that obtained among all Glasses has
been generally curbed. Speculation IL almost
at an end, and the people are living within
the limits marked out by the exact profits OF
business and the actual rewards of labor.
While the individual has recognized the ne
cessities Of the hour, public extravaganza
has been going on as If tide of prosperity
attended all the departments OF business
industry in the country. This extravaganza
must be checked. The people feel the burden
il the officeholders do not. There is a
specious sort of pleading in congress just
now about the necessities of efficient gov
eminent" in connection with the PROPOSE
tons to reduce the appropriations. This
will not be understood or appreciated by the
Taxpayers. Men who have reduced the SAL
aries of their employees, who have taken
upon themselves double duty to lessen ex.
penses, who deprive their families of lux
uries to peet. tax bills and bank paper, will
not be made to understand any sort of
public necessity for the continuation of the
extrsvsgsnt salaries that have been paid
for years, and are still demanded by those in
terested. Convenience has more to do with
this demand than necessity. The officehold-
ers find 1t convenient to live extravagantly,
and inconvenieut to come down to plain
and unostentatious habits, and they demand
that the people shall pay for the tnsel ana
show In which they indulge. What Is the
necessity In times like these of these grand
receptions that are taking place at the capt.
tai? Each cabinet officer and other promi-
nent officials spend thousands of dollars
during the winter in gsudy show, in dissi-
patton, inde sd, that must hinder somewhat
efficient service in their appointed duties.
These expenses must come from their sal
aries. These have in times past been made
high to meet such exigencies. It
might be well enough in times of
prosperity. But just now, when in private
life expenses of the useless sort are being
curtsiled, public officials should follow the
example. If the salaries were reduced, not
to mesgre scantiness, but to point where
comfortable living may be enjoyed, these
great demonstrations and expensive styles
of general living would end.
But will these government officials con-
form to the necessities of the times? viii
the Republican party reform these abuses?
We do not believe they will. The resistance
to the reduction of salaries at West Point is
but sample of the general indisposition to
conform to the necessities of the times. The
only hope that the people may cherish for
the reduction of the public expense is in q
change of administration. Let those who
can not live on less salary in public life than
they now enjoy retire to private lite, and by
the exercise OF their ability in some other
direction provide for their extravagant hsb-
its. Let the reduction Of salaries be made,
and still there will be thousands of good
men ready to do efficient service for half
what great many have been receiving.
Let the salaries of army officers
be reduced. Let collectors of she
revenue receive so much less that
there shall not be a clamor for the
places. Let postmasters, in large places,
also be included in the general reductions.
Economy, forced by the necessities of the
hour, demands a general return to old
Democratic. salaries, Democratic customs and
modes of living, and we see no better way
of doing this than by placing the Democratic
party in power and Democrats in Office.
We can hardly expect those who have been
enjoying the fat things OF earth at the pub
lie expense so long will make any change.
It would be hard for them to come down.
But new men en- start right. From the
presidency down to the lowest officer of the
government there should be general cut
ting down.