Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-11-10
The Legislature,
REpucING SALARIES.

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in the House ON the question Of reduc-
ing the salaries OF certain state officers.
The report Of the Committee on Ways
and Means reduced the salaries Of state
treasurer, secretary of state and auditor
about ten per cent The House did not
think this enough and finally settled
upon 25 per cent reduction.
Mr.. Ladd of Alburgh, moved to strike
out 81 500 and insert $1,000. He said
he believed the salaries of all the state
officers should be reduced to somewhere
near what they used to be. He thought
il not difficult matter to find plenty of
competent men, who could give the nee
essary bonds, who would be willing to
accept the offices and discharge its duties
for the sum named in the amendment.
Mr.. Lynde Of Marlboro, for the COM
mittee, said the committee had proposed
to make a reduction Of about ten per
cent, and he thought that was quite
sufficient, and he hoped the report Of
the committee would be sustained.
Mr., Sprague Of Brandon, said he was
in favor OF retrenchment and economy,
but his experience had led him to be-
lieve that il was better to pay fair sal.
airy for good services rather than have
Indifferent services at cheap rate. He
found there was more labor in connee-
ton with these offices than he had sup
posed, and he believed others of the
committee had found the same to be
true. He would not be "penny wise
and pound foolish" but pay fair salaries
for the services rendered.
Mr.. Ladd Of Alburgh, said he cast
no reflection on the motives of the com
mittee but it was question for the
legislature to decide what salaries they
wanted to pay, and he had no doubt men
could be found who would perform the
labors Of the offices for the reduced sal,
aries. 1t does not require more than
half the time Of the treasurer to per-
form his duties, and if we now pay him
$1,000 and $500 for clerk hire, we should
give him $500 labor for what he car
do without any clerk, and not take hal
his time
Mr.. Lynde of Marlboro, said we must
remember that the present state treas
urer is already elected, and we canno
hardly put this Office up at auction. FL
believed the salary of the state treasurer
as proposed by the committee is as small
as we can afford to fix it. He believed
it to be but just and honorable amount
to pay.
Mr.. French of Woodstock, said the
committee had carefully considered this
matter, and he did not feel like question
ing the judgment of the committee
There was feeling in his section that
there should be reduction in salaries,
and the committee had reduced the
amount paid for clerk hire from 5000
to $3.50, which he thought sufficient
reduction, and hoped the position Of the
committee would be sustained
Mr.. Ladd said, it is not true that the
treasurer would be obliged to serve for
a reduced salary, having already been
elected for if Mr. Page does not see fiji
to serve for the reduced salary, he can
resign, and he would guarantee that
there would be thirty applicants for the
position at the salary he proposed to pay
that officer He said there were large
sums in the hands of the treasurer anC
in the hands of the bank that belonged
to the state, and it was worth somethin,
to the officers.
| Mr.. Lynde of Marlboro, disagree,
with the gentleman from Alburgh, il
regard to the disposition that had beef
made of the funds of the state, that in
terest had been demanded and that a
least one bank had returned the none
rather than pay the interest.
Mr.. Sprague Of Brandon, said that h
believed the duties of the treasurer wer
such that we could not justly ask tha
officer to perform the duties of that o
flee at less than the salary proposed b
the committee.
Mr.. Ladd said he did not wish to ca,
any reflection upon the present incun
bent, whom he thought very comp,
tent officer Mr.. Ladd modified his mt
tion to make the salary $1,000 and cIer
hire $500
Mr.. Pollard moved to amend to max
: the salary 81 800 and clerk hire $500.
This proposition was discussed by NJ
Battel of Ripton, Mr.. Bailey of Fai
haven and Mr. Olmstead of Townshen,
Mr. Olmstead of Townshend, move
to make the salary of the treasurer
si,650, including clerk hire. Mr.. Ma
tin of Londonderry, moved compror
Use of $500, which was accepted, an