The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-10
3ntIAna &YsekIg Slobe,
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1876.
TIE REDUCED sALARIEs.

w cuueSdhy, ny NV p"9'"NN W |
No. 4S, fixing the salary of the secretary OF
state at eighteen hundred dollars; that OF
the state treasurer at eighteen hundred dol
lars AMI that of the auditor of accounts
at seventeen hundred dollars; and provid-
ing that "ihe above named salaries shall be
5" in full compensation for travel and at
Z" tendance upon the general assembly, and |
1" for all services rendered during the year
" including clerk hire
IT is fondly believed by members of TIC
general assembly that this act, If concufred
ia Ivy the senate and approved by the gov
rrnor. will effect reduction Of twenty-five
per cent in the salaries and expenses OF
these three officers, and thus save to the
sla,c some nineteen hundred or two thou
sand dollars per annum. Womost certain
ly wish that it might, but even if it does, IL
will still ltaye us paying come fifty-seyen
hundred dollars for substantially the same
service for which we paid only fourteen
hundred dollars in 1861. Surely an in
crease Of over four thousand dollars IN the
nay of three officers does not look very
much like determined effort toward re-
trenchmcnt, reform ard economy.
But VIC do not propose to quarrel with
tho general assembly upon this subject,
We are thankful for salall lavors, and the
prop,c Of the state will thank them for even
Ills snail concession, if concession IL shall
prove to be. Perhaps the services OF
theso officers are reasonably worth the
sums stated il so, well and good. We
do not propose, this morning, to discuss
this uue,ticn. But we ask in all serious
hess, will this bill, if it becomes law,
make a reduction of twenty-five per cent,
or any reduction at all, in the pay OF thcse
oniccfs? We know that it was the inten-
tian Of tic general assembly 10 so reduce
them ttat they passed the bill in good
faith believing that such would be the re-
suit and that il they had thought other
wise, they would have matured and passed
a bill that would have worked such re-
duction; but will this bill, if it becomes a
Law. reduce these salaries
The prescn, salary of the state treasurer
Nas fixed by the law of 1870. at fifteen
hundred dollars and che is authorized to
" employ clerk TO assist him in the dis
charge Of The lut os of bis office at a
rate If compensation not exceeding nine
" hun !red dollars per year" This placed
hia aa,afy "inclUding clerk hire'--as the
present hill Las It at twcuty-four hundred
dollars as The outside limit II did not by
any means follow that he was obliged 10
employ uinc hundred dollars Of clerical la
bcr, but he was authorized to do 80 if nc
cessary. But instead Of the state treasurer
receiving only twenty-lour hundred dollars
for bis services "includnG clerk here" we
find from the auditors report, that in 1915
he received $2,77I9G, or 3377.96 in ex-
cess Of the limit; and ia 1876, 50 .311.60
or S911,59 in excess Of tic limit placed
|y law. VIII it be any better under the
present law
by the s sac act The salary of the auditor
OF accounts was fixed at fifteen hundred
dollars, and be was "authUri2od to employ
ga clerk to assist him in the discharge Of
"the duties Of his Office 1T late of CON
"pensaton not exceeding five hundred
b" dollars y aud it was further declared tina
this salary should she in full satisfaction
4" for all the personal services now require,
. If him" That is to say, two thousan,
dollars should be in "full satisfaction" o
all the services required OF him 'includinl
"clorlI hire" We find, however, by hi
own report that he was paid in 1875, 50,
320.1G, or S329.16 in excess of the limit
and in 1876, 50, 295.3l, or S285.31 in ex
cess Of the limit placed by law. WIN it b
any different under the proposed law?
At the same time the salary of the sccre
tiry OF state was fixed at fifteen hundrc
dollars per annum, and he was 'authorize
"tO employ an assistant to assist him in tn
" discharge of the duties of his Office, at
''ratc Of compensation not exceeding thre
"dollaEs per day While actually employee
4" in the business and duties of that office
provided that the allowance for sucl
" compensation shall shall not exceed tn
Gum VI pSftLi iithhiNAl Cilt my hOllhtb ii
leach year" 1t is evident from the yer,
wording oI The law, that the general az
sambly did not suppose that Tie clerk mr
would amount to seven hundred and fit,
dollars in each year; but taking tina
amount as really appropriated, we hav
twenty-five hundred and fifty dollars as th
salary CT TIE secretary of state, ''includin
"clcrk hire" We find, however by tn
auditors report that the secretary of stat
was paid in 1870, $2,577.G2, or 1897 6.
in excess of the limit; and in 1876, So
524 0G, or 1874 06 in excess of the limit
win it be any different under the presoI
law?
We do not mean to say, or insinuRte, tina
either Of these officers received, either i
1915 or 1876 one cent more than was just
proper and legal under existing laws. w
do not believe that they charged or receive
single cent more than they were justl
aud legally entitled to. We call ettentio
TO tue provisions Of the law of 1870, es
tahl.8hing their salaries, s.including cler
hiic' in connection with the pay actual
received by them in 1915 and 1876, simpl
to show that the proposed law will not wor
so large reduction as is claimed for it, an
further toehow that "clerk hire" is not, b.
any means, all of the official expenses tia
have cIcpt into our system since 1861. w
hope, against hope, better things of hi
hill-but we can only see a reduction G
some one thousand dollars at the very bes
and but a shadowy prospect of that.
great cry for so little wool.
Sunday, March Fourth,
The fact that The next Of March fail
GA Sunday is going TO involve some curiou