Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-01-25
SALARIES OF OFFICERS.

There lisa popular prejudice against the
payment Of an exhorbitant price for
official services, and there ought to be.
Pdblic servants should he paid in pro
portions to the responsibility, skill and
labt'r involved in an efficient discharge of
their duties. and any sum in excess of
what is reasonable, considering the char.
sctcz anil duties ofthc position, constitutes
Al unjust burden against carrying which
the people ought to rebel.
Knowing the sensitiveness OF the pub.
lie upon this point it is the practice of
parasites and poltroons. those who live by
tcadying to one class aud by cowardly
and contemptably maligning another. to
seek an advancement of their own inter.
ess Or that Of their fellows, by cracking
shout what they call high salaries. W.
have On Insignificant instance Of this kind
in our midst.
A scurrilous attack was recently made
upon two faithful and efficient officers as
the county ever selected, but they do not
happen to be admirers Of the LOBBY tina,
attempts to disparage them, and hence the
manifestation of his spite.
Any man who knows the character and
extent Of the work required of the County
Auditor mus. admit that a salary of $4,000
per snnumn 10 not more than the work il
worth, and that in addition thereto clerical
assistance to the amount of an additional
$1,000 10 not more than is needed.
The Couo.y Treasurer's salary lit de-
ponds upon pcrquisites aud varies with
the variation in the amount Of taxes Col
lected) 10 about the same as that Of thu
Auditor, but he il allowed nothing tor
clerical assistance. postage or other expen
sis, and he gives an official bond in the
sum Of $4,000. What honest man will
say that his pay is too great:
The Clerk Ot the Court gets perqusites
10 the amount Of more than % 200, but in
eur judgment he earns-all he receives.
The Register of Deeds reported the re.
eipts Of his Office for the last year to be
over $1,000, but it is worth that amount
70 do the work, and after paying his
amsnuenses he has but a meagre salary
left, although his is greater probably than
any Of the others named.
The man who wants to reduce the pay
Of tho Auditor and of Treasurer. being q
beneficiary Of the present Register Of
Deeds, does not think the salary of that
officer too large, nor will he while Mr..
Howe continues to make him liberal do.
nations. Let the stream of bensvolence
once cease to dow from that direction and
W shall soon be told that ito source was
but Z cess-pool of corruption, whose
poisonous exhalations spread moral des.
collation. oil over the land.
Il u not always popular to tell the truth
nor to defend the right, but il is manly, and
In the hong run It Is best. We care moth
ing for that acclaim which is usually
ELECTED by q championship Of any scheme
merely because it may he popular. Any
advantage gained by sacrificing principles
10 but temporary and en~ils disastrous
consequences. As much - the people
like to be sustained in their opinions, they
despise the man who yaslds h,s convictions
for The sake Of their coed will and they
soon bestow upon him. what he richly
merits-lhci, most supreme contempt.
The progress Of government must not be
japeded by the frcquenaly recurring
sziesacies of local business, and that man
u : pnblic enemy who seeks to create .
;j1e9isg Of dissatisfaction with an existing
lrdssa IS things which is based upon e..
,na,isnee sd we'll. ascertained facts. II
he one who 10 doing it were les widely
hnoxn his edhrts would be mors likely
70 produce evil consequences.