Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-31
SUPERINTENDENT OF TIE
PENITENTIARY.
The Other Side Of the Salary
Question.
Correspondence OF the Register,

correspondence hl NHt h'slaN'tr
PHuIIrrI, W. Va, Jan. eth.
\ correspondent under date OF the
10Th inst. in the REGISTER, over the
signature oi "a Democrat from
Moundsyilc, says, "Agcntleman OF this
place made application to the Governor, y
&c, "for the office Of Superintendent OF
the ponitentiary. lie proposed at that
time April to perform the duties Of the
office for the sum Of nine hundred dol
lars year" &c.
In that short paragraph Democrat
writes his friend "a gentleman, not
only down an ass but hc adyertises the
"Gcntlcman's" inCompetency. II "a
gentleman has the capacity, qualiiica-
tions integrity, humanity, economy and
steruness To manage the affairs OF the
Penitentiary as they have been man
aged 10y the present Superintendent, his
services would command more than
500 IN almost any county IN the State
as a public official, or as business man
ager. Whenever IL comes that West
Virginia lets her offices to the lowest
bidder without regard To- fitness or
capacity, just to be little saving at the
spigot while she Is losing at the
hungl-whetheT it bc under Demo
cratic or Republican administration, |
think the party So lost tu the interests
ui the State and the successful working
IT our institutions should be- kicked out
of power. West Virginia don't want
the heads of our government and
state institutions, whose great
responsibility and incesSant attention
To- business are Indispensable, to per
form these trusts for pittanvC that =
dry goods clerk could command m al
most any thriving dry goods house.
The best talent can only be secured for
these places by giving a fair equivalent.
What gain could hC made 10y saving OF
six hundred dollars on the superlntcn-
dents salary, aud then ask the State at
the end Of the year to double the appro-
priation to the penitentlary, as would
surely be done by having an incompetent
head Competency IN official stations
is not ALWAYS found, and when found
should hc retained and we'll rewarded
for taithiulness to duty. | have no
doubt there are men in MoundsyIlle
who would perform at the duties Uf su-
perintendent for S5OO-prohahly less.
We have men all over the state; men
who would play Governor for 81 ,OOO,
Judge for less, and Justice for -, or
less, per day, but il would be sorry
day for our State when the Offices were
let out in that way.
The State should pay her public ser
wants fair and reasonable compensa-
tion for the services required Of them,
and when they are competent retain
them, aud when they are not turn them
cut. a Democrat also saws the same
proposition will be made the Governor
next spring. ! hope the Governor will
tell the gentleman and the several other
worthy Moundsyillians that are ready to
act as clerks, &c, that when their -er-
vices are needed they will lie oallei.
This is not written in the interests OF
any man. The writer never saw Capt.
Bridges, or any other peniientiary super
inteRdent A familiarity with peniten
tiary officials have never courted. but
Barbour being largely represented al
/ Moundsyille-hayiug about q dozen
boys there feel an interest in the
proper management Of tina, institution.
And As those dozen boys are ia Tor theii,
or most az them at least, | like 10 ss-e
them supported cheAply. Il costs -
much less to keep them there
than it did to support them
here while they were at large
Captain Bridges report makes a
good showing, that ! regard 81 40 a. q
reasonable salary, and Governor MAth.
eHs and the Legislature should lie;
well enough alone am for economy,
bat not at the expense OF the public
welfare. JUSTICE