River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-02-12
PAY AND PERQUIsIrEs.


postage stamps and newspapers to
members of thelegislature have grown
mp, and the proposition to increase the
salaries of members and cut off the
above mentioned perquisites, if they
do not already receive sufficient COM
pensation, is in the direction of prac-
tical economy as well as common hon
esty. Under existing laws each men,
Der receives a salary of $3.50, besides
thirty dollars worth of statinery, at
wholesale rates, twenty-five dollars
worth of postage stamps and twenty
dollars worth of newspapers, to say
nothing about blue books, revised stat
utes, geological reports and the like.
The first three items we have named
amount to the sum of S75 per year for
each member, besides hundreds of
dollars IL stamps and stationery annu-
ally given to the chief clerks, sergeant
alarms, legislative employees and
newspaper reporters. Every man in
his right mind is morally certain that
no member of the legislature actually
uses in his official capacity the sum of
S75 per session for stationery, stamps
and newspapers. We will venture the
assertion that with very rare excep-
ions, if indeed there are any excep-
~ IL ,.nnfIr1o III uI,nvU fh1f
each member, with steadfast regulari-
ty draws all to which under the law
he is entitled, without reference to
his official requirements. and puts
liberal portion of such perquisites
where it will do the most good. which
IN effect is an increase of his pay be-
yond the amount fixed by the consti-
tuition. AS general rule the ten
cents per mile allowed members going
to and returning from each legislative
session also amounts to perquisite rs
The several railroad companies of the
state kindly furnish them free trans
portation. A joint resolution now be-
fore the legislature proposes AN amend
ment to the constitution increasing
the salary of members to $500 per an
num and mileage at ten cents per mile
cutting off all perquisites. We are de-
cidedly In favor of cutting off all per-
quisites which have doubtless been
abused, but serious objection to an
increase of salary is found in the fact
that such increase would tend to I'M
necessarily prolong each regular legis-
iative session, every day of which is
| attended with heavy expense to the
State aside from members salaries
| md there is more danger to he appre-
hended from too much legislation than
| too little.
While upon the the question of per-
| quiSites we will state that we would
| like to have some champion of the
| pprquisite system tell us why the
| chief clerks of both houses each of
whom receives six dollars per 6"y
and the sergeant-aL-arms of both
houses each of whom receives five
dollars per day, should each receive in
| addition fifteen dollars worth of post
| .ge stamps, and why newspaper re-
porters, who are presumed to receive
| pay from their employers, should each
be furnished with twenty dollars
| worth of stationery and ten dollars
worth of stamps to be paid for by the
State. In this age of newspaper CON-
| petition there need be no fear that the
wisdom of legislators will be wasted
IN the desert air." unnoticed by the
people, if this perquisite should be
| withheld. 1t Is numerous little leaks
like this that make a mighty whole in
the needless expenditure of the peo'
| rle's hard-earned contributions to the
public treasury.