Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1881-04-21
Nc. SO

i VIC oStFiNC eidlA DuFC VCCA ItHdtAC4F
nor shall the salary or compensation of
any public officer be increased or d.
mInished during bis term Of office.
But contrary to the spirit If not 70 the
letter Of this declaratofy provision at
the closing days Of the session extra al
lowances aud additional compensation
were made 10 number Of officers and
employees; true, not by the General As-l,
sembly, but by the more reprehensible
and dangerous practice--the separate
orders Of each house, and they were all
paid. Again, BY the constitution, asti-
Gle 3, section Is, the compensation Of
members = ixed at So per day and So
per day additional to The presiding off
cerso both houses, and yet, notwithA
] standEag this provision for pre else
| payment. additional compensation IS al
lowed 10 members, 26 ID number, aud
to each the sum Of $50 for service on
the engrossing committee, and addition
al pay to clerks of committees, who are
already under pay, for general services.
and they were paid.
Again, by the act OF 1868, chapter
81, and now in force. only the chief
and reading clerks and doorkeeper Of
the House, and the secretary and assis-
tant doorkeeper Of the Senate of the
preceding General Assembly were al
lowed TO attend the meeting Of the sue
ceeding General Assembly, and pay
ment Of any other officer Of preceding
ing General Assembly was expressly
forbidden. Notwithstanding this posi-
tive prohibition, so many as nineteen
officers and employees, not authorized
TO attend, were present at the opening
4 oi last session, and got their pay for it.
But similar details are too extensive for
this communication, for could refer TO
many others.
But ! consider il important t0,show
briefly how much could be economical
IN this branch OF the public service by
the proper administration oft. The
act OF 1870, chapter All, was passed to-
correct like excuses then committed.
II was an act Regulating and prescrib-
ing the numbers and compensation of
officers Of the House and Senate, I" and
was no doubt well considered and passed
al period Of the session, few days
before adjournment. when the necessI-
ties Of the service could be understood.
This act provided for twenty-nine Off
GERS for both houses al compensation
Of S14,540, and adding SO 900 10 this
sum for temporary employees authorized
to be appointed by the presiding officers
OF the Senate and House when the press
Of work required, there would still be
here difference Of Al least $4,000.
This qct was repealed Al the follow
ing session Of 1872 chapter 2li, leav-
ing the whole mailer again open and
+ without a law upon The subject. There
was accordingly continuance of the
accustomed excuses, and both houses
continued to be crowded with employees.
Public attention was directed to the me-
, cesstty OF retormatory measures IN res
pect TO this, aud il was made one of the
main questions al the last session. A
well-consIdered bill was reported by
, the committee having charge OF the
subject. Ii prescribed SO officers and
/ employees for both houses at compen-
sa,ion Of S17.33p This bill did not
pass nor did any. We have this de-
+ monstrative fact presented, that an in
ielligent committee say that 80 officers
and employees are a sufficient number,
{ and that the compensation Of ST., $50
! IS sufficient, whilst at the same session
there were 105 officers, employees and
! benefciaries at cost oil $50 ,276 25@-
, difference indeed. A system was 10
be organized by the force Of law; the
. other is without system or law, and
and hence the resulting wrong and
+ waste OF public money.
r Congress has system established by
law in relation TO the officers and en-
g ployes of each house, prescribing the
, number and compensation. and also the
: manner ia which their service is TO be
4 certified, and how paid. Another sub
i jet, involving large expenditure OF
y money. and equally without any sys-
/ TEN having the force Of law; refer to
The public printing and to the publica-
. ton OF the laws. True. the latter is
!. directed to be done by act OF 1865,
o chapter 81, but without any defined or
G prudent restraints as TO mode or
n price 10 be paid; and as 10 the former,
g the law is still more indefinite upon the
' subject and 1t has been left FOR years
!. to shc hurried action OF both houses,
II without any established rule to regulate
! either or both. II should be matter
!. OF surprise that where there is SO large
Is an expenditure Of public money there
,r is no well-established system to direct
e it. The cost Of printing for the last
: session and for indexiHg and binding
II the laws and journals Of Senate and
q House, and for the publication of these
/. laws amounted to SIS, 0e0. The printing
/ alone being S3S,000, and lor the publ
cation Of the laws $33, $50. In tins
/ matter alone al least $40 900 should be
n saved. For the stthree sessions. now
d covering about five years, and for the
IL departmental printing, there has beet
= spent the sum OF $3.50 900. Undeg
y ahy well devised system Of guarding
\ the interests of the State, and still lib
! eral and just To all, an immense savine
l. could be made. Bills maturely pre-
1, pared to this end were before the las
(. Legislature, but failed to pass. one d