The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-04-23

itilStny uetdil put IL IL proper W Say
generally that the Constitution, article 5.
section 30, provides that " No extra COM
pensation shall be granted or allowed to
any public officer. agent or servant by
the General Assembly after the service
shall have been rendered. nor shall the
salary or compensation of any public
officer be increased or diminished during
his term of Office" But contrary to the
spirit if not to the letter of this declara-
tory provision, at the closing days of the
session extra allowances and additional
compensation were made to Il number of
officers and employees; true, not by the
General Assembly. but by the more rep
rehensible and dangerous practice-the
separate orders of each House. and they
were all paid. Again. by the Constitu-
ton, article 3, section II, the compensa-
ton of members is fixed at 30 per day,
and Sd per day additional to the presiding
officers of both Houses, and yet, notwith-
standing this provision for a precise pay
ment, additional compensation is allowed
to members. 2G in number, and to each
the sum of $3.50 for service Oh the en-
crossing committee, and additional pay
to clerks of committees. who are already
under pay, for general services, and they
were paid.
Again. 10y 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 Assistant
Doorkeeper of the Senate of the preced-
ing General Assembly were allowed to
attend the meeting of the succeeding
General Assembly. and payment of any
other officer of preceding General AS
sembly was expressly forbidden. Not
withstanding this positive prohibition. so
many as nineteen officers and employees.
not authorized to attend. were present at
the opening of last session. and got then
pay for it. But similar details are tor
extensive for this communication, for
could refer tn many others.
But do consider it imp ,rtant to show
briefly how much could be econ"mized
in this branch of the public service b.
the proper administration of it. The act
of 1870. chapter All. WAS passed t" Cor
rect like excuses then committed. II
was an act regulating and prescribing
the numbers and compensation of officers
of the House and Senate" and was no
doubt we'll considered and passed at a
period of the session. a few days before
adjournment. when the necessities of the
service could be understood. This ac,
provided for twenty mine officers for both
Houses at a compensation Of s14.540
and adding $4,000 to this sum for tenn
porary employees authorized to be ap-
pointed by the presiding officers of the
Senate and House when the press o
work required. there would still be her,
:. difference of at least $4,000.
This act was repealed at the followin:
session of 1872, chapter 2l1. leaving til.
whole matter again open and without :;
law upon the subject. There was accord
ingly continuance of the accustomed
excuses, and both Houses continued t.
be crowded with employees. Public at
tention was directed to the necessity OF
reformatory measures in respect to this,
and it was made one of the main ques-
tions at the last session. \ wcll-consid-
cred bill was reported by the committee
having charge of the subject. 1t pre-
scriLed 30 officers and employees for both
Houses at compensation of s11, 800
This bill did not pass nor did any. We
have this demonstrative fact presented.
that an intelligent committee say that
80 officers and employees are a sufficient
number, and that the compensation If
slT.330 is sufficient, while at the same
session there were 100 officers. emplo, es
and benefciarics at cost of $50 $40. % -
Il difference indeed. 4 system was to b,
organized by the force of law: the other
is without either system Or law, anG
hence the resulting wrong and waste OF
public money.
Congress has 4 system established b.
law in relation to the officers and en-
ployes of each House, prescribing the
number and compensation, and also til.
manner in which their service is to h,
certified. and how paid. Another sub
iect, involving a large expenditure "
money, and equally without any system
having the force of law; | refer to tn.
public printing and to the publication "
the laws. True. the latter is directed f.
be done by act of 1865, chapter 81. bur
without any defined or prudent restraints.
IS to mode or price to be paid; and as t"
the former the law is still more indefinit'
upon the subject. and it has been left fn
ears to the hurried action of botl'
.Iouses. without any established rule t.
regulate either or both. 1t should be :,
matter of surprise that where there is st.
large an expenditure of public none,
there is no well established system I"
direct is The cost of printing for th'
last session and for indexing and bindin"
the laws and journals Of Senate and
House. and for the publication of thes'
laws amounted to SD. 600, the printin2
al me b, ing $3S 600. and for the publica-
ii IN of the laws $3:}, l50. In this matter
alone at least $40 900 should be saved
For the last three sessions. now covering
about five years. and for the depart
mental printing. there has been spent II c
sum of $260.000. Under any well de-
vised system guarding the interests Of
the State, and still liberal and just to all.
an immense saving could he made. Bills
maturely prepared to this end were be-
fore the last Legislature, but failed tc
pass. one of them being bill requiring
the Governor and Attorney-Gcneral to
examine the laws passed. and to selec,
those of sufficient public Importance t.
be published. There is another subject
which continues to attract attention
that of the public offices. Not only
should useless offices be abolished, but
those also which are not reasonably nee.
essary for the public service, and also all
those the duties of which should be per
formed by others in office. This multi.
plicity of offices is the great evil of the
day. 1t centralizes power; concentrates
a selfish authority, begets extravaganza,
is the fruitful source of idleness, dis
courages industrial pursuits by inspirin-
the hope of place and of ease, and the
greater the number the greater per cent