The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-02-14
A READJusrMEsr THAT WOULD PAY.

reducing taxation aud filing the treasury
at the same time without imposing addi-
tional burdens upon the masses Of the reo-
Pile, as they seem TO be in hunting up OBJ
iects upon which to squander the public
money, we would soon see a government
run with greater ease AMI upon a smaller
taxation basis than any other of like size
and importance in history. There are iea-
lures in the Federal administration over
looked year after year that operate as leaks
for the loss of millions annually. One no
table instance is in the system of allow
ing fees to thousands of officials
where regular salaries should be pad.
In many instances, indeed, the fees at
tached to minor offices, together with the
perquisites, amount to more than the sala-
ries paid the cabinet officers, supreme
judges and other of the highest function
aries OF the government Such is the case
with collectors aud inspectors by the
thousand in the treasury and interior de-
partments. The places afford oppOrtuni-
ties that are never neglected to realize any
where from $1,000 to $4,000 per year, where
reasonable salary could be paid and sew
eral thousand dollars saved to the govern
ment or people, the same thing, from each
office. The aggregate would amount to
hundreds Of thousands of dollars, if not
millions. In many sections OF the
country are ports of entry and custom
houses where salaries are paid, frequently a
large salary, where there is literally TO
business done year and year. This careless
SYSTEM however, is suffered to remain,
without ever thought being given TO it.
For service in this way that is not worth
5000 per annum to the government, $780,
300 will go out OF the treasury or the pock-
cts of the people, and, in the other cases,
fees aggregating millions will be allowed
for services that could easily be obtained
for thousands instead In all such cases it
Is, OF course, the many who suffer for the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the few. 1t has become
the best payer and the easiest. employer
in the country. So true is the fact and
so generally recognized is it that men,
without distinction, will run wild in search
of government employment. We do not
think that the government should be stngy
or little in the matter OF compensation Of
officials, whether of great or minor i'm
portance, in the administration of affairs
but salaries and the fees and perquisites of
Office should certainly receive such atten-
ton as will properly adjust them - the
dignity, Importance, utility and returns of
each Individual position. There are over
one hundred thousand Offices in the hands
Of the administration to be tilled and an
examination of the compensation of this
large army will disclose an utter
want of anything like regulation, sys-
tenn, graduation, or justice either to
the public at large who must pay
these officials, or TO the great body OF the
officials themselves, when their labor and
pay are compared the one with the other
among themselves, in the present adjust
ment of government salaries. Thousands
Of these POSITIONS are VIGOROUSLY mere
sinecures but the rewards of their incum-
bents, nevertheless, are forced out of the
hard earnings of the muscle and brain of
millions Of better men. tits beyond dis
pute, so far as even cursory glance at the
condition of the pay-rolls OF the two de-
partments will show. that reforms could he
easily adopted therein in the matter of the
selection, extent and compensation OF cleri-
cal and other labor that would
save thousands of dollars annually
to the government. The task of
looking into the titude of statutes on
the subject, and scanning the amount of
labor and character and amount of pay
therefor of government officials, would be
indeed great one, but the work is of suili.
cient importance and dignity to demand
the attention of some leyel.headed and pa
triotic reformer. A REIMBURSEMENT" in
this direction you'd merit the approval of
the entire country, and the "readjuster"
who would bring it about would be the one
man, with that distinction who would he en-.
titled to the plaudts OF his countrymep.
We should like to see some one of our young
and energetic Texas delegation look into
the matter and win the laurels that will
certainly follow such reform as we have
suggested,