Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-06
Cutting Deep.

Cutting Deep.
Among the abuses of past Republican
administrations in this state, which the
democracy fiercely charged upon the
opposition during the last campaign
was the employment of useless officials
at Harrisburg, the payment to the nee
essary and useless officials alike OF sala-
ries in excess of what the law gave them
and the constitution permitted, and the
grants of "extras'' and lncldentals
far in excess of what was necessary.
Consistently with the treatment OF this
issue by the Democracy in the campaign
the House, at its organization, Topped of
a number of superfluous officials. AL
though they had been created by Repub
lican laws and precedents, the Demo
Gratis voluntarily surrendered this patron
age, resolved to employ none but those
who we're absolutely necessary, ana con
sistently adhered to this position to the
end of the session, saving the state many
thousands of dollars and marking new
epoch in political morals by the mem,
bers denying themselves and their
party patronage which was at their
hands.
The law of 1874 fixes the compensation
Of the officers of the Legislature for each
regular" session, though it has been
the invariable custom for the Legisla-
ture to cOnstrue this to mean session
of one hundred days, and to pay tue
officers extra per diem for every day te
yond that. In approving the general
appropriation bill of 1881, Governor
Hoyt expressed his disapprobation Of
this practice, and his belief that it Was
a palpable violation of the constitution !;
but, as it Was grouped with other apprO-
priations, he had doubts of his right to
veto portion of an item and SO itpassed
with his recorded protest. This year
these items were set out by themselves
and 30 they have come under the knife
of the governor. His sweeping veto cuts
out of the general appropriation bill all
allowances to clerks and employees in
excess of the stated compensation which
the law gives them for each regular ses
sion. He says that whether the Leg
islature sat 100 or POO days makes no
difference. The time they were in ses
sion was their session, and their regular
session, and the regular session was not
concluded until they finally adjourned.
Now the salary of these officers and em
ployes is fixed at a definite sum for each
regular session, and they cannot be paid
any greater sum except by L clear viola
ton of the constitution and laws
1t will unquestionably strike the por'
uIar judgment that the governors vie"
of this matter is right. Tie salary "t
these employees and clerks is all sufficient.
and the perniciOus practice Of allowing
them an extra per diem for every day be
yond the hundred has had much to do
with prOlonging the sessions of the Leg
islature, besides being inconsistent
with strict construction Of the law
The same may be said of the appro'
priations made to the clerks of tht
Houses for extra services during 4
time when there is no. legislative ses
sion and renee no services and of sum:
voted them for " expenses and "sup
plies during the same time !; and OF
the money left to the discretion of the
Senate librarian and resident clelk tG
spend during the interim. and the extra.
ordinary allowance for clerical and
other services which may devolve upon
them during the year 1881" The gov
ernor very properly objects to aud dis
approves items which appropriate alto
gether to the two chief clerks and the
resident clerk and librarian $4,000 fol
services and expenses in year when
there will be no regular session Of the
Legislature, and for the entire recess
from the adjournment of the l.egisla
ture this year until its reassembling in
the year 1885, $4,000. lie summarizes
his objections in these fOrcible words:
The various methods by which this sun
is distributed thoroughOut this bill under
various designations. such as Expenses. D
labor, 'Eervices." 'expIess charges. y
etc., is very puzzling aud mysterious. | AN
unable to comprehend how any such sum
can be needed or properly used in a period
when no session is being held. | have there
fore disapproved Of all such items for the
year 1884, when these four officers are Bot
required to be in attendance upon the
Legislature, and, when the law says they
sha, :ceceive no salaries; the salal les for III 4
year, with a reasonable amount for ex
penses, have permitted to stand. The
,,ract ico ,nndar varinuS forms nf Vyn,ds of
making these offices perpetual at large
compensation and great expenses, has in
the past grown into regular system.
feel disposed to see if it cannot be safely
abandoned. Any triflins necessary ser
vice they may have been accustomed to
perform in the past, during years when
there was no session, eau, | think, easily
and at very little expense, be performed
in other ways by those within the line in
whose duties such services wOull legiti
mately fall.
To such parts of the deep surgical
operation performed by the governor
upon this omnibus appropriation bill
there can be made no valid objection.
He has done courageous act of great
value to the commonwealth and in
thorough fulfillment of the pledges made
by his party in the campaign.
Too Deep, Perhaps.
Generally the exceptions the governor
takes in his vetOes are sound. and in his
latest sweeping refusal to pay the state
emplOyes moneys that they have not
earned he is clearly right. But some of