Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-08-27
OLYMPIA, FRIDAT EVENING, AUG. II, 1856.
PUBLIC SERVICE AND PRIVATE
LABOR.

That there is a demand for some Of
the reforms proposed by the knights
of Labor is quite evident to anybody
who keeps passing events steadily in
view and possesses sufficient intellect
t. weigh their relative importance and
draw deductions from them. In CON
si.lering the claims of labor for adj
vanced wages or shorter hours, the
salaries and fees and Office hours of
those charged with public duties may
very properly be used AS means for
measurement of comparative values
There seems to be an irreconcilable in
injustice in the payment from the pub
lie purse of from four to eight dollars
per day for six or eight hours service,
in positions some of which do not re-
quire even an hours actual labor for
months at time, while the carpenter,
the bricklayer and the shoemaker is
compelled to work ten hours each day
for from two to three dollars, and is
"docked" by his employer if half
hour is taken from the usual time.
Many Of the trades require longer
time and more severe application FOR
their requirement than it does to pre-
pare one to audit accounts, assess
property values, or receive and pay
out money.
The wages paid for labor has de-
decreased within the past decade fully
80 per cent, but the price of almost
every article of necessity in life has
likewise fallen in corresponding ratio
and this preserves the same relative
value. But this cannot be said of the
fees paid to county and district officers.
The fee bill of the clerks of the Dis
trict Courts enables those officers to be
clad in "purple and fine linen," to
revel ON the fat of the land every day,
to own thoroughbred horses and sport
carriages with the finest and most
aristocratic gloss. 1t enables District
Attorneys to thrive wonderfully,
though their indictments may not
hold water; the Commissioners to re-
ceive 81 per day, though they may not
find time to require settlements from
accounting officers for many years at
time; the Sheriff to do his work by
proxy and still have "fat" thing.
The Assessor, by this inflated system
ofestimating clerical services, is enabled
to run up bill of 81 900 or 81 200 each
year for salary and clerk hire in estab-
fishing property values for a basis OF
collecting barely enough to pay in
terest on the public debt" and salaries
of public officers. The hard-earned
wages of the 81 and SO man is assessed
to pay the costs and keeping Of the 81
and 50 man, who is never at a loss fol
a season of recreation in camping out
fishing, or in doing the honors at q
clambake or dancing attendance at a
Goldfish ball.
If this apparent injustice exists, why
is it not righted? Are the people not
supreme? Is not their will law? In
theory the proposition is admitted; in
practice, rejected. The independent
voter is often only so in name. He i.
easily deceived. He is frequently ca
joled by flattery or swayed by an ap
peal to his passions. His opinions
are as volatile as air, and a glib togut
or a condescending manner bares hi
head for the scalping knife of some
fakir who earns his living by his wits
This is what has brought about thu
great conflict between capital and la
Dor. Had the humble voter held vel
in hand the reins of power the coach
would not now be on the verge O
precipice.
As some diseases can only b.
cured by a heroic dose, SO we hope
that present experience will be prolific
of good results. The laboring mar
sees all these things and knows thai
they are true. This has led to thought
and thought to action, and action tt
organization, and organization, if it i.
moderated by prudence and controlled
simply by a determination to bring
about reform through legal methods
is rs certain of ultimate success III
that the sun shall rise at the appointed
time. WOrkingmen must be brought
to the front to do this work. 1t is moi
the mission of the officc-seeker or poll
tfcian. Men should be sent to the
Legislature who will support meas
ure to cut down the fees and salaries
of every officer to a reasonable allow.
ance for the services rendered, meas.
ured by the values established for any
other labor involving like degree OF
ability and application for its proper
performance. Men should be placed
in the district and county offices who
will at least devote their whole atten-
ton to the duties for which they are
now overpaid. Working men should
demand OF their candidates for the Leg
islature specific pledges to introduce
and support this measure. 1t is of far
more importance to the citizen than
the repeal of the gross earnings law,
and is of greater import to the poor
man than absolute forfeiture, although
these measures have now become,
through the astuteness of party Jug
glers, both Democratic and Republi-
can.