Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-12-02


elements of mans nature, the latter
ennobling him. There remains, then,
only to be considered the effect upon
the well.being of moral, social, and
political man, as affected by the two
systems. If my premises are correct,
the deduction therefrom is, that, I'M
der all conditions rendering the thing
reasonably possible, a fee compensa-
ton ought to be condemned, for
while it may have an apparent virtue,
as it at the same time turks with vice,
the evil is clearly palpable. An officer
actuated by selfish motives, whose in.
centive is gain, would have to be an
extraordinary man if he did not over.
step the limits Of duty or honor, at
every step a fee-lurking temptation
sssailing him. He sees nothing but
through fee. Self-interest blinds
and misleads him, and experience
makes him rash beyond all prudence
or timidity. What then is left for
such a sacrifice, when the man and
citizen is wanting? Some say an
equivalent is met with in the fact that
the officers energy being stimulated to
action, corresponding preventive is
created to lawlessness, which becomes
a corrective to irregular action. What
ever truth there may be in the
latter assertion, il is more than coun-
terbalanced in evil results. When
ever action is stimulated by untoward
means, the excuses it produces and
evil example it gives, more than off
sets anything that may be said in its
favor; for the good therein found is
too expensive, since the excuses it
fosters for untoward action goes be
yond the limits of reason. law, right
or Justice. In other words, while we
ought to prevent crime we should not
create it in order to prevent it.
The salaried system obviates the
foregoing results by not offering a
constant bait or temptation TO over.
do; on the contrary it makes, or has
a tendency to make, the official cit
izen and man--frank, open hearted
and sincere. AS man he will do hi
duty under the guide of honor, as ,
citizen he will be good and just to hi
> fellow men; love of country will Civ
, ali impetus TO official action, tempered
, by reason, humanity, and justice, con
e idenoe from himself to the people
: and from the people to him create
a harmonious whole, and the machin
cry of the government is not fraugi'
t with danger to moral, social, or polit
zeal order; and though man will neve
o be a perfect man, the latter system
r by the confidence it provokes, tend
q to make man better man.
u The dissertation wherein | am no,
Q engaged, gives food to vast entel
y prise, yet this is no opportunity
II enter into it in fullest detail, there
If fore conclude by saying that all la,
# is defective that has a tendency t
IS destroy the moral man in official in
J. cumbents, for it will as sure also de-
.s stroy the moral and social order OF b
Z. fellow-men. All laws should
framed with view to make man
,e better man. They should discourag
rs avarice and cupidity, and the accom-
rs panying receptions. In one wor'
g. they should tend as much as possib
"a to make man a truer, nobler and be
\. ter man. And, if ] am right, asse
er my preference for salaried system
il official compensation, as the be
is suited to our present status, and
n. fostering moral, social, and polite
. order. Yours, etc,
q A. F. NJ.
~ HALEY, Idaho, Dec. 2, 1886,