Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-11-26
OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION.
why 1t Is Out Of All Proportion to
the Services Render ed-The Salaries
Paid In the Second Wealthiest County
In California.

To THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES -
AS you have seen fit to criticise my
article OF the 22nd instant, relative 10
my suggestions of economy in the
administration of the affairs of Altu-
ras county, permit me to express my
satisfaction at your doing so. No enc
has as yet seen fit to raise a word for
the benefit of the object aimed at
to form a public opinion tending to
accomplish the desired end. Yet,
that opinion will not be formed unless
the question is considered, argued,
and re-argued, or to express Vulgar
ism-hashed and re-hashed. Our
wants are many, yet our economy on
former expenditures must be consid-
cradle to be of avail to our present
status, and is imperatively needed.
We must boldly act, or with giant
strides 60 to the dogs.
In your dissertation on the article
spoken of, you seem to consider the
radical change proposed ridiculous,
and the consideration therein express.
ed to be allowed incumbents for their
services inadequate; perhaps you are
right and wrong. | have, of course,
not sought to formulate any rule upon
an absolute basis, but simply rendered
what l considered healthy suggestions,
leaving to the aggregate mind of the
people at large to formulate the rule.
Yet, Is my proposition ridiculous?
Official incumbents are generally per-
sons drawn from the mass of the PEG
ple-rather chosen because of effect
i've wire-pulling in political trickery
than because they are specially quail
flied for the Office to be filed. This
being the rule, the qualified person ia
office is too often the exception;
therefore, they are very often not even
worth the compensation l have sug-
gested. In very many cases, parties
are nominated and elected because
they have family to support, because
they are "good fellow" because
they spend the peoples money freely
in questionable ways, and because
last, but not least--they are some
times unable otherwise to make liv.
ing. 1t must be poor consolation to
the taxpayer who expects to get an
equivalent for his money to have to
spend it In such way, and especially
must this be the case when we con-
slider that the taxes are oppressive and
hard to meet, leaving out of consid-
Grafton the fact that they are paid
through compulsion and general CO.
erclve measures.
Now, then, is $1,000 year for the
District Attorney of Alturas county a
ridiculous compensation? His official
attention takes about three months OF
his time in every year. Of.course l
limit his duties to the District Court,
for, as to the petty courts, it will be
better for the people at large if par
ties brought before them be made to
stand their own expenses; for it will
discourage great deal OF useless lit
igatlon, and thereby alone be an enor.
nous saving to the county, for every
dollar of expense caused to the peo-
pie through the District Attorney null
tiplies tenfold before the power put
in motion by and through him ter
inmates. In other words, the Dis
trict Attorney receives 81, the court
81, and the Sheriff IS. However, it
is a notorious fact that the District
Attorney has and transacts as much
civil business in court as any other
attorney, so there is proof evident
that his time is not all consumed in
official matters. Moreover, the fact
that he is District Attorney recon-
mends him to many as the proper per-
son to inturst their business to, and
thereby he makes rather than loses
by being such official, and this out
side of and altogether disconnected
with the Office.
BT, looking at the thing in another
light, assuming that the time of the Off
Ger would be altogether taken up, or
nearly SO. why, even the people will
have no trouble to get ineumbents
equally effective with those that have
thus far received $4,000 Instead OF
$i200! Has it ever occurred to you,
Mr.. Editor, that large number ofre.
spectacle, responsible aud eficien,