Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-12-02
OFFICIAL COMPENSATION.
why 1t Should Be by Fixed Salaries
Instead Of Fees-"A. F. NJ Closes
His Discussion OF the Subject.

AaStead OF FeeS-"A. +. M Closes
His Discussion Of the Subject.
To THE EDITOR OF THE TIMEs:-
IN connection with what | have al
ready said bearing upon the subject
of economy in the administration of
the affairs of Alturas county, it seems
now proper to digress and elucidate
the main purpose, and by proper
analysis reach the conclusion best
suited to our present financial status.
do not propose to formulate the
rule best suited to our status, but only
to suggest, as it appears to me, the
merits of salaried or fee compensa-
ton, their good and evil effect both as
respects official incumbents and the
financial, social, and political interest
of the people at large. Then, what
are the merits of general fee COM
pensation? 1t suggests two things
one good, and one evil. The good
results from the temptation the official
incumbent has to do his duty, to ex-
tend the field of activity and general
energy in doing all that the law and
need of the people contemplate he
should do, and when, as seldom is the
case, he goes no further, that state
supposes the best execution of the
law and the greatest good to the peo-
pie under it. But this supposes a
perfect man, contrary to the system
which seems to acknowledge him as
imperfect. The evil results from the
same temptation, but which carries
that energy and activity to an unrea-
sonable extent, and which emanates
from the stimulation of the official in
cumbent to make as much out of his
Office as he can. In that event the in
terest Of the official is primary, that
of the people secondary, the incum-
bent considers his Office as made for
his individual benefit, and condescends
to consider the public interest only in
so far as he can make it subservient
to his end. In other words, however
conscientious the official, his con
science is pliable. Under such CIR
cumstances, he cannot sin, for the
end justi6es the means, and will
proud feeling he is wont to look upor
his constituents in his selfish estmat,
of self, until he himself begins to be
lieve in his exceptional value to tn
people.
These can be the only reasons tina
can justify those innocent assertion
of official incumbents, when bendin,
under the weight of thousands pc
annum, as a compensation for service
= worth only as many hundreds, the
cemplacently look upon the peopl
whom they have injured as if the
themselves had been injured. @
course, they being judges of thei
+ worth, nothing is left the people bu
] to contemplate the imaginary merit
: of those whom they chose for incun
bents; and under no circumstance
+ would such official deem himself SUI
r ficiently paid, unless overpaid.
A system which calls forth tn
moral passions of man, which fostel
his avarice and cupidity-twin sister
n of deception-is inherently viciou
s and though under some circumstance
e justifable, ought ever to be condemn
- ed when necessity permits it undo
a different state of things. adm
d that, when the income Of an Office
= SO small as not to permit fixed con
! pensation, this, together with 9TH
> circumstances as might co-exist, ms
# justify fee compensation as the lea
: of two evils; but when the income
n the Office justifes fixed compens
e ton, it is never in reason Justi6able
. permit a fee compensation to prevs
as against a fixed compensation, +
the one has the tendency to NAL
10 man false and dishonest, while Il
other induces to an honest disoharl
.. Of his duty.
:. Now, then, as against the foregoin
>. which contrast offers a salaried col
=, pensation? We have partly alrea
:. determined it. The incumbent ha
.. ing nothing private to gain-in
i. financial way, mean-those low al
despicable passions heretofore ref
red to are not stimulated; they bel
attempted and dormant they do n