The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-03-29
is OUR GOVERNOR WELL PAID?

DO we pay the Governor OF North
Carolina enough salary? The SENTI-
MEL of late has heard the question
discussed many times, by different
classes of people and almost invaribly
the answer was in the negative. Quite
recently the editor of the SENTINEL
read letter from one of the ablest,
most upright men in the State to one
of his personal friends, in which. he
says that he could not afford to accept
the governorship. His name had
been mentioned many times and
throughout piedmont and western
North Carolina he has a host or
friends who would rally to his sup
port with the greatest enthusiasm,
were he candidate. One of these
friends, prominent citizen of Wins
ton, short while since wrote him
letter, urging him to be a candidate,
and pledging strong support. The
reply to this letter is one we would do
we'll to mark: 81 CANT AFFORD TO
TRY FOR THE GovERNoRsHIP. IAN
POOR MAN, AND IF WERE ELECT
ED, THE SALARY WOULD NOT SUPPORT
ME IN A WAY BECOMING THE COVER
NOR OF NORTH CAROLINA, AND AS
HAVE BUT SLENDER MEANS, 1 MUST
DECLINE YOUR KIND OFFER, WITH
SINCERE THANKS"
1t is fact that we do not pay our
Governor enough. On a salary of
$4,000 year he cannot meet the ex-
penses which his office makes necess-
airy. We don't believe in extrava-
CANT salaries, neither do we believe in
a false economy that puts the salaries
of our highest officers so low that only
the rich can afford to serve the people.
We want the best men in office, wheth-
er rich or poor, and if poor man is
debarred from Office because of the
scantiness of the salary, then the SEN
TINEL believes the salary should be
increased. Such is the case today in
North Carolina and as we become
wealthier and costly living increases,
and we depart more and more from
that JeffersoniaH, Zeb-Vance-simplici-
ty of living which our fathers loved,
we will after awhile arrive at a point
where it will be impossible for a poor
man to hold office.
In this Democratic land,
ain this land of boosted freedom,
In this land of church and SCHOOL,
the humblest cottager may hope to
be President and the barefoot boys,
from Buncombe's hills to Pitts chuck
le-berry' swamps, all may reasonably
have hope for the Governorship.
Therefore we don't believe in making
salaries so low that rich men have a
monopoly of the offices.
Five thousand dollars looks like q
respectable salary. but when we con-
slider the expenses attached to the of
flee of Governor ofso great people
and SO rich people as those of North
Carolina, it sinks into paltry insight
ficance. When we compare it with
the salary paid by other states, far in
ferior in population and wealth, it
really seems as if we were niggardly.
Take Nevada, for instance. In 1880 |
her population was 81, 265 (including
5,420 Chinese, whose taxes amounted |
to mere pittance.) The population
of North Carolina at that time was |
1, 39S,750. There are more people in |
Winston-Salem, Durham, Raleigh and |
Wilmington than there are in the
whole state of Nevada, yet Nevada
pays her Governor SIC, OOO-just twice
what we pay ours. Surely North Car
DINA, paying taxes on more than
$3.50, 100000 worth of property. is alb
lie to afford more salary to her Cover
nor and ought to do it.
This is question which every I
thinking man ought to consider for
himself, and If the majority agree that
our Governor is not paid enough, then
it will be in order for the people, per-
sonally and through the newspa perr,
to ask the next Legislature to increase
the salary.