Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-07-19
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
OLYMPIA. FRIDAH EVENING, JULY 10. IS!


Let The People Decide.
1t is hoped that monarchial ideas
will not prevail when the Constitution
al Convention fixes the salaries of the
State officers. They should bear i'll
mind that our government is Republic
can in form, and that the nearer the
rulers can be kept to the people, in
conditions and surroundings, the more
stable will be the government and the
happier and more contented the people
In theory the American citizen is
sovereign. His will is supposed to be
the supreme law. Its expression is
made through legislators elected by
him and officers are designated by his
ballot to carry it into effect. 1t would
seem that this kingly perogative was
direct enough to secure absolute rule
of the citizen, provided, of course that
unity Of sentiment is secured on any
given line OF policy. But it is only
true in modified sense. The SOW
creign is only permitted to ascend the
throne at stated periods Of from one to
two years, and then his hold Of the
scepter lasts but for the moment, he is
depositing his ballot. This renders a
change of governmental policy neces-
sarily slow, and when we consider
those safeguards" which Congress
and the Constitutional Convention
place about the action OF the citizen,
it is not surprising that he is in great
degree shorn of his strength and
robbed of his birthright, by these we'll
meaning members of the body polite
who deem it their duty to hedge in
citizenship by limitations and restric-
tons which deprive it of a large pro-
portion of the remaining boosted priv
ileges of free government.
1t is sincerely hoped that, in fixing
the salaries OF the State officers
the Convention will not follow the
rule prescribed by the Committee
on Judicial Department, of fixing
the minimum compensation of Judges
at rate about ten times as
high as the wages of common
labor. These is no reason for such a
disparity of pay under q government
which recognizes all men as " free and
equal" Either the laborer who works
ten long hours out of the twenty-four
ON the streets, for his two dollars, is
undergrad, or the officer who receives
from fifteen to twenty dollars, for
from four to five hours per day, seated
in his luxuriantly furnished Office, ia
overpaid. All the sophistry that can
be brought TO bear upon the subject,
fails to convince the true friend Of
human equality, that the educated
brain of one man is worth 30 much
more than the educated Drawn of the
other. Nor may there be much diff
ference between the mental capacity
of the two. Their relative positions
may be the result Of chance, snd hon
esty and capability on the side of the
man in jeans. In fact, the controlling
force of the business world to-day de
rives it, vitality from skilled labor
which has always been content wit.
reasonable wages for tasks involving
both thought and incessant toll.
What we want in the constitutional
provisions for the new State, il au
thority for the people to regulate the
matter Of salary for themselves. We
do not want . rate fixed which will es
tablish an insuperable barrier between
the people and their officers. We DE-
hot want an opportunity afforded fol
establishing those distinctions Of cast<
which many Of the ofice-seeking por
ton Of each community 90 much
covet. The nearer the people and
their servants (the tendency has beer
TO make this term decidedly ironical'
are brought together, by condition and
circumstance, the less win be heard
murmurs OF discomfort, and thu
nearer will our government assume
the sphere Of . true republic.