Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

Salary Grab-The truth About the
Governors So Called Economies.
COLUMBUS, July 25.-Gen. John Beat
ty writes as follows:
"Besides the dangers likely to flow
from disregard Of the two term usage,
there are other considerations which
should not be forgotten In this election.
Foraker boasts of the economy of his
administration, but Investigation will
show that if there has been 81 saved 1t
was because he could not induce the
general assembly to spend it. His cry
from the beginning has been for more
m0ney-more things to tax-not for
smaller appropriations and fewer ex-
penditures. The members of the fin
ance committee Of the last Senate and
House, If they say anything, will con-
firm this statement; and if they tell the
whole truth will suppliment II by the
declaration that whatever has been
saved to the taxpayers has been saved
not through any help Of his but in spite
of him.
"It is true that the penitentiary has
been doing better than it did but the
| ACSuh 10 NuC W UAlACC bbtukSV W WIbs "A
considerable increase in the number of
convicts: the utter abandonment of work
on State account, and the return prac-
tically to the old contract system. The
contract system should never have
been disturbed but both parties favor
ed its abolition. Both are, therefore,
responsible for the losses which fol-
lowed the attempt to set aside system
which will make some return to the
State under even the worst management
for one which cannot be made to pay
under the very best.
1.-THE truth is, that aside from the
penitentiary, about the only saving of
which Foraker can boast, is no saving
at all, but simply a reduction of the
amount usually levied to provide FOR
the payment of the State debt. He tells
us that the State treasury was bank
rupt when he took possession, and yet,
strange to say, among the first things
he did was to whine about the inade-
quacy of his compensation, and among
the unwise things which an obsequious
legislature made haste to do was to
double the salary and so reconcile him
to the office. Dennison, Tod and
Brough adorned the seat which For
aker may sit in but can never fill, at a
time when products of field and factory
were threefold higher than at present,
but they never howled about the small
ness of their salary. The time to do it
was certainly not less opportune than
now. Farmers were making money
then; they have fairly succeeded in
making ends meet since. All mercan-
tile and manufacturing business was
prosperous then: the same condition Of
affairs is not found to-day. The only
things know of which have of late
enjoyed healthy growth are officers
and official salaries. The former have
increased in number and the latter in
size.
1T will be admitted, / think, that
salaries paid to public servants should
be neither more nor less than salaries
paid to competent persons in other
walks who preform the same hours of
service and assume equal responsible
ties. No special inducement certainly,
should be held out to tempt the people
to abandon the more common callings
with view to making politics a pro-
fession, and Office holding the great
end of life. Things should be valued at
what they are worth and not by the
wealth of the purchaser. The man who
argues that because Ohio is rich should
pay her servants treble wages, might
by the same logic reach the conclusion
that the. State should pay $25 ton for
coal.
"Patriots like Foraker, who assume
to be leaders and to have at heart SIM
ply the public good, should set the peo-
pie wholesome example in economy,
moderation and fore thought. It cer-
tainly does not camport with the dig
nifty and beneficence of their preten-
sions to seek an office with the utmost
eagerness and then whine about the
insufficiency of its emoluments.
"For a quarter of a century or more
every intelligent school boy had known
that the salary of the governor of Ohio
was 81 900 year. Why, if the COM
pensation was inadequate, did Foraker
not make the discovery earlier in life?
He is said to have been a remarkable
precocious youth. How, then was he
beguiled into seeking an office with so
much persistency, the salary Of which
was so inferisr to his great merit? /
leave the conundrum for the members
of the Foraker club to answer, not at all
doubling that if they are kept on the
States payroll at twice what their SER
vices are worth, the governor will have
reason to be proud of their reply.
"In this connection let me suggest
that at least half of the States employees
get from so to 100 per cent. more wages
than equally competent men in private
pursuits, perform from so to 100 per
cent. less labor. 1t follows from this,
ofcourse, that some do not work at all,
but the idlest and most incompetent of
them are good, clever fellows, who talk
we'll and are very ingenious in discover
ing reasons why Foraker should be per-
petuated in office. They not only be-
lieve in third term, but would be well
pleased to have thirty terms. Some of
them can manage ward of township
caucus with great success; others have
no skill in this line, but are so fortunate
as to have fathers, uncles, brothers and
cousins whose influence must find in
direct compensation, inasmuch as COM
pensation of the more direct kind is
neither respectable nor lawful.
ut is not surprising, therefore, that
feeling of discomfort should occasionly
arise In the breasts of shop, store, mine
and farm workers who put in ten hours,
o day of horrest services for small wages,
when they look upon this horde OF
favored tax eaters who work little and
are paid comparatively much; nor need
a. kI,owo So o,,oh