Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-22

Chance to Rebuke Treachery and
Machine Politics as PersOnified in
Foraker.
COLUMBUS, Aug. S.-Gen. Beatty to-
day wrote another open letter In regard
TO the increase of the Governors salary.
Gen. Beatty says: "He tells us that
the state treasury was bankrupt when
he took possession, and yet, strange to
say, among the first things he did was
to whine about the inadequacy of his
compensation, and among the unwise
things which an obsequious legislature
made haste to do was to double the SAL
ary and to reconcile him to the office u
This is grossly unjust. The appeal
for an increase of the salary of the Gov
ernor came not from Foraker but from
Hoadly.-Sdndusky Register.
The Register should have given a So
Der second thought to the subject be-
fore accusing me of injustice. Who was
Hoadly, anyhow, that Republican
legislature should have been so quick
to follow his suggestions? Was there
anything in the Republican platform
| indicating an intention to increase off,
cial salaries? Nothing. Was there a
demand for an increase on the part of
the people in any section of the State?
No. Was the question Of an increase
ever mentioned in a Republican meet
ing except for the purpose of condemn
ing Gov. Hoadly? Never. -
The Registers defense of its candidate
is the universal plea of the wrong doer.
Adam sought to justify himself in a
similar manner when in answer to his
accusing conscience he said, "The wo-
man, gave me and ] did eat" And Eve
not more guilty nor less fertile in re-
source sought to shield both her hus-
band and herself by saying, "The SER
pent tempted me-" a 4 81 n
The truth is Foraker had hardly be-
come settled in. the executive office
| when his thoughts took an introspec-
tive tread. Know thyself is an admon-
ition embodying the escence of wisdom
and Joseph now found the study of
himself extremely entertaing. How big
and yet how young! What intellect,
what eloquence, what natural aptitude
for great affairs! Can the people expect
to retain such a man in office for $4,000
year? Nonsense. Even the supreme
judges get this much and only about
one-half of them die of overwork. Egad
the Governors salary must be raised or
the State maysgo to the dogs. And SO
finally this Hamilton county exjudge,
after q deliberate summing up of his
own sacrifices for the common veal
began to whine publicly about the in.
adequacy of his compensation and
threaten to abandon the rudder and let
the State drift to destruction. 1t was q
perilous moment in our history but for
tunately supple legislature sprang to
our relief and by doubling the salary
reconciled Joseph to the Office. re7' ''Fs7
It is true there were some members
reluctant to vote for this increase who
had to be coaxed or prodded and some
incidents connected with the passage ol
\ the bill that melted comment at the
time. The ordinary run of folks could
not exactly understand why the mem
bers of the general assembly should
have entertained and feasted at the
Governors residence on one day and
the bill for the increase of the Govern
or's salary put on its passage the next
The two events would have looked bet.
ter If their relation to each other had
been reversed and their connection less
apparent. Elegant entertainments and
expensive are the usual appliances o
the professional lobbyist and invariably
precede steal. ID &
The Register says the increase from
$4,000 to $4,000 was right. If this be so
then q corresponding advance should
have been made in the salaries of al
State officials, both elective and ap
pointive. Between the salary of thu
highest officer in the point of rank an(
that of the lowest there should exis
some just proportion basedr on servic,
performed and responsibilities assumed
Ifthe Register is correct, therefore, ;
general doubling of salaries must sOol
follow, which will, of necessity, lead t,
larger appropriations and higher taxes
But the Register is wrong. The in
crease was unwise and against publi
policy. The office had for half cen
tury or more been filled by good mel
and had never been declined by ever
the best. No man in Ohio was so poo
that he could not afford to hold it ant
none so rich that he would not hav,
been proud to do so. An honest citi
zen does not seek such an Office for tn
sake Of the salary, but as the crownin,
glory of his life and this higher consid
Grafton is more likely to secure compe
tent service than any extravagant pc
cuniary reward. # ass
: Then again the compensation Of th
. citizen in private life and that of tn
citizen in public life should be adjpste,
: with fairness and bear an equitable re
Iation to each other. The rewards 70
we'll doing In trade, ON farm and in tn,
shops should be as great as the reward
? for well doing in official life. tbs no
good policy to breed distaste for tn
: more common and necessary calling
and awaken desire for office impossi
: BILE to gratify. The higher offices shoul
8 be places of honor rather than of profit
r positions to which men are. called an
Z rot those forawhich men are tempted
Escramble-goals for an HONORABLE an,
\ Thigh ambition which has no Sspecis
g longing for wealth and no pleasure i
: ostentatious display and not prizes fo
}. which the cunning and unscrupulou
=. shall intrigue, pack conventions an
% corrupt voters. a' " F'- r'''A''
The salary of a United States senate
Y Y is $1,000 a year. The cost of living Is
i per cent. greater in Washington tina