The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-20
PAID WELL FOR ALL THEY Do
The City's Big Three Have Plenty ofTime
TO Devote to Their Private Affairs
Controller Wooden Very Well Cared For in
Drawing Two Fair Salaries-Some of His
Queer Notions About Municipal Finance.

1t is probable that unless the Sullivan ad-
ministration makes some move to-day
toward either refuuding the increased sal
aries drawn on July or sustaining Its con-
tention that the increases were legal
resolution lnquiring into the matter will
be introduced at to-niChts meeting of the
Council. Don't you think the Offices are
worth the increased salariesf' asked n
Democratic member of the Council, in
speaking of the matter yesterday. That
appears TO be the line of Democratic de-
Tense. although the charter says plainly
that the salary of no officer or employe
shall be changed while he is in Office. The
Democratic members point is begging of
the question and has no bearing on the legal
aspect of the case. Even it. however. is
susceptible of argument. 1t Is generally
conceded that the work Of the controller,
of the members of the Board of Public
Works and of the clerks of these depart
ments if properly conducted. is worth as
much as the charter allows. COnceding
this fact. Mr.. Pearson, Republican, intro
duced the salary ordinance. taking it for
granted that the duties of the office would
be given full and proper attention. and near
" all the Republican members voted for 1T.
The ordinance increased the salary of the
controller from s.. 600 to s.. 900 per year. and
that of members of the Board of Public
Works from 81 800 to $4,000 per year. For
the proper men, who will devote the proper
amount of ability and time to their duties.
it is conceded by the Republican council
men that these salaries are none too high.
yet some of them have their doubts about
these requirements being fulfilled.
The members of the Board of Public
Works devote at least six hours q week to
their duties. They hold three regular ses-
sOns OF two hours each week, and every
two or three weeks night session is held.
usually lasting two or three hours. Often
an individual member will devote little
extra time to the work, but ten hours
week is a very liberal estimate for the av-
erage amount of time put IN by the mem.
bers. 1t is easy to see that this interferes
very little. or not at all, with the indivld-
ual business OF the members. Mr.. Conduit
conducts his wholesale grocery. Mr.. De-
frees performs his duties as consulting en-
gineer of various railroads and builds
bridges on contracts, and Mr.. Scherrer
pursues his calling as an architect with
out visible interruption. Each is doing just
as much business in his private capacity as
before. Possibly II it were otherwise more
would have been accomplished by this
time. Enough paving might have been un-
der way to have used up the appropriation
the board has for this purpose. q street
sprinkllng contract might have been
might have been made and the sew
erage question might have been given
some consideration. But for the
plished and for tho amount of time spent
in accomplishing it there is q disposition to
believe that the members are we'll paid.
When the salary ordinance was passed
the Repu blican members thought $1,000
that would occupy the whole time of
man of large financial ability,
who would see that city finances were we'll
handled under the charter regulations.
time to the office. He is still manager of
the Indianapolis clearing house at $500
year and has given MP nothing to take the
Office. He still attends daily to his duties
as manager of the clearinghouse; He ar.
rivesst the controllers office usually about
ga. NJ. and remains there until noon. lie
usually spends a couple of hours there in
the afternoon. His combined salaries give
him larger income than he ever had in his
life before. either as newspaper man or as
LESSONS he met with financial
finance are aptly illustrated by couple of
instances One of his first acts was to have
an inventory of all the city property taken
and an appraised value put upon ii. This
was an excellent thing To have handy. but
Mr.. Woollen's reason for it was unique. II
want these figures" said he, when he
asked the Board of Public Works to have
the appralsement made. lin order to fl II up
the credit side of my ledger, and show the
city's resources against its liabilities. We
have a couple Of millions of debt and no
assets noted upon the books"
The idea of a municipal or any other kind
of government figuring it's tangible
property III as resources or assets
struck one mp in public finance. as
government" said he, "lie in Its ability to
collect taxes from it's people. The city's
property cannot be sold to pay it's debts.
All the property it owns does not have a
penny of effect upon the value of its bonds"
Another instance of Mr.. WOollen's failure
to grasp the theory of public finapce &C.
Cured when he told reporter q few days
ago, and later told the finance committee,
that the controllers office was so we'll con-
Quoted that ut earned for the city profit
of SO 13 per cent. upon the Investment"
IF this means anything at ALL" said the
financier quoted above. lit means that the
receipts of the office are 80 lI3 per cent. in
excess of Its expenses. Figured upon
where the taxes are collected. must pay an
county would do we'll to put in dozen or
more additional treasurers Offices. The alb
surdlty &c the statement is plain" Points
like these together with Mr.. Woolleu's
loose construction of tine charter prov isions
relating to his office. have given rise to the
impression that he, also. Is we'll paid for
the amount of time and ability he devotes