St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-16
TOO MUCH TALKING.

A Protest Entered Against Indis-
r criminate Reduction OF Salaries.
To the Editor of the Globe.
Since the early meetings Of the Ram
,sey county delegation there has been
INDUCED a good deal of indiscriminate
talk and a great many extravagant
recommendations concerning a mOdifi-
cation of the city charter, and general
or partial reduction of salaries and eX-
penses: also the abolition of old Offices
and clerkships and the creating of new
ones under various circumstances and
preteXts. Thus far nearly two months
have been consumed by that august
body in doing absolutely nothing
for the benefit of either the city
or county, OF anything that would
show that they are entitled to
receive the per diem which the law says
they shall be paid for services as state
legislators. Now, retrenchment is
good thing at the right time and in cases
where the circum stances warrant such
action; but as it is said that true charity
begins at home, if our delegation are
sincere in their desires for a curtail-
ment of the expenses of our city and
county government. would it not be q
laudable act on their part and evidence
of their good faith for them to allow at
least a fair proportion of their salaries
as representatives and senators to re-
main i'll the commemorative treasury?
AS to the reduction of salaries and
other expenses, | have this to say:
There are few county and city officers
who are doubtless drawing larger sal
aries than the character or amount of
their work really warrants. | refer to
the offices where the holders do little or
no labor themselves, and where no skill
is required. There are a few such
offices both in the city and cOunty,where
the heads of departments delegate not
alone the work, but likewise the over
sight of the same, to SubOrdlnateS. In
instances like these and in all similar
cases. the men who do the work should
ton which is based upon equity as
we'll as common sense, and ought
not to be ignored by the dele
CATION in their deliberations. A judge.
learned in the law, who has spent
many years of his life in hard study and
patient labor to fit himself for the fair
and impartial administration of the law
the most sacred guardian of our rights
and libertieS-should receive greater
compensation for his services in such
capacity than the mere citizen who is
SelecteQ from Tue great IlaSS OF ul1pfO-
fessional men and placed in charge of a
department where neither scholarship,
nor tact. nor ability are requisites to his
qualification. TO reduce the salaries of
any of the judges would not only be I'M
Just to them and unwarranted by cir
cumstances. but would also show that
our people. and the delegation acting
for them, were allowing their regard for
| the sacredness of our legal institutions
| TO deteriorate, and likewise that their
T appreciation of legal ability and intel
| lectual and moral worth was on the
| Wane. - E e.
/ have no hard things to say of the
! delegation. l believe them all to be
honorable men, and DESTROYS of enact
ing only such legislative measures as
will bring about the most beneficial and
satisfactory results; but word OF eau
ton IS always in order, even though 1T
be addressed to a body of lawmakers.
I There is abundant need of the enact
f5ment of just and equitable laws, in adj
Edition to those which already exist, both
isof local and general application, but
whatever they do respecting the reduc-
| ton of salaries, ask them to remem-
| Der that 1.-The laborer is worthy OF his
| hire" Justice"
st. Paul, MIMI, Feb. Is, 1891.