The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-05-19
A Difficult Problem.

How to increase expenditures with
out increasing taxation is question
that will very soon confront the Amer
ican people, and it is perhaps as well
to consider it now, as to wait until
some backward steps have to be
taken. A continued increase of taxa.
ton will at no distant day put it be-
yond the ability OF certain classes to
meet the demands made upon them.
Retrenchment will then become a
necessity. A prudent man will not
needlessy or rashly increase his out
lays at rate that must inevitably
sooner or later make retrenchment a
necessity. Governments whether
national, state or municipal should
exercise the same wise precaution.
A man who increased the salaries of
his employees beyond fair remunera-
ton, would hardly be considered a
prudent man. He would rather be
regarded as lacking in business capa.
city or sound judgment. If any diff
ference of opinion existed as to what
was fair salary, the fact that there
was a goodly number of men equally
capable ready to accept the situation
at the old rate, would settle the ques.
tior against any increase. Applying
this rule to those who have the regu-
lating of the salaries of our public
servants, we must conclude that in
many cases they have acted very i'm
prudently.
Although comparatively young
man l can we'll remember when our
county commissioners received less
than half of the fee that they are get
ting at the present time, and there
was no lack of candidates for the
place, and men as capable as any we
now have. A certain amount of in
crease was at-one time necessary, but
there never was an excuse for raising
1t to its present Dimensions. The
first County Superintendent of our
public schools was elected at SALARY
of three hundred dollars per year
We will all agree that that was too
low, but there was three candidates in
the field for the next election, without
any assurance that the salary was
going to be increased.
Two of those candidates withdrew
before vote was taken, one before,
the other on election day, but not on
account of the smallness of the salary
The salary however was increased
at that election to five hundred dol |
lars. Had the salary never been fur
ther increased, there never would have
been lack of men to fill the place ;|
and as that is considerably more than |
4 large proportion of our tax payers
realize for their labor, it is questionable |
% my mind whether the salary should |
have been increased beyond that |
igure.
l am aware that a person will be
accused of being illberal in his views,
when he thinks that Office holders |
should be confined to such small SAL |
aries ; but let those who censure place |
themselves in my situation and be con-
ined to a much smaller amount and |
hen see how the matter looks.
Plain people are at loss to see
Why some should have incomes that |
enables them to indulge in luxuries, if |
hey wish or to horde money whilst
many of those who have to foot the
,ill are combined to the bare neces-
aries of life.
1t is claimed that other officials no
more worthy are receiving as large or
arger salaries. This is true, but it is
equally true, that others equally worthy
ire confined to much smaller incomes.
" ould it not be we'll to level down on
hose who are getting salaries beyond
heir deserts until we get to a position
where all worthy men can fare alike.
-eveling up is out of the question, and
We cannot all have turn at the public
rib, no matter how worthy we may
)e.
There is or was bill being engineer
ID in the state legislature to increase
he salary of the State Superintendent
o five thousand dollars per year.
Why this should be SO, when scarcely
hree years has elapsed since the pre-
ent incumbent and his competitor
we're making use of all the cunning
hey were master of to secure the
'rize at the old rate. "Surely mad
less 6lleth the hearts of the sons of
men,"
To increase salaries in any of the
Ibove cases or in any similar case, is
lot merely imprudent, it is a crime.
t is the bounden duty of officers to
AXE care of and not to squander
money placed within their control.