Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-17
snus pi AN eAcfs

some PLAIN FACTS.
For some time have been looking foI
some thoaghlful and CITED writer oi
the Farmer 10 open up this subject, but
have failed To find anything that suited
me. .o I viii present some Of my IDEAS.
I am not satisfied With the tendency oi
things. There Il something wrong In
the direction that I shall mention.
Possibly may he dull In NV under
standing, but | cannot see why there
has been any need Of q gradual Increase
In the salaries of state and county otfi-
GERS and In the prizes asked aud receiy-
~ by the professional classes for sery-
ICES rendered.. while az the same time
there has becn a gradual decrease In the
prices realized for the products ot the
fsrm and the factory, more cspevislly of
the farm. II has been q gradual going
up on the one hand and gradual going
down on the other.
At the close Of the war when farmers
realized quick sales aud satisfactory
prices Tor all they could produce, IL co.t
far les. to employ physician or legal
talent than II does to-day. state otii-
Gers, county commissioners and sttor-
nsys have had their salaries increased,
neCcssitsting = corresponding Increase
Of taxes, while the farmers must of
necessity work for lower wages. Why
cannot a county commissioner or attor-
ney work Tor the ssms pay that those
dld Who flled these ofics twenty i've
years sgot What need !. there Of physi.
clans banding themselves together aud
fixing schedule of prices At least a
third higher than those had Who Travelled
these same distance. . quarter Of CENT
ury ago.
Ii may be- argued that our officers have
more business to do aud the times de-
mand better pAy. That our physicians
and lawyers are greater skilled In their
professions and must be paid In propor-
tion 20 their skin. Of course they will
advance as plausible arguments a. possl-
ble. hut when there Il tumble all round /;
when labor I. cut down In price; when
the general priccs Of farm products ar.
depressed. when the subscription prices
% the most of our papers are reduced To
meet the demand Of the times, when
there iss constant struggle To lit the
burden ot debt that rests so heavily upon
state, counties aud municipalities, u
sh0uld be clas.ed a. next Ia robbery Ia
20 on and increase of'ic-s aud salaries
aud demand Increased pay for profession
al SERVICES. Aud Yet thi. has been the
constant Tendency for the past ieN
years.
cur political pariie. will 20 into con-
VsutiOns aud originate platform enun-
cisiing principles of strict economy aud
make pledges Ia that effect, but when
the nominees are elected aud get Into
power, some otiiccr somewhere wants
better pay aud gets u. Somebody ha.
an axe to grind aud the axe u straight
Way sharpened. NO matter about the cost,
aud so legislation has been al work here
la the state of Maine In these past yesr-
to widen the chssm existing bst~een
compsnsstion for labor performed on the
farm aud that demanded by ofiors aud
professionals. Up here In >Omer,ei
County the salary of the county sttor-
ney has recently been raised from $40
to $50. Commissioners from :! per
day To- s25O. - far az the purchasing
power Of mOn.y l. concsrncd, the at
torney l. getting at least double the pay
Of former attorneys. And We sf, No,
sure that any more thorough work, or
more % Il, l. accomplished.
hut wouldn't YOU bc willing 10 pay
your servants, the officers, q fair CON-
psnsAtiOn, Certainly, and ~e thought
We dbl before the rise. AZ least there
we're alwsys enough Who stood ready Ia
work At the former price. A gentleman
told me the other day that twenty-five
wears ago, when he could ct third
more for farm product. than nov, he
paid physicians from sko~hegan - per
trip. Nov they charge ~. This proves
that they are pressing In upon VI, aud
pressing hard. shall We continue Ia
paw the bill. Ani never utter protest.
l. there q Nay out % such unlus, tend
encie.s Cannot wrOugs be corrected
and right be- made To goSernt->koshe-
gan correspondent of the Maine Farmer.