The herald., 1894-03-05
LET OFFICIAL SALARIES COMB DOWN.

Now is the time for the people to agi-
tate against the monHtrously high sal
aries which prevail in the county Offices.
At the next election the officers will be
elected for term of four years instead
Of two, as heretofore, and unless there
is q powerful influence brought to bear
upon the party nominating conventions
to pledge their candidates to a reduc-
ton of their salaries il elected, nothing
can be done for four years to relieve the
taxpayers from this uncomfortable
burthen. The average salary of the
heads OF each department is $4,000
year; but this, by no means, represents
all they receive. There are some Offices
that yield as high sH $4,000 year to
their incumbents, and to nearly all
there are perquisites or side revenue
that bring their incomes up to figure
far beyond the salary fixed by law.
1t is doubtful whether any law passed
by the next legislature could be made to
stick in the courts that would reduce
the salaries OF county officers during the
term OF Office for which they were elected.
The state constitution expressly provides
that the salaries of state officers shall
not be lowered or raised during their
term OF Office, and the county officers
have . "coigne of vantage" under the
shadow of that fundamental declaration
which would excuse any legislature
from passing law that would affect the
salaries of county officers during the
term for which they had been elected.
But a reform in this respect is de-
manded by the exigency of the times
before 1899, and there lie no way to
bring 1t practically about but by bring
ing popular pressure to bear upon the
conventions to take positive stand to
pledge their candidates to agree to re-
duction of their salaries should they
achieve Office. In this connection it
may be we'll to take into consideration
the strong movement amongst the lead
ers of the Democratic party to run the
next state campaign upon the principle
of retrenchment in the expenses
of the government in all depart
ments. The salaries of state
officers are not so high, by considerable,
as those of our county officers. Indeed,
when we come to consider the difference
in responsibility and the higher ex-
penses they have to incur for living in
the state capital in q way consistent
with their high official position, the
.alar;aa of akafa ofioaro ara ipf1ite1u
less than those Of our county officials.
II $4,000 year is fair salary for the
secretary of state, $4,000 a year to the
auditor of Los Angeles county is an in
come Of imperial proportions. In these
times there are but few of our best
business men, with their capital in
vested in their business, who can clear
that amount; and when we consider the
salary rank of the men who are usually
elected to our county Offices, they would
be overpaid if allowed $24C0 year.
But the effect of these tremendously
high salaries of the heads OF depart
ments is to carry with them extrava-
gance iE all the outlsys incident to their
Offices. II their Offices are to be fur
nished, jobbery enters into the transac-
tion, and enormous prices are paid for
desks and counters. Their deputies
must be granted salaries high enough to
consist with the dignity OF department
which has high-salaried chief, and so
on.
The Democratic party has a good
chance of winning in the state and in
the counties if it will make its fight
earnestly and sincerely on the pro-
grsmme of retrenchment and reform in
all departments. Let the people bC
once convinced that the state govern
ment will be conducted, under Demo
cratic regime, on the strictest principles
OF economy, and that the government
will be run for one-hslf it takes now tC
conduct it and the state ticket will sue
coed. Let the county convention put
forward set Of candidates pledged tC