St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-25
NOT DISCRIMINATING

The opinion generally expressed
yesterday by those who had read the
report of the investigating committee
on municipal retrenchment colncided
with that already given by the
Glob e editorially. No one could
fail to see that it contains matter
of great value to the city, and sug-
gestionS both pertinent and practical.
But all have to regret that these are
so incorporated in a system of ex
treme and almost universal Topping
away of municipal agencies that could
not do other than reduce the eff
cheney of our local government below
the minimum. 1t is this failureNto dis
criminate that is the subject of most
general criticism, and that will inter
fere most seriously with the value of
the document as affecting the opin-
ions and the actions Of our people.
Thus, to select a single principle,
it is remarkable that the reductions
in office force and in salary which are
recommended are generally as heavy
in those departments where great
economies have already been made
as they are in those which are essen
TALLY on the old basis; and so also
the pruning knife is sought to be
ITrJosa additional
duties, of great extent and severity,
are contemplated as where none such
are imposed. For example, there
would be an immense amount of new
work thrown upon the Office of the
city engineer by the readju5tment
which the committee outlines. 1t
would have to take charge of prac-
tically what is done by the board of
public works and the building in
spector's Office. Yet. in this connec-
ton. a sweeping reduction of the force
and a lowering of salaries is recon-
mended on practically the same basis
as in those departments where there
is no addition whatever.
The same is true elsewhere. The
duties of the city and county physi-
clan would increase in amount and re-
sponsibility. To have in charge not
only the city hospital and the free
dispensat ton of remedies now super
vised, but to watch over the whole
city's health and extend his duties
to the workhouse at Como, thus call
ing him into all quarters of widely
extended area, is certainly to make
his labors much more onerous. But
this is coupled with proposition to
reduce the salary of himself and his
assistants; the compensation of the
latter being placed at a figure such
that those who might accept it could
hardly be considered qualified for the
vast responsibilities accompanying
the place. SO with the suggestion
that the members of the police force
occupy field of immensely extended
responsibility, as inspectors Of almost
everything, streets, bridges, nuisances
and saloons, in addition to their or
binary work, and at the same time
find their salaries diminished sensi-
bly,. Whatever might be thought of
either proposition alone, the COM
hinatiOn will not meet general ap-
proval.
1t is easy, of course, to praise the
recommendation which require leg
islative authorization; for that event
is still far in the distance. We only
hope that there will be as great
unanimity of opinion when the time
sey county delegation to the next leg
islature. 1t is not nearly as facile a
matter to come to a common ground
on those matters that should be con-
surmated here and now. Still there
is room, we have no doubt, as we
have stated heretofore, for a reduc-
ton in the cost of government OF
100000 or more, without doing in
justice or impairing greatly the pub
lie service. But it must be done with
discrimination; not by policy that
cuts right and left, and starts, as the
Globe has already. expressed it,
from ''the starvation basis" AS a
compilation of facts for future ref