The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-03
VOL 30
RETRENOA MENT AND REFORM.

for the poorho ouse, has set some of us
to thinking that officials are sometimes
extravagant.
1t certainly see ms to me, that these
unfortunate people who have to be
left at public expense, if they are not
very troublesome, might be kept very
comfortable for less than three hun
dred and fifty dollars per year.
i have known men to keep a fami-
ly of six or eight for considerably less
money. Their rations may not have
been so rich as it is necessary to furn.
ish for those who have become a pub.
lie charge.
l am not personally interested in
the management of the poor-house,
only in so far as their example may
have bad effect upon other public
functionaries.
1t is refreshing to find that people
are taking notice of the manner their
money is being disposed of. Perhaps
if this little leak can be stopped, some
one or some party may try their hand
on larger game.
There is hardly salary paid to any
official from the President of the
United States down to our county
Offices, that might not be reduced one
half without any detriment to the pub
lie service.
| have no doubt, that the public
would be better served for half the
money, as there would be less money
expended for beer and whiskey. Our
officials would be in better conditions
mentally and physically to attend to
the business for which they were elect
ed.
Were we not as well served in the
United States government before the
fraudulent increase Of salaries, as we
have been since. Do not Washing
ton, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe,
compare very favorably with any
Presidents we have lad since
Was not Davy Crockett equal to, if
not superior to many Of our congress
men?
Congressman Of the present day are
getting from forty to fifty dollars per
day for every day that they are sup
posed to be on duty, saying nothing
about the stealings. Stealings may
sound little harsh, but if any one
does not like it, let them suggest
more appropriate term, for what they
get in the way Of pocket knives, pen
cils, fne-tooth combs, and knick.
knacks, sufficient in some cases to
start novelty store and which they
have no more right to than | have.
If stealing sounds too harsh suppose
we call it petit larceny.
When we come to consider what is
done in high places by those who
ought to be the best men in our land
the little affair at the poor-house
dwindles almost to utter insignificance.
They seem only to be initiating in
a small way those in higher places.
Both seem to have acted upon the
principle of Tickle me Billy do do
do, And in return I'll tickle you too"
We hear a great deal of talk about
retrenchment and reform, but it gener-
ally ends in talk. At least it has never
resulted in decrease of taxation.
Our legislators at Harrisburg are
talking about letrenchment, but they
do not appear to have very healthy
idea of how the thing ought to be
done. They have never done any
thing of the kind, and have no prece-
dent to guide them. 1t is no wonder
that they are at loss as to the how
or where.
Iwould suggest an idea to them,
that will no doubt be satisfactory to a
very large majority of their constl-
tuents. 1t is this. Commence cut
ting down your own salaries to about
the average Of what your masters have
to work for then make a like reduc-
tion on all other official salaries that
are under your control. Such re-
trenchment will work like charm ;
and will, l have no doubt, secure your
reelection. This would be not only
retrenchment, but also much needed
reform.
The salaries that are paid to oui
public servants are in very many Eases
an outrage upon the taxpayers. Mnd
not only that, but it tends to create
an unseemly scramble for office which
frequently prevents honorable mer
from consenting to enter the race.
If the salaries of our public servant:
were about equal to what they could
get as an employee at some private
business, (and there is no good reason
why it should be more,) it would drive
from the field those patriotic indlvldu
ais vino are so anxious to serve then
country for the money there is IN It
AS soon as we have reformed sala
ries, so as to make them no tempta