The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-01-25
OFFICERS SALARIES.

OFFICERS' SALARlES-
From every nook and corner Of the
state comes demand for reduction
Of public expenses, state, county and
municipal. The people are thoroughly
aroused to the fact that they are un-
Justly burdened, and are receiving but
slight compensation for the taxes they
pay in. They are beginning to in
quire where the money goes to, and to
whom it is paid, and their inquiries
have convinced them that no small
portion Of their taxes go to pay salar-
aries ofeoficials, most Of whom are
earning vastly more than are nine
tenths of the taxpayers themselves,
and more than the officers could pos
sibly earn if employed as private indi-
viduals. They find by the estimates
made by the state board of the ex-
penses for the year that the governor
is paid salary of 81 500 a year, and is
allowed 81, 300 for private secretary's
salary, besides $1,000 for additional
clerical aid. The secretary Of state
gets 81, 500 year, his chief clerk 81 800,
and So, 7s0 are set aside for additional
clerical aid In his Office. The state
treasurer gets only $500 year, but his
clerk gets $1,000, which evens up mat
ters in that Office. Besides these fixed
.,1..;., o. mn o,,e o11ourod tho rnyar.
nor, secretary Of state and state treas
urer for "extraordinary labors in the
supervision and control fpublic build
dings, public works, ETC." This little
additional pay raises the salary Of the
governor and secretary of state to
s2,s33s year and the state treasurer
to s2.133s, to say nothing of the per-
quisites. These three state officials,
with their clerks, cost the people OF
the state s21.7s0 year. Is it not too
much? Whenscompetent accountants
and trustworthy clerks all over the
state are willing to work at salaries OF
from S75 to 500 a month, what justice
is there in allowing more to the func-
tionaries about the state house?
But the state officials aud their dep
uties, chief clerks, etc., are not the
only officers that are overpaid. Take
the county clerks and sheriffs all over
Oregon, they are receiving salaries
out of proportion to the labor they per-
form, when compared with what pri-
vaue individuals are making, either in
business for themselves or in the en-
ploy of others. These officers ofcourse
are entitled to fair wages for the SER
vices they perform and reasonable
and just compensation for the responsi
bility they assume as custodonians of
public funds, and the sheriff an
equitable amount for the risk he takes
in endangering his life in arresting
and keeping in custody desperate crimi
nails, but nothing more. Let Us con-
slider the salaries fixed by the session
laws of 1895, which some of the clerks
and sheriffs of Eastern Oregon are re-
ceiving, and see if the amounts are not
unreasonable. In Baker county the
clerk is allowed 81, 500 and 5000 for a
deputy. and the recorder of conveyan-
ces 81, 900, making $1,000 year for the
work ordinarily preferred in the clerks
Office.
Grant pays her clerk s2,4 400 year
and allows $1,000 for a deputy. Har-
ney, clerk s2,400; deputy $1,000. NAL
heur. clerk 81, 800; deputy 5000. Wasco,
clerk $1,000. No specified allowance
Is made in the statute for deputy's
salary, however two are allowed by the
county court.
The salaries of sheriffs fixed by the
same statute in these counties are
Baker, sheriff $1,000: first deputy, 81
200; second deputy 5000. Grant, sher-
If s2,40o; one deputy $1,000. Harney,
sheriff s2,40o, one deputy $1,000. NAL
neur, sheriff $1,000. one deputy $1,000.
Wasco, sheriff $500, with the matter
If deputy left at the option of the
county court.
Is is reasonable to suppose that the
actual work in these Offices cannot be
performed for less money! And is ita
'act that any of the taxpayers in any
of these counties, of Of their indi.
7idual labor, exclusive OF any capital
invested In business, are making any
hing like the amounts these officers
ire receiving? Can the people afford |
20 pay such salaries? Possibly such |
as Wasco and Baker can,
'hough they should not, but the people
II Grant, Harney and Malheur cannot.
Take the latter county; 1t has pop
lation of only 2,83s, according to the
ensus of this year, and its total tax
Ible property amounts toonly s9s6, ,l23.
t pays its sheriff and clerk, together
nth their deputies S., 7oo,or over $3.50
piece for every man, woman and
hild in the county, or s6.00a piece for
ach of the $50 voters with which the
ounty is credited
Such burdens as these are ontra-
eous. There is little wonder that the
eople who are paying for such lux
ries as high-prjced officials are be-
inning to complain of the load, and
re demanding reform. While they
hus feel the burden, the time is ripe
DR. starting reform movement and
laking demand upon the candidates
rho aspire to be members OF the next
legislature that they pledge themselves
D make reduction in the salaries of
ncers.
BENEFITS OF 4 Low TARLF
It Is conceded by all that there are
ome industries which have been in