The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-15
SALARY REDUCTIONS.

tuition forbidS the reduction Oh Jnelf COM
pensation which besides is already among
the lowest paid similar officers by any
State in the Union. The bill for reduc-
ton can, therefore, only apply to clerks
and minor officers Of the State govern
ment and to county officers. Yet there
is demand that the burdens upon the
cxhorbitant and enormous, in amount
and in number, which it is in the power
of the Legislature to reduce and whose
reduction would be great and imme-
date relief to the people The Southern
Railway Company pays its president, Mr..
Spencer, $4,000 per annum, as much in
one month ms the great State of North
Carolina pays its Governor in nearly
seventeen months, as much in one year
as we pay orr Chief Justice in twenty
years. Nor is that all, it has first vice
president. second vice-president
third vice-president, all with salaries APP
proximating Spencer's, also general
manager, a general counsel, general
passenger agent a general this, a general
that, and host of other grand officials,
drawing $4,000 year, $37, 500 a year,
$50. 900, S25. $4,000 and $4,000 per
year. Nor is this all. These grand Off
Gals, with their fancy salaries, have
each II palace car, costing $1,000 to S1O,-
900 EACH built and hauled at public ex-
pense. and each grand official is furnish
ed with a staff of servants, secretaries
and lawyers. What is true of the South
ern Railway is true TO considerable
extent of the other systems running
through our State. These fancy salaries
and exhorbitant expenses come out OF
our people. every cent of it, and to raise
them the money is collected by means of
high passenger and freight rates, through
the station agents, as surely and certain
ly as the modest and moderate salaries
of our State officials are collected by the
sheriffs.
The Supreme court Of the United States
has again and again decided that the
Legislatures of the States have the right
to reduce and regulate the charges of all
railroads, telegraph, telephone and ex-
press companies, provided there is left
room for a net profit OF a moderate per
cent on The actual value of the property
and that in estimating the net profits
the Legislature need not deduct anything
or make any allowance, for excessive
salaries, or unnecessary expenses. or
illcgitimate expenses, as lobbying, own
ing newspapers and the like. 1t is true,
ii will be- and las been, said that Presi-
den Spencer's $4,000 year comes only
in part out Of North Carolina, as Vir-
ginia. South Carolina and Georgia ship
pcrs and travellers contribute to pay it,
but the same would be true IL he re-
ceiyed only legitimate salary of $4,000
equal to the salary of GOVERNOR which
was the amount formerly paid to rail-
road presidents and which is still paid
in the countries where the government
owns the ralroad. Further, it will be
noted that if North Carolina can be said
to pay only a third OF Mr.. Spencer's
$4,000, only about one third of the State
furnishes that third, while the whole
State furnishes the $4,000 TO pay its
Governor Nor is this all, we have only
one Governor. but we have to contribute
to the payment of the fancy salaries Of
three yice-presidents at salaries approx
mating Mr.. Spencer's and the other lines
also have their yicepresidents with big
salaries and numerous other grand gen
eral officers, with private palace cars and
staffs, also paid by the public, Let
resolution be passed TO ascertain the mum
Der of railroad officials receiving over
perauisites, in all cases where their COM
pensation comes, either in whole or in
part, ont Of our people and the informa-
ton, il truthfuly obtained, will show
that the; expenses of our State officials is
a small matter compared with the bur-
dens we bear, in the share of a high
lax on travel and freight, TO pay these
high officials who live upon appointments
and high salaries conferred by the Lon
don and New York owners Of these rail-
roads, but TO be paid by the people of
North Carolina.
No one has any opposition to railroads
per Sc We desire more Of them. No
ono wishes 10 Interfere with their rights
Of property or the receipts of legiti-
mate income from their investments. But
it does not follow by any means that the
people should be subjected to the pay
mentof these enormous salaries, or that
Information as TO their number and
amount should be denied us. We pay
them. We should know what they are.
The Railroad Commission report for