The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-02-02
ION, L~RGIsLAToRsl
Here 10 Work for the Idle--A Proposition
to Let the Offices Out to the Lowest
Bidder.

Bidder.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
MILTON, Granville Co N O.
see there Is being q good deal said
In the papers about the deficit in the
State revenue as reported by Treasurer
Worth, and it would seem from the
repCr5 that there must be strict econ.
omy practiced along the line or the
taxes of an already over burdened PEG
pie must be increased. Which shS IL it
bet think this is n Of the most i'm
portanC questions that will come before
the present Legislature.
see from Auditor Furman's report
that he say a large maj lrity-at least
80 per cent. of the people-ought to be
very happy and shout for joy that they
have to pay so little to support the
government. In other words, they
should rejoice that they haven't any
thing to pay taxes on.
Now, Mr.. Auditor, / never mind pay
ing taxes on anything else when Ihave
anything tospay with; and taxes may
seem low and insignificant to a man
who is sucking the public teat, and
whose salary is al large in amount and
doubled in value to what it was a few
years ago. But to a man who has to
work his tax out of the ground, they
have doubled in the last few years and
r becoming burdensome to the reat
middle class that have { bear the bur.
den Of this and all other governments
/ have been instrumental in getting a
resolution through our county conven
ton during the last two campaigns Rd
vocatiDg the reduction of all salaries
and fees. hope the legislature now
in session can see their way clear to
help the people some on this line il
they have TO start with a reduction of
their own salaries. I am sure there Is
room for a reduction In the general ex
penses of the legislature. / never could
q any good reason why q clerk should
receive more for his service 8 per day
than q member who has had the eX.
pense of making a canvass in his dis
trict, and the clerk has had no expense
but TO go down to Raleigh and get his
job.
Mr. legislators, the people are look
ing to you for relief on this line; starr
as home, in your own household, ano
give US a just and equitable reduction
in all salaries and fees in proportion to
the reduction in the products of la0or
There is another reform to which /
desire to call attention. Unless tn re
ia something done to rid the people OF
the great horde of Office seekers that are
seeking after the court house and other
such fices who manipulate, and to q
great extent control the c%onventio1s 10
their own behalf, regardless of the
good of the general public, we can
never get the reforms In our law max
ing powers that we need, and l am
fully convlr ced that the best way to
get those Offices out of politics and to
rid the law making power of their in
fueDcs, Is to let every bonded Office in
the State TO the lowest bidder. What
think ye of it, gentlemen of the legisla
ture2
Now some one is ready to say that it
will not do, anc especially some Office
holder is ready to exclaim in holy hor
ror that irresponsible men will bid
for the Ifices M the country will be
ruiued. But we will have the protec
ton of a bond which is the same and
all that we have now. If there ever
was a time when a nan being elected
to off e was a guarantee of his good
character and his fitness to serve the
people, 1t has long since passed, 80 q
certificate of election is worth nothing
only TO the man that gets i5.
/ think il is time that something was
being done for the good of the laboriDg
people. With all the bonded Offices lei
TO the lowest bidder and the salaries oil
all other Offices reduced in proportion
to the prOducCs of labor, there would
be a great saving TO the tax payers, be
sides the benefit we would derive from
our law-makIng powers Oy getting rio
of the great horde of OFF, e seekers who
manipulate and control our nominal
ing conventions and elections in theil
own interest
Yours for reform,
G. L. ALLEN.
STATE NORMAL AND INDUS