Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-02-19
Rotation Sometimes Necessary.

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| knowledge 81 the duties that are c>-
scntlal to the public welfare In fact
quite number Of people should be
qualified 10y practical experience To
I'LL important offices, for should an
epidemic sweep over the community
removing from the land OF the living
the few that have been fitted by ex-
perlence for certain functions, what a
calamity it would be- Besides, should
one individual monopolize all the
knowledge necessary to perform GER
tain duties, he may in the course of
time make Il corner" on his exper-
lcnc" and dctat" to the people Just
the amount he must receive for his
indispensable services.
This seems to he about the condi-
ton OF affairs with regard to the Elec-
trlclan of our city fire alarm service,
and our apology for making such a
small subject the theme of extended
comment is the principle involved and
the benefit its discussion will do the
cause of the people in this their season
of tribulation.
MIR. Peterson says Il $40 cut in his
salary is simply an outrage" but it
must be remembered that he looks at
the matter from the standpoint of one
who has been eating "pic" the past
eleven years. He urges that he is
now required to serve rs Marshal by
day, but he cannot claim that it is a
very onerous job. The only time we
have ever heard of his performing any
active duty in that service was when
he attempted to browbcat some of our
most prominent citizens for talking
politics on The street corner Whether
its silvery tone did not suit his ear, or
he thought it about time to show that
he was in service, it matters but little,
for certain it is he slid off on that Or
gan when the law in the matter was
laid down to him in language more
forcible than polite.
The fact is, these are abnormal times.
The old has passed away and the new
has come, and apparently TO stay a
while. We must adapt ourselves to it.
The costs of all forms of government
fall upon the people. They have de-
manded Observation-Disclosures, bedrock
economy. The present officers were
elected rs the embodiment of that will.
They would be derelict in duty if they
lost an opportunity to cut expenses
whenever and wherever it can be done.
1t may be, as Mr.. Peterson claims,
that the duties OF any branch of the
fire department service are continuous.
If timely notice were given of the ap-
pearance of the lurid fiend, its man.
agement would be materially simpli-
fed. But the Captain" must realize,
as some compensation, that a liberal
salary has been equally continuous.
There has not been a moment the past
eleven years, that the Electricians"
salary has not been running right on,
while the wage-earner's per diem
stopped whenever his sinews relaxed.
In pursuance of their duty, the City
Council at a late meeting adopted a
resolution cutting the salaries of ap-
pointive officers to correspond with
the cut made in elective officers which
had met with universal favor. It was
not expected that anybody would OBJ
ject to this. 1t was regarded as a fore
gone conclusion that regular salaries
should be placed nearer the figures of
uncertain and precarious wage rates.
1t was thought that inasmuch as the
services of a most worthy night watch
man command but $50 per month
that that sum would be ample for a
man to air his uniform by day, even
though he may have been gorging
himself at the public crib continually
for eleven years. The $40 additional
is an ample allowance for charging
the battery of our fire alarm with blue
stone once in three months and keep
ing an ear cooked for the noon-day
alarm to show that the electric circuit
is complete and the system in working
order.
The fact is that it is questionable
whether the city can maintain itself,
even with a general cut in expenses.
The expenditures last year were about
$1,000 more than the entire revenue.
This deficit cannot exist indefinitely
and the city government be main.
tanned. 1t will sooner or later fall,
and it is to prevent this that the ef-
forts of the people and their represen-
tatives is directed.
The "skill" necessary to maintain
the fire alarm is Cali in your eye,
Betty Martin" The gravity battery
is easy of construction and needs little
care, and repairs to the line are infre-
quent, and have been paid for by the
city as an "extra" whenever required.
So a man of moderate intelligence
may be installed without detriment to
the service. In fact it is expected to
improve the fire service, which is now
at very low ebb.
With reference to the petition for
Mr.. Petterson's retention at the old
salary, several signers have said that
they signed it under a misapprehen-
sion of circumstances, others that
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