The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-02-19
The Pay Of our Legislators
Pr the EdiLor Of the Ianner.

4 ------A-~t
Your correspondent, Pert, seems 10
mink that If the legislature Of Florida
would reduce the pay of its members
tue promise of economy made by the
democratic party would be complete
and that party could then go before
the country with a great shout of
triumph and reasonable expectation
of capturing the applause of the null
titude.
Let US reason together about this
thing that seems to give your cores
pendent so much concern. The mem.
bers of the legislature are elected for
the period of one term unless called
together i'm extraordinary session. The
man who gets his consent to run for
this Office must quit every other bu. i
ness, at least, for period of sixty
days. He must submit his claims to a
primary election, and to do which is
forced to make a canvass of his county.
If he has many competitors in the
race, which is often the case, he has
to submit to a second primary and
tour of the county. This only secures
for him the nomination of his party.
He must now submit his claims to the
general election, which implies still
another canvass. The cost of these
several campaigns, not to account for
the time consumed, can hardly be less
than $3.50. This will leave him a mar
gin of 500 to go upon, out of which
he must pay his board and incidental
expenses while at the capital. He can
hardly hope to secure board, such as a
man who would offer for this position
would require, for less than thirty dol
lars per month. This would leave
him the magnificent sum of s.. per
day, less than is paid the ordinary
skilled mechanic.
cannot understand WHY Pert
should be continually snarling and
swapping at the pay of the man who is
unfortunate enough to be elected to
the Florida legislature.
Why does not Pert begin his econ
omy at the bung-hole, rather than the
spigot, of the barrel of extravaganza?
For instance, there is the governor
of the state, whose office is largely or
namental, why don't he ask him to
cut his salary in two? Then there is
the secretary of state whose duties
are merely clerical, not requiring ex-
traordinary talent or extraordinary
labor, why don't he have him to divide
his salary, putting half of it back into
the treasury? There are the Judges of
the supreme court, whose salaries are
large and decisions few, why does not
not Pert advocate the -lessening of
the pay of these gentleman? Then
there is the attorney general, who is
expected to maintain a digniiied de-
pertinent rather than perform extra
ordinary labors, why is his salary not
cut in twain? And so of the other
members of the administration whose
term of service is at least for four years
and salaries so large as to make the re-
tention of them the work of long and
constant political manipulation; why
does not Pert turn his reform guns up
on these officials? Why does he bang
away so constantly and conspiciously
at the poor pittance given to the legis-
lator. Is it because he is oft times
"hayseed?" If Pert wants to do his
state service he will do something to
stop the bung-hole Of extravaganza
and not waste his time and ink and
in endeavoriug to close the
spigots and small leaks.
HAYSEED LEGISLATOR.