The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-11

SEATTLE, THURSDAY, FER. ii.
PopuLIsTIo REFORM.

The Populist members Of the Indnsa
legislature have nls8e united and dsisr-
mined fight ali through the session sof a
general reduction OF offielaa salaries: sssf
thei- sotion in the matter has recesssd
warm COMMUNICATION. both within fee
state and elsewhere. by newspapers vtirh
are very far from belug attached 90 Pgpi-
Estie principles.
1t Is poiRtsd out that Official galsfes
OF all kirsis. ard n al parts OF tie couatr,
were. az d rule. fixcd during a boom r~sssl.
those In IIsiiana. for example, having. IL
many Instances. been established at tksr
present rate during the war period. san
the money in which they we're mssssgssd
was worth in purchasing value less tkan
e-half what IL h. now. and that ofiiessi
saianes arc now considerably higher tkan
Il paid in private employment for aae
services.
The Popullsis ia Indiana. however. are
spared one embarrassment which ane9s
their brethren in this state. Very few
offices In Indiana are flied at present BY
Populists. while there are at present vsy
Few state county Offices Ia the state Of
Washington which are not Allied by Po1-
lists or BY their allies OF the fusion pars
And this Is where the difference comes h.
Everyone knows that there II fully -
pressing. II not a more pressing. need Of
a reductlon OF official salaries In this stse
than there is IN Indiana. Salaries hse
were fixed during a time which IL nav
recognized as having been one OF inflatsd
values. although nobody recognized thai
fact until the collapse came. At the tiae
those salaries we're fixed. they were lst
considered exorbitantsy high: they simpy
corresponded with the flush times"
which the people we're living. No sub
delusion prevails at present. The ''watef'
has been pretty well squeezed out OF va
ues. and everything In the community has
come down to hard pan
Every member OF the legislature WIS
elected on the pledge TO put In force pa
ley OF rigid economy. calling for redui-
ton OF all salaries which could be reached
b. legislative enactment. If the Populinss
were In minority in the legislature. sr
paying offices Ia the state Ia their hands.
how earnestly. even Tabidly. would they
nov 20 nghting Tor cutting down or a.l
salaries. even 10 a point which would b.
considered ridlcuIously low. How many
Populist orators have proclaimed the doc
tTine from the stump that no public EN-
ploye should receive a larger salary than
could be earned by a good meohanic at his
trade?
This earnest zesa for eeonomyi this burn
ing anxiety To reduce the peoples burdens
which was so conspicuous a feature OF the
Fopullst movement. when the Popailsts
were in hopeless minority. Is no, very
obviously IN evidence among the PopulIat
Legislators at Olympia. II seems a rasii-
eally different proposition 20 eat down the
saary OF a political opponent. even 20 the
vanishing point. than 1t IL TO lop Few
dollars off such a salary when paid 20 a
political friend. who has deputyshipa and
clerkships TO distribute. Hence. the only
Popullist movement which has yet CONF
usarnied any strength in Olympia Is IN the
nature OF a feint. Salaries which IL Is
clearly within the power Of the legislature
10 TX are LETT severely alone. while thosa
which are fixed by the constitution Of the
state arc made the object OF mock at.
tack.
There should be a vigorous arpf earnest
protest over this matter. suah popnllsts
as are not offco holders or Office seekers.
A. there are any such. should take some
pains 10 call the attention OF thelg repre-
sentatlVez 20 the manner in "a hioh pre-
election pledges are beirAg violated; ani
taxpayers generally should take pains %
impress upon the legislators al Olympus
that they VIII be held strictly t. account
" there - not some measure OF substantial
reduction IN public expenses passed before
ihs legislative session closes.