Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-02-04
OFFICIAL SALARIES.

Elsewhere IN this issue OF ths ltf't't
News will be- found q communication.
intended 10 oppose the Increase ~
salaries for certain state officers as
recommended by the Governor w his
message 10 the LcEiniature. But the
greater part OF the letter " taken NJ
with a dissertation upon the manner
Of selecting public officers the evil of
oiiice.secklnr. and tho poor quality u
the material secured for the public acr-
vice. All that IL foreign 10 the question
raised by thu Governors message Here
y what he said.
ut IL my opinion that the salaries
prescribed In the Constitution for those
officers are entirely too low nnd that
this fact has been quite generally rec
ognized Throughout the state, ihrfc,
fore recommend Reasonable Increase.
The Dcscrct News endorsed these
suggestions. and made special refer
encc 10 tho salaries OF the Governor.
5000: Secretary OF state. 1900. Audi
tor. 1880; Treasurer. $1,000 Attorney
General. 1850 Superintendent Public
Instruction. 1880. aud Judges n tho
Supreme Court. 1900 each per nnnum,
These figures denote their entire CONF
pensation.
Now. TO an ordinary iaborcr or farm
or. earning his bread BY the sweat ~
his brow. these salaries may appear
high or at least sufficient But tho
question II. what does such talent aa
II required 10 MI these positions cap.
ably command In the labor marketf
Managers and some assistants In large
mercantile and manufacturing cHtab-
ilshmcntr receive higher salaries than
those paid to Our chief state officers.
No lawyer OF cmincncc makes less In
his profession than the salary u our
supreme Court judges. and most 81
them earn great deal more. Men cited
for the place who have a good legal
standing and practice. refuse 10 accept
the position of Judge IN this State be-
cause. first they can make double the
present. salary. second. acceptance
would take them out Of their profess.
sion. by which they would lose their
clients and business for term Of
years. third. there Il no security ~
continuance In Office. for n change Of
parties IN power means a change o. In.
cumbcn,n when the term II up. fourth.
return TO practice means creating new
business with chances OF failure az at
least great loHa.
That Il why We think the
judges salaries arr too low.
And another reason l.. that
the State should have the very best
talent In the judicial line and can ~
ford 60 pay what II II worth. The same
argument holds good NJ TO other state
officers. They are all undcfpald, gunE-
inE the wages according 10 the Kind ~
abilities required. which are worth
much more In the open labor market.
A. 90 the burden Of taxation. the
difference To each taxpayer caused by
paying our public officers reasonable
Increase" III remuneration, such az
their abilities ought TO command.
would be 40 small as To be- almost In.
perc-ptlblr. That kind OF economy In
iranaging business. public or private.
which sees no other way ~ retrench-
mcnt than cutting down wages ~ "a
narrow ana nhort-rlEhied policy ana
should be- called parrlmony Instead ~
economy.
We do not concur In the Idea that We
have inferior men In public stations In
this state. They have performed tho
duties OF their offices with ndcllty and
ability. There IL something IN the
honor " public service, and In election
by the people TO positions n trust lat
IN order 10 secure the very best talent
the state should do M any business
house OF corporation would, pay such
compensation as viii command that
ability, That cannot be determined by
the willingness ~ some persons To
serve NJ "a low figure, but By the mar
ket value Of superior ftnerH Tor tho
post, We want the hest Kind N ser-
vice ana should be- willing 20 pay for Il
what II IL worth. That h the whole
matter In few words.