The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-06
SOME REMARKS ON NFpoTsss

Austin leSas' Ootober 4-(Sidf sse...,
posed amendment to the appropriation Mn llh
that the railroad commission should make VIZ Haas
reference to the relationship, IL anv ~ Na'enet 2,
members and employees and between Ia Sung bes,r
road managers etc, was talked Of consd.sa Eyes and
ii talked Of in other places Some ~ ~. 10 a.,
the State have seen ht to agree with the sSEspa
fered the amendment and to express the ona: VIZ
good thing Assuming that ali those ybo h.' thai :
the matter as correct 1t might not be 'nh va
ton to the fact that it would be we'll to ami, = a
legislature itself well as to its aoer ~ vac idea X
MISSION inc praenee OF nepotlsm surely as ,ea.'s
in place as in the other Representa,; e. 'epfsss
believe that the oifensefor they apparent, =" and e
offense-is being practiced in the railroad ssta
every one who is even slightly Informed j 500 u
matters in general knows that is practice ,'sd ID
of the legislature u o'th hs,s
The question arises, why should any d;,,;u.e
If the matter is OF such Importance as ann.a "a
road commission 10 warrant the prefer Of an y q
the appropriation bill why should it not i. - alenda
portance applied to the legislature or e. zoe san
any branch department institution ~ a. sa' mater
mentl Why should the legislature he sl,o SaN g'as
and without protest on the part OF its ~ i
which it seeks to eensure body which Il ua
poor rue-a very poor rule--that will NO, s, Us
Why not apply this axiom to the matter .I sOia wi
Why make the same matter FISH for one man ,ra
otherI s "w tas
Before going any further it might be vol, =.
the history of the amendment which sosh, '
railroad commission to state in its annual Ts III
latonship, If any, through tics of affinity ar va
exists between members of the commissio,
poyes thereof between said employees and b,ds ~ ns
in the State or between the commissioners and
Of any OF the said railroads The amend,,o up ~
light in the senate during the first called .;s
been offered by Senator Hanger and adonted 49, l'
cradle amount of discussion. 1t was nclrd.s !, wy
which was reported to the senate at the beo;,i y
present session and was passed without question
In the house the amendment was offered nv ~ 9,
connection with his amendment aboshing one Of a.
clerkshps OF the commission and cutting $4,000 amman
the appropriation for the maintenance of that ha =
adopted by the committee of the whole house Wins,
opposition, but subsequently defeated in tb taa.
is not in the bill as finally passed
Now. to the phase Of the matter with rs,,.u
application of the spirit Of the Shaw-Hanper ,m.na-.
the legislature. 1t is by means the purpose Of NJ -
to defend hte railroad commission or to saw tb, A.
sions Of the amendment just referred to were MT a.
proper 1t is simply sought bring out the point ma Nj
amendment is good thing applied to the raIo,d E
mission it would be equally as good thing aoo;d
legislature. 1t may be said by some that no one legd
has six OF his relatives in the employ of the State
OF his influence is charged against one Of the coBr
sioners but such contention certainly does not alter :
case he principle remains the same whether the nu-
OF relatives involved be large small.
In the legislature nepotic practices run largely to Ne
pointmen of relatives OF members as pages although NJ
cases than it has been known to be extended 70 @
the appointment of clerks in or the other Of the @
in OF the State departments The Legislative All
receive 81 and S. per day Sundays included while ds
men clerks doing the same class OF work receive from
$500 per month The pages receive Sc per day each 81
days included, from 500 to S6a per month Some Of t
Of rdicuously tender years and is charged that On
count OF their age they incapable of inteigen pu
ing the duties assigned TO them. On the other hand
porter in the governors office and those in the STATE dg
mens receive only $50 per month and many messengers d
ecors night watchmen ETC. receive only from $50 up q
per month In the face Of all this it charged that
the legislators who have been interested Of Tie p
and clerks, through ties of affinity or consangunb ban
been in favor of further reducing in the interests Of @
N.Y. the already small wages of the department clerks p
tiers, watchmen messengers, etc It not intended
tempt to make the point that the salaries Of the pages
legislative clerks high those of the others too p
The idea is simply call attention Of the rank
constituencies which constantly becoming in eydsn a
To get back to the original subject it would have ~
strictly in order for legislator who believes that 2
which will not work both ways is thoroughly bad 70 ss
resolution providing that be prepared and T
to the public showing the relationship or knshp any
listing between members of the Legislature and tnpHa
thereof and also the of all employees OF any a
department institution of the State government vn0 3
be related by affinity consanguiny, to any memoa
legislature. Such resolution being in line with INC 4
pration bill amendment with reference to the rairosa ~
mission, would have had the virtue of consistency s'a
possessed no other c. ARTHUR WILLIAMS