The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-02-08

1t has been clearly shown that q change tquival.
ent to $780, 900 saving to the taxpayer can be effected
by paying fiat salary ard making each official rustic
all the fees for the state that he can. All the Offices
tan be made more than seli-sustaining. What does
this mean from the standpoint Of laborP What
would il mean to take this hity-thousand dollars ard
paying it out for public improvements in the buil6
ing of parks and construction Of better rosds2 Does
any man believe the state would not be bstter off by
taking this f ty Thousand dollars annually away from
salaried oicale and expending it for real improve
ments employing lAbor2 Every dollar paid above a
good fair salary directly indirectly, is injustice
to the taxpayer but greater injustice to those who
labor for living TIE state now gets nothing but
detrimental influence from this expenditure for
cessve emoluments. II the total state expense re.
mained unchanged by aboishng the fees and per-
quisites, as claim the money would be eIpend-
ed in other ways II II not paid to the politicians.
how could It he paid out but for improvements?
When paid out for labor or Improvements all would
get some benefit. Now only a few get The money
Thcse who perfoIm clerical labor or'ihose who fur
nsh the state supplies do not get than the best
wages and the market price for what they sell the
state. The excessive salaries are exertng demoral
ing influence in forcing an unnatural scramble foe
thsse hGh-saIaried places The fact is all who work
for the state and ali who sell puppes to the state
would ge. much they do now II we cut of fifty
thousand dollars year on the sta g house emolu-
ments and t25O, 900 on the Legislature. No real and
material interest Of the state would suffer EIces.
Give salaries benefit one, and frequently ruin the
man who gets them, to say nothing Of their denora-
izing influence upon the general. The people who
want to get 81 100000 for the Lewis and Clarke ex-
position at Portland will find that lie only possible II
acommon-sense business program is put in effect
with the state affairs and in the legislature as above
indicated
The ground floor OF the states finances can only
be put in order by absolute determination in the
state platform and then by enactment into law ofa
flat specific salary scheme, 80 that the people will
know exactly what each official is getting and exact.
ly how much each department is earning in the way
OF revenue. On top Of this, state laws should be
enacted that will increase the tax on gross earninRn
oil corporations not now taxed to at least $3.50 900 TO
F2OO,OOO The insurance companies alone are now
taxed ON their gross receipts 500 on the $780, This
tax should be extended TO include all the corpora-
Tons collecting money on franchises doing busl-
ness through the state that hAye little or no property
investment in the state such As expross companies,
telegraph and telephone companies, surety compa-
nle' sleeping car companies and other corporations
collecting large sums on the people aud paying little
or no state taxes. With business program before
the legislature that will cut on the most Questionable
sea there iS no reason why the state revenues can
not be 80 increased as to reduce the state taxon
property one-haL That this should be done II the
s'stei to prosper, no one can deny Property can
not advance under heavy direct taxes Add 10 the
s'-'e taxes the county city and school taxes and the
nAeu charges against improved property. and owners
Of property cannot do better than to help this fight
" reform state revenues, and not only limit the
salaries OF state officials to specific amount but 60
AuIus' the laws that each state Official, instead OF
helping the legislative gratis to protect his own, will
hustle to get the largest amount of revsnnes into the
treasury from his department as our city and county
omelals are now doing. But these ehings can only
% uone oy determination to adopt and carry into
ehsc' business program in our state affairs. No
one doubts can be done II the people inaist upon it
S" make their Legislators and state officials feel that
'"'y are back Of this demand aud will put up With
Lo'h"g 'e'' than actual performance.
The amount Of salaries to ls paid our state Of.
u''s'' Is not easy to be determined and THR JoUa-
NAL Will not assume to be competent to determine
'DA' question. It is discussed by . number of
writers and We have asked for articles ON the sui.
I''' ana print another from Marion county Republl.
cal IN this paper The JOURNAL believes il would bs
Wise 10 pay The state officials liberal salaries The
tate fcias practically care for ali the state insti
'"''oH' and they have great deal more than their
regular official duties to perform. state official has
'"' business and financial responsibility. The
state should have the service Of men Of the highest
I''s' ana Of the best ability and they should be
p~'u 70 make them independent OF any Outsid
-Du'"'ss while they are in OfHcs. The slAto .
~ Snu county conventions should do an"
-" Isio'n-Or rsadiustment Of our s'A's
''' nom sound business policy and p. tor any
'''An OF denasOgieal reasons. This "a business
I-'''' - ana really not in the domain party pol