The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-07-16

| erlaWyerpOnuclan ana OF cOuIhe
he can see nothing wrong with the
present system Of paying state Of
cials. or rather In the present way in
which they take their pay
lie can see nothing wrong in a sys
TEN which pays one mere clerical Of
fetal nearly 100000 in four years. Io
can see nothing wrong in having the
state binding submitted to competition
in the ordinary commercial course Of
business, but the printing must be paid
for by the state at about four prices.
That seems all right TO his cOntorted
vision of public matters.
All that lopslded lanternjaw mis-
representation can do to twist the
facts this combination editor-lawyer
does and Il is copied into the Oregon
ian, paper that will print nothing
but such stuff on the motley side Of
the subject. Let us examine some Of
his statements, copied into the ore
gonian without comment. In fact the
OregOnian would not make the same
argument In It's own editorial columns
that It suits its purposes to copy and
endorse with a place on It's editorial
page. Here are some:
The compensation Of the governor is
the only state salary where the tax
payers have suffered by perquisltes
and extra compensation, voted through
various devices, paying him for go.
called extra work, by placing him upon
various commissions in order TO in
crease his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Gazette.
The Gazette knows that the extra
salaries, some OF them mere apprO-
prlations, founded on no statute what.
ever, are given the secretary Of state
and 10 the state treasurer, as well.
and not only to the governor The
three officials are members Of boards !
together and receive these pcrqu- !
sites equally, and yet the Gazette says
they apply 10 the governor alone, and
the Portland paper copies that state.
ment to put an offensive halo about
one Office. and excuse the other II the
taxpayers suffer on the governor get |
ting porquisltes that are forbidden by
The constitution. they suffer on the
other state officials In the same way
and In their desire TO slam the outgo
Ing and incoming governor the news
papers opposing change 10 nat
salary basis are giving their own case
away All three state officials get
$1,000 each for serving on the Domestic
Animal Commission, which has abso
utely nothing to do.
The secretary Of state and state
treasurer do not receive fees from the
aNpayer or the state, but from ind.
,iduals. for services rendered With
hese fees, the constitution has moth.
ng to do, and the taxpayers are In no
way hurt by the fees so pald.-corvaL
ls Gazette.
As the constitution says the state
'ncers shall receive no fees or per.
ulstos whatever, any fees paid to
tate officer belong TO the state, and II
he oflicer takes these fees he is Ger
ainly taking thom from the state The
pes belong into the state treasury.
hey do not belong to the officials.
he laws do not give them to the Of
clals. They dld not dare put that In.
D tho law, because such law would
ave been clearly unconstitutional So
ley just enacted an kinds of law au-
lorzlng the collection Of fees. and
lon, except In the case Of the lnsur
nee tax, did not order them paid =,
YER 10 the state treasury. and 80 the "
hcials keep the fees which the state "
says they shall not keep y
lder any circumstances, As mat
y of fact enough fees are paid by the '
'ople to carry ON the entire state 4
'vernmcnt without the courts Yet
q above paper says, and the Oregon.
n copies without comment, with
ESQ fees the constitution has moth
q To do When the constitution spe.
lcolly says the state officials shall
tain mo- fees whatever In addition to
elr salaries fixed hy law. What nra
; coming toy
The demand for a special session
mes most strenuously from those
oiessionals who have little business
e' and who never consider them.
YES prosperous, except when the
's'ature is In session-corvalIi
zette
4 should De- recalled In connection
IA the above that an the class who
he u business 10 work the legisla.
- and who fatten ON fees and per.
sites, Who live by logrolung iohs
oush the legislature. who depend ON
rAships and pioklngs and stealugs
Iudlng AN the above class ot news
er popiniays arc opposed 10 a spe
session They are opposed 20 a
'rm of the abuses by which they
.L just as naturally as cat loves
lp cream
Dee hundreds OF pcuuouors who are
og for special session are. with
exceptions private citizens who
l"'hlng but pay taxes We have
petition before us signed hy labor
mvu Who live in Oregon. and who
home to vote, aud who have sent