The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-02-01

the past ten years has been hatched by
'tax payers" and business men" who
were at the same time skilled polite
ians. have touched upon this matter
merely to show that better results might
be obtained by appealing to the honor OF
the voting population generally, and
giving each man to understand that the
public demands him TO do his very best,
than by drawing line and making a
plea to the financial interest OF a certain
class. In seeking men for public places
it would be we'll to remember that the
man who is thoroughly honest out OF
politics will be honest in politics,
whether he be banker or a wood
cutter.
Proper Salaries for State Officers.
just what the salary o! each state Off.
Ger should be, lie hard matter to de-
termiue. Anyone living in Salem, how
ever, knows that our state officials are
not apt to iniure their health by over
work, since each one has as many clerks
az he desires-all paid by the state and
takes several months vacation each
year.
In my opinion, $4,000 per year would
be Just and reasonable compensation
for the Governor.
The Secretary Of State comes next.
| there is probably more real responsible
| ity attached to this Office than any of the
others, but here, again, the state-al-
ways generOus--furnishts several clerks
and assistants, 80 | will say that S2,500
per year should be sufficient for this gen.
| tleman. as / know many men just as
! good who do twice as much work for less
than half that SUN. But Of course poll
! ticians come higher.
The Treasurer, who doesn't have much
| 10 do but look wise and lean the State &
money at good rate of intsrest-whiCh
| he knocks down" aud calls IL part OF
his salary-ought to be placed with a tlaI
salary OF 81, 500 per annum without a
single fee attached
Then there is the state superintend-
ent of public instruction. He ought tC
take S25U0 a year aud look pleasant,
since he rides on pass and has an AS
sistant to help aloug with the office
work.
Now comes the state printing office, o
which more has been said aud written
than any other state department. IL i,
true that this Is the most expensive {
all the state offices. There 10 nC
doubt but that the expense in-
, CURED 10y this Office could bs decreased
several thousand dollars year by cuttinI
down the amount Of printing But there
IL probably no printing house in Oregon
that can turn out the same amount o
! tirst-class work at a lower rate than the
( state now pays. IL is the enormous
amount Of useless printing such billie
reports, etc, that runs up the expense
Then, too, like all other departments o
state, this office is subject TO ravages o
politicians whose greed knows no limit
lt has been said that the employees II
the state printing Office receive
salaries for In excess of reasonable
allowance. The writer worked a.
CUmpOsitOr IN this office durinI
the last session of the legislature, anC
can truthfully say that among the forty
men employed, not one failed to carr
his salary excepting the experts. y
There were five or six OF these, each
drawing from So 90 to $500 per day
Not one was needed. They we're APP
pointed by the legislature or through
the influence Of the state board, aud in
justice tu him, should not be charge d ur
To the State Printer
In conclusion will say that this is an
union office, and the union wage scale
prevails aud is no higher than the scale
paid in most union offices throughout
"a he country,
To reduce expense here, cut
off al, supertluous printing, employ
no experts, put the State Printer on a
salary of $500 year and leave him free
20 conduct the office ia businesslike
manner,
All Of these Offices are honorable and
responsible positions, and none but hon.
orabIe and responsible men should be
elected TO I'LL them. The benefits de-.
rived hom term in any Of these Offices
cannot ba measured ia money, for they
confer honors and social standing worth
more TO any mah than the mere salary
IN connection.
Adjusting the Salaries,
As the salary stated ia the con-
stituuon is inadequate for the
state officials, the Constitution must be
amended, the present fee system contin.
ued or men elected 10 these Offices
who will pleige themselves before cleo
tlon 10 accept reasonable amount for
their services, and turn all fees and per
qnisltes above that amount in the treas.
ury. The latter plan, / believe, is a
= suggestion of vour own, and SCENE to be
ne only logical one for the present, at
est. Al Cows.
salem one.