New-York tribune., 1903-02-14
4 MATTER OF SALARIES.

,eu n,emhe~ of the State Senate. rushing
,r xrbara veterans fear to tread has introduced
q resolution for an amendment TO the consuIu-
tion nrovidinp that after its adoption every Sen
ator shall receive A salary Of $1,000 per annum
and every Assembyman a salary OF S5,ooo.
Whether or not Mr.. Whitlock, of Kings County,
the architect OF this interesting project hopes
TO profit by it personally does not appear; put
in view of the perils Of this mortal state ana
the vicissitudes Of politics we are disposed 10
think that he is actuated by no selfish motive.
If his resolution should be passed by the pres
ent legislature it could not be passed second
time until the session of 1905, or, If ratihed py
the people at the earliest possible moment, go
into effect prior TO January l. 1906. we III
tend no discourtesy in surnisng that before
that date Mr. Whitlock may have been restored
to private life, and that his proposition concerns
his successors rather than himself. Let u.s.
therefore. discuss it on its merits and with re-
spect for the benevolence of its author.
1t may be admitted at the outset that the pre-
sumption is against the necessity of raising the
remuneration of our lawmakers, fnasmuch as
the Constitutional Convention Of 1894 left 1t at
the old figure To be sure. the cost Of living
has risen within the last eight years, and there
is a melancholy dearth Of reasons for hoping
that il is destined TO decline. But it certainly
has not increased several hundred per cent, so
that If members of the Senate and Assembly
were tolerably well rewarded in 1894 they
would be largely oyerpaid should Mr.. Whit
locks schedule be adopted. We concede that
81 500 is not an e1travagant salary for ordinary
men. But the legislative representatives OF the
people Of the State of New-York, by the grace
of God free and independent are not ordinary
men. With as few exceptions as any rule is
subject to they are inanciers Of the first order,
and their capacity for extracting a comfortable
support from the moderate sum paid to them
by the State has always been contemplated
with deep and wisfful attention by less skilful
managers. Many Of them, indeed, have de-
veloped to an extraordinary degree the talent
which nearly all Of them possess. and with
out other visible means of support sustain
mode of life which would seem luxurious and
even sybaritic to a chorus girl or to the organ
izer Of trust who had not disdained to partici
pate in the rakeoff. Within suitable limits this
display of a remarkable faculty is not only in
teresting, but useful object lesson; but the
question arises whether it is WISE in the pres
ent temper of the public mind regarding the
growth of great fortunes. to put such opportu-
mites as Mr.. Whitlock suggests In the way Of
the members of the legislature. If they are
able to achieve results which excite universal
wonder with the modest stipend at their
disposal. what might they not accomplish with
the salaries which the gentleman from Kings
proposes to allow them? Thus far the palla-
dunn of our liberties has not been put in serious
jeopardy; but eternal vigilance, etc.
There is another point to be considered. Mr..
Whitlock would pay Senators 5000 year and
AssembIymen only $500. Why this discrim-
nation? Hath not an Assemblyman eyes? Hath
not an Assemblyman hands, organs dimensions,
senses, affections, passions? Mr.. Whitlock
should not need to be told that the upper branch
of the legislature has no monopoly Of those feat
ures and qualities. He is invidious, especially
so in view of the fact that Senators are elected
for two years, and therefore under his proposed
arrangement would be sure Of $4,000 apiece,
while Assemblymen have to pass muster at the
polls every November. Mr.. Whitlock has COM
mitted serious error of tactics, due however
as assume to bis unfamiiarity with the
halls of legislation. He would do well to recall
his bill for revision and then take some pains
to let it get lost in the shuttle.