The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-24
The Salary Limit.


- times hear comment on the payment OF large
salaries which would indicate conviction that it
was not possible for any to the sum allotted
to him. There is story abGlt an old farmer whose
son became vice-president and general manager OF
big railroad. The old gentleman came from his Ver-
mont hillside farm to the west to visit his son. He
found him living in fine house and evidently with
lots of business on his hands After he had studied
the situation few days he said to his son as they
sat together in the evening: II guess, Jim, they
must pay you pretty we'll - eyes, father, they pay
me pretty WE'LL" IT expect as much as a thousand
year, Jm?" "Yes,''~ remarked the son with
smile, stmore than that father' Gas much as fif-
teen hundred, Jim9'' eyes, more than that"
''You don't they pay you two thousand do
you, Jim?" eyes, they pay me several times two
thousand" -. The old silent for minute,
possibly recalling Of the incidents Of earlier
days in the life Of that boy, and then he quietly in
quired, Jim, are We with it9'
The old had applied the true test. The size
Of mans salary in position Of responsibility and
trust is measurable by what he can produce. This is
the rule in commercial life. Unfortunately have
such rule in public life. In commercial life, great
Industrial enterprises big railroad combinations,
large banking institutions do not hesitate at the mat
ter Of salary if they get the they want and
if the they get "deivers the goods .. -p+
Santa Fe railroad from struggling system into
dividend-paying property. We do not know what
Mr. Ripley salary is, but it probably doesn't make
much difference. He has no doubt earned it. Mr..
Hartman has done the same thing for the Union
Pacific and it's associated properties under the name
OF the Southern Pacific. A young who was a
clerk in the passenger department of small local
road running out Of Kansas City few years ago
is now president of the Rock Island railroad He
gets money for his services than the president
OF the United States, but he doesn get it by favor
OF anybody-simpy because he earns it.
In commercial life capacity is recognized and is
paid for according to its value. To some extent this
is true in the educational world and the religious
world. In the political world practically no atten-
ton is paid to this principle Men who are capable
of earning twenty-five, to fifty thousand dollars a
year are expected to be satisfied with five to ten
thousand. In fact there position in this coun
try in public life paying more than ten thousand
dollars IN the way Of salary except that of president
OF the United States. For ten thousand dollars the
government expects to obtain the services of the
greatest lawyers the greatest business men, the best
talent obtanable for the management Of public
affairs. f-@-. -" .f.r. ~ "
Of course something is to be credited to the
honor conferred by selection for public service but
at the same tlme hard cold experience demonstrates
ha1 ths does not secure IN very many the best
capacity; and even when men Of distinguished abil-
ity do lend themselves for time to the public serv
ice at personal sacrifice they never intend to make
permanent thing Of it. so that the public service.
except in a comparatively few and notable excep-
lons cannot command the services Of superior abil-
lty permanently. AS result it gets not only medi
ocrlty and incapacity in large measure but suffers
from the inexper1ence which temporary engagement
OF even the most capable agents is bound to infct
When Uncle Sam is wise enough to nav man what
he is wuth'' and keep him as long as he earns it.
he will save money by the operation