Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-11-02
Salary No Test Of Merit.

and full power to the popular will,
which is almost always right when it
is given freedom of thought and action.
The afIording of lucrative employment
to a number of party leaders is only an
incident, a means adopted for the rea.
son that no better device has yet been
suggested TO make the power of the
people effective. 1t is perhaps unfor-
tunate that Liberty has to place her
offerings upon the altar of Self interest
to make her sway attainable, but pee
pie have not yet reached that degree of
exalted patriotism, that state Of SELF
abnegation, to render it possible for
according service as public duty, to
ignore entirely the costs of living and
give up time and talent and strenuous
endeavor, without other reward than
the honor Of serving and the benedic-
ton of an approving conscience. Bear
in mind that effective service is seldom
measured by the service rendered.
Take the salaries OF State executives
for example: New York, New Jersey,
and Pennsylvania pay $4,000 year
Indiana Massachusetts and Ohio, $751;
600, Kentucky, $500; California, &c..
600 and many others from $1,000 to
$4,000, down to 1000 in Delaware and
and New Hampshire and 81 800 in Or.
egon and Vermont, still none OF these
States ever have had to clamor for
good material. Oregon had Penney.
er, for executive, who, as Mayor Of
Portland, afterwards cut bis own
salary in two, and that State now has
a Chamberlain for a second term as
State executive. Both of these gentle,
men command the respect OF all who
know them.
While there is some propriety in
payment Of liberal salaries to State ex-
ecutives, as there is likewise to the Pres.
ident of this great government, to
enable them to maintain a dignity
that may befit the heads of great
commonwealths, and to provide for
the entertainment at times OF guests
of the people, these are exceptional
duties and do not apply to other
branches OF the public service. Such
expenditures should be cheerfully met
and the service faithfully rendered.
But the people do not expect or de-
sire that every prominent officer shall
be an ornamental fgurehead as we'll
as cog in the governmental machine.
Salaries, of representative government,
should accord with the ability required
and the labor devoted to official life,
just as completely as the wage-rate
applies to the knowledge and skill of
the educated artisan or mechanic,
and the strain upon muscle to produce
given results. Those engaged in pure.
ly clerical work or routine duties are
not more entitled to shorter hours be.
cause working for the people, than
would be the book.keeper of a store, or
the clerks behind the counter of an
individual, or any public or private
corporation.
Some evidence that faithful dis.
charge OF public duty is not necessarily
dependent upon liberal payment in
the form of salary is shown in our
city government. and all others, we
understand, of the like grade and no
further development. Our Mayor and
councilmen do not receive q cent for
many hours and days of hard labor,
and their abuse for real or fancied
errors in judgment, more than equal
the praise they may receive for duty
we'll performed; and they will wait in
vain for favors they might properly
receive to the business they are COM
PEELED to maintain for subsistence
while engaged in duties only paid for
in consciousness OF an effort to meet
public approval.
These considerations should impel
the voter to make a very serious in-
quiry as to what he is voting for while
in the election booth. Is it for pro-
motion OF objects that lie at the very
threshold OF party organization, or to
reward one or the other OF certain
classes of individuals who are always
equally friendly about election time
The Democratic party has made its
record as the advocate OF the people
its leaders have always been in &C.
cord with humanity, and its acts based
upon the individuality OF citizenship,
while its leading opponents have in.
variably been those political Phariseee
who believe in that divine right
ursurped by monarchists to rule in all
affairs of Earth.
SEVERE shocks Of earthquake were
felt last week in Maine, at several
points extending from Portland to
York and along the Coast. The trem.
ors continued at intervals for about
two hours, increasing in severity. A
sharp shock was felt about tho some
time, making allowance for longitude,
in Wyoming and Idaho, which cor.
roberates the theory that this startling
phenomenon OF nature has its origin
in some great internal disturbance.
That circle at the top of the
official ballot is to use when
you "VOte 'er STRAIGHT"
It is sure and safe.
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