The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-02-22

Editorial Symposium
Selected from the Columns of the Leading Newspapers
Of America.

State to take its place among the
leaders in the work of elevating and
cleansing civil government and in
creasing its efficiency.
COUNTY OFFICERS INFLUENCE.
Toledo Blade: Members of the
Ohio general assembly profess to fear
the influence of county officials on the
general salary hill, and are discussing
the advisability of passing a measure
that will not affect the om"crs-elect,
but will become op, 1--WE on the
expiration of their terms.
This is a confession of weakness.
The evidence is overwhelming that
the taxpayers are contributing entire
ly too much to the officials in the
various counties. The fees, in most
Instances, are exorbitant. entirely
beyond the value of the service rem
dered. Why, then, should the assem-
bly, hesitate to correct the injustice,
and correct it now ? The member who
because of an alleged political debt,
votes against fair salary bill to be-
come eff .ctive with the beginning of
the new terms, must answer to the
people. The demand for a reform In
this matter is well-nigh universal, and
no combination of county officials
should be strong enough to defeat it.
There is absolutely no valid reason
for postponing the time when a salary
bill shall go into operation, and no
reason is assigned except the one that
has always been presented whenever
legislation of this kind has been sug-
gested, and it is that the officials.elect
want the change made when 1t will
not affect them. They believe in
fee system for themselves and in
salary system for the other fellow.
The knowledge that they are taking
from the taxpayers many times what,
in all justice they are entitled to take
doesn't seem to enter into their moral
calculation at all. They are out for
every penny they can extract from
the taxpaying public, as long as the
people will stand for it. The people
have endured it with wonderful pa
tience, but they now demand a new
deal, and demand 1t now.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
Washington Star; The municipal
ownership movement Is spreading. 1t
is proposed now to try it in Berlin,
where as the result of a street rail-
way monopoly, there is much discon.
tent about transportation. Well, as
the question is up, and a good deal
depends on its solution, 1t may be best
for everybody that 1t be tried out in
a number of places and under many
differing circumstances. Glasgow,
by men of one kof the
canniest breeds on earth, reports
success. Chicago, controlled by men
who have built great city in aswamp,
has voted to try the project New
York voted the same way last Novem.
ber, although the result was changed
In the court. And now Berlin, the
headquarters of the most intellectual
of the day, is thinking along
that line. We should know In few
years whatever there may be of per-
manent Importance In the matter.
MAKE IT $1,000.
Ohio State Journal : There is one
thing that the earnest, intelligent
people of Ohio much desire the legis-
Iature to do, and that is to enact a
aw decreeing $1,000 Dow tax. The
is very simple one.
There can be no mistake in adopting
t. Should 1t not raise as much money
Tor public use as now, it would be no
serious calamity. But it would raise
more. Take, for example, Franklin
county. Ii has 700 saloons paying |
bout s2i5,000, Suppose the $1,000 tax
you'd reduce them one-half, or $50 |
aloons, (and that seems to be a |
mighty sufiiciency,l the revenue would
'e $3.50, 900, which is over a hundred |
thousand dollars more than the pres
mt tax raises.
Even to maintain the present
evenue, the 700 saloons might be re-
luced to 2i5, which is hardly probable.
But what relief it would be to so
many people-to the unfortunate ones
Who cannot resist temptation, to the
wives and mothers, and to the whole
ommunity-if it dropped below one
bird. The people are watching with
he deepest interest the fate of that
1000 tax. Bring II out of cover.
3ring it forth from the clutches of
high finance" Stand it out In the
lear light of public duty and vote up
N 1t, yes or no. That's the brave way.
about all the question one has to
ettle is whether he should do the
light thing or not?
COAL VS.. ICE.
Philadelphia Inquirer Those who
ave been congratulating themselves
pom the mild winter because of small
Oal bills have perhaps failed to re-
member that, unless the grounding
ustains his reputation, we shall be
aging more for Ice next summer than
or many generations. What profteth
t man to save at the coal bin and
taste at the Ice chest We believe