The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-29
THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Issued Thursdays, one Dollar a Year
sALARY INCREASES.

We have no doubt that Mayor Stud Icy is accurate in his assertion that there is no money in the city treasury which can be immediately appropriat- ed for such increases as are made in the pay of the school teachers, the fire men and the policemen. We have sup posed in fact that before any contract that might be made could be enforced 1t would be necessary for the board of finance to consider the matter of taxa tlon Involved.
 We must still insist. however, that this is not the serious matter it ap- < pears to be on the surface, The real- ly serious thing is to decide the ques- tion whether these public servants de- serve the pay they ask for. It is not of the utmost importance that the pay should begin tomorrow or next day. It Is of the utmost importance that the justice of the demands made should be met and disposed of Then will arise the question of how the city treasury is to raise the money needed. In the case of the teachers. whose pay 1t is admit ted Is lower than the pay given teach CTS in cities of a corresponding size, and lower than the importance of the service rendered would estimate it, the board of education should confidently make such an increase in their salaries as they should know is right and fair and depend upon the generosity of the taxpayers to support their decision, There is not the slightest question of the attitude of the public in this mat ter, while we very much question if the public will stand for the postponement of the agitation until next fall on the ground that the money is not at the moment in sight. The situation has become one which calls for progressive action, not for delay grounded upon a too exact interpretation of business laws.
 The taxpayers of the city must real- ize, and we believe they are realizing z~it, that these classes of public em- ployes are not paid sums for their work sufficient to maintain either the high est efficiency or to protect them in their right to obtain the necessities of life. We have argued the teachers case for them in the columns of The Journal and Courier and can add noth- ing to what has been already said. They deserve what they ask for and the city should be only too glad to pay it. So in the case of the fire men, they are asked to maintain the efficiency of that department of gov ernment and provide for themselves, <, under rules which forbid them running in debt on incomes which cannot pos sibly achieve that otherwise admirable purpose. The increase which they ask TOT, ana WHICH NeW maven CduIOl dl- fond not to pay, involves the proper protection ot the property of the city and brings at once to the front that familiar discussion with regard to the right of laborer to the fruits of his labor. And what is true of the teach- CTS and firemen applies with equal force to the legitimate demands of the police.
 It is the right of the taxpayers to expect the best possible government for the lowest possible outlay, but they must at the same time take into con sideration, in expecting good and eff cient service from their employees, the worthiness of the labor given. Those who teach our children, those who pre- serve law and order and those who protect our homes represent tangible and substantial assets, and their hire should be measured accordingly, The money will be forthcoming from con- siderate public at the proper time.