The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-04-19
the MEMPHIS IDEA.

Again the American comes nobly
To the defense OF its great and good
Governor. The governors veto Of the
bill increasing the compensation Of
the attorney gsaersl and the pay Of
sherins for feeding prisoners. viii be
generally Endorsed. the American Is
very sure. Perhaps 50; but as the
Increased compensation OF the attor-
ney general did not come out Of the
State Treasury, but out of the pockets
Of the tax dodgers whom he prose
cuted, one may well inquire whether
the governor might not have got busy
with his veto little earlier and found
better game.
The governors friends about the
Capitol have had their salaries in
creased right and left; in fact, pretty
nearly everybody except the attorney
general has had an increase in salary.
Some of these officials who have got
fat increases have done little more to
justify 1t than to talk and work for
Patterson. 1t is possible that the fact !
that Attorney General Gates does not |
belong to the Patterson machine, had
something to do with this veto? The
governors own salary was increased
81 900 per year, but under the con-
stitUtion this can not take effect UNI
til his next term. But the attorney
general makes the plain charge that
the governor personally solicited votes
for an appropriation of $4,000 a year
to pay his housekeeping expenses"
In short he became a common
lobbyist tn get his salary nearly
doubled in the form of an appropria-
ton for housekeeping expenses.
In other words BY applying the
Memphis idea" to his administration,
the governor has succeeded in getting
for himself a house to live in, rent
free, furnished by the State, and three
thousand five hundred dollars to be
by him in housekeeping ex-
penses, in addition to his present sal
airy of four thousand dollars a year
and an increase to five thousand for
his next term. His idea seems to
have been to vote all the money posi-
BILE for himself and his "chums," but
10 be very economical when dealing
with those who do not belong to his 1
ing. a /
1t seems to US that there is very
.erious question as to whether the
governor hasn't persuaded the Legis-
ature to violate the constitution In
'oting an appropriation to pay his liv-
ng expenses. The constitution pro-
rides that the governors salary shall
ot be increased during his term of
mce.. Now we respectfully submit
hat when the Legislature puts an u
dditional $500 year into the gov q
rnor's hands to be expended by him
Or housekeeping expenses, 1t virtu- NJ
lily increases his salary TO that ou
mount All other governors have had re
, pay their own Housekeeping ex- TIC
enses out of the salary allowed them w
= law. They paid their own house M
mt, furnished their own houses and h'
ought their own provisions, and had
NY $4,000 year to do 1t with. Gov. CIT
atterson has $500 year for the iai
me purpose, except that in addition his
J gets his house rent free and his III
,use furnished for him by the State pre-
reelected he will have during his AN
cond term $500 year and fur ply
shed house, rent free. We should wa
q for some constitutional lawyer to is
ow US the distinction between all Del
Is and a direct increase of the gov the
lor's salary. Am
ms,