Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1909-01-22
FRIDAY. NUA %, 1909
1T IS PRUNING TIME.


When the member of the state legis-
lature meet in Carson City next Mon
day, for the purpose of Strengthening
up the affairs of the state, every mem
Der should receive, through the mail.
letters from his constituency demanding
that some steps be taken to reduce the
complimentary pay roll of the state.
Tie Tonopah Bonanza has already
shown that there are u lot Of deputies.
clerks, s~tenographers and typists on the
pay roll Of the state-their appointment
being to pay political or personal debts
and with no idea that these same ap-
pointees are earning their money. TAX
ing the Office of secretary of state, for
instance, there is now the secretary,
his deputy, a clerk and a s~tenographer.
We have it on good authority that FIVE
or six years ago the force in that Office
consisted Of the secretary of state and
his deputy, and that they did all the
work connected with the Office and then
had plenty Of time 10 spare-whether to
attend TO private business or TO go A
fishing. Also that the work of that
Office has not increased beyond the
point where two men can handle il,
working almost as faithfully rs the $3.50
per month b~ookkeeper of any private
establishment.
The creation Of Il state official, when
the scheme of state and national govern
ment was mapped out by the honest
and frugal and Woodworking ~colonials,
was that the work Of state might be
faithfully executed, and that the man
who did the work might be paid for the
faithful execution Of the same. The
official, however, was supposed TO earn
his salary. This idea has gradually be
come more misty, and it finally develop
cd that the state official is a man VINO is
TO be put into Office as payment Of q
political deb;; and that while he is sup
posed TO faithfully draw his salary, he
must not b forced to demean himself
by the performance OF actual work. At
this stage Of the evolution, the deputy
eyolved-the deputy TO draw a pretty
fair salary and do the work Of the head
OF the Office.
In this state the evolution has been
been carried still further. SO numer.
had become the political and person,
al debts Of the politicians that they must
absolve both head of department and
deputy from work-but not from sal
ary-and this neccssitatcd the crea
ton of the clerk. or deputy-deputy, alst
at n very nice salary. Then the CLERK
came in for compassion and he was giver
q stenographer-a secretary's deputy
clerks helper. How far along thi
evolutionjstic chain will be made t,
stretch no man n foresee. 1t ha
gone far enough now and IL is up I,
the people of the state, through the mel
they have elected TO the legislature (,
carry ont their wishes. to put an end T.
it, and see that every man who draw
salary from the state earns that salary
The mar in private life has e earn hi
salary. Why not the man whom tn,
people of tho state have hired to trans
act the affairs Of their slater
Another thing we would like light ol
Is this: Docs not the attorney genera
Of tho state, who is by law required t
reside in Carson City, reside in Rem,
and maintain his Office there. vote there
and keep his family thereg And doe
he not use the stenograpIicr, whom tn
state pays to help transact the stat,
business, in his private office at Reno
and in attending 10 his private buiness
We want to know.-Tonppah Bouanzn