Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-07-01
Needed. an uphesve,.

"~eeeos oa NpHFdNtt.
The Charleston Gazette is printing
some fine editorials and the following
one from a late issue is commended to
the consideration of the voters of Ber-
kelley county:
The people of West Virginia are a.
waking more and more every day
to a realization OF the fact that the Re
publican party has so arranged the
list OF employees at the state house and
In all departments of the state govern
ment, thai the taxpayers of the state
are paying the campaign service re-
wards the Republican party, by the
uhneeded salaries of lot of useless
EN- pteyes' The tremendous increase
ia The cost of the state government has
aroused he people to ask thequesiion.
Are these expenditures legitimate or
are we the victims of The party that
desires 10 perpetuate itself in power by
the great rewards paid out by our
money) which it gives to the bench
man who have served it well?n ais
the Republlcah party, now in power
in the Estate, engaged in the task Of
giving to the State of West Virginia a
good government, or are the bosses of
the party spending the monev of the
state to build up political or9anixa-
ton to perpetuate In power the peo-
pie who are the present rulers of the
stalef", The people Of West virginia
are asking these questions and the
people have not been able TO arrive at
a conclusion that points 10 any other
reason for the disproportionate increase
ia expense other than the fact, that,
as George G.. Cole told Sam Mont
gomery, 1--WE are not paying them for
what they do now, but for what they
did during the last campaign"
Thespeople Of the state are not pleas
ed at the idea Of political party conf
pelling the taxpayers Of a state to pay
the running expenses and the polti-
cal debts of the Republican party, and
the time has come when the Repubii-
can leaders will be made to realize
this fact. Just look at some of the
ways the peoples money Is being
spent. Look over some of the in
creases and see if you cannot observe
them the earmarks Of political re-
ward rather than the necessity of the
state.
AT present the expenses Of the Gov
ernor's Office includes private secre-
tary at salary of 900 year, $4,000
for other clerks and stenographers; a
pardon attorney, who receives $1,000,
land pays 5000 for stenegrapher)
who has contingent fund of $3.50.
This brings the expenses CT running
the Office of the governor up the
sum of &c., 500 as compared with the
expense of running the same office in
1895 of 81 800; III 1896 the expense was
s., 1000. Thus the expense of running
the Office Of the governor, for clerk hire
and secretary and stenograpb ers is IS,
$50 greater than it was fourteen years
ago. In fourteen years the expenses
of this office have increased aim ost
five fold. And do you think the otlic-
ers are all needed? Do you think the
work Of the pardon attorney worth "a,
$50 to the State Of West Virginia?
taar hat 10 Of
the occupant of this office does not
take up two days a week, and he is
given to accomplish the WORK over S4,
900.
Fifteen years ago, in 1895, the Gov
ernor was allowed civil contingent
fund OF $4,000. Out of this he paid
the janitor of the capitol and the ex-
penses Of the care of the capitol
grounds and bulldogs. At present
the Governor has contingent fund of
$4,000, but in addition to this, there
are provided for in the appropriation
bill, funds 10 take the place of the
work that used to call for the expend-
ltsre of the $4,000 contingent fund
consisting of the salary of the jantor,
81 800; the salary of one night engineer
5000; two night watchmen, 81 $3.50; one
night fireman, $3.50; one day fireman,
$3.50; nine sweepers. $50 each, 1890;
one messenger, $50; two charwomen
S430 each, 1860; three elevator ooys
1850 each, 81 $50, making grand to-
tai of SIG, 1920 to pay for the work form
erly paid out of the former contingent
fund of Slo,ooos Notwithstanding the
fact that the same contingent fund is
provided apart from this S26,S2o.
Then III addition to this there is an
emergency fund of Sl0,0 which can
be spent by the unanimous approval
of the board of public works, and to
whatever use this sum is put, the ex-
pense was formerly met out Of the old
contingent fund of the governors