Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-05-30
EFFICIENT STATE employees
Will Be Rewarded For Their Efforts
if This Bill Becomes Law

Madison, Wis, May 2S-Openina
the door for more efficiency among
the employees of the state was the
motive of a bill which passed the
senate this week. If it becomes a law
the state employe will be placed up
on the merit system and salaries de
termined solely in proportion to abil
| ity
The bill originated in the joint
committee on finance and removes
responsibility of fixing salaries from
the legislature and places it in the
hands of department heads. The bill
also fixes salaries of the executive
and administrative officers, In some
instances they were lowered and in
others raised. The purpose Of the bill
is to equaliZe salaries .as much as
possible.
Two years ago the joint committee
on finance employed an accountant
and efficient expert to investigate
state departments. Among other
things he recommended was the es-
tablishment of state board of pub
lie affairs. A state board of public
affairs was temporarily provided and
reported to this legislature.
The data which formed the basis
for the present bill was the result Of
Investigations by this board. The
board has made an exhaustive in
vestigation into every state depart
ment and have recommended sweep
ing changes in the management and
organization of some Of the depart
ments.
In the matter of state employees it
found that there We're 3711 POSITIONS;
Of which 3432 or 921a per cent, had
their salaries fixed by the Legislature.
Under the proposed bill 9S1a per cent
of the salaries which represents all
except legislature employees will be
fixed by the heads of departments,
and the remaining / Y per cent, is
the executive and administrative Of
legislature or by the constitution.
That this method will result in
greater efficiency is pointed out in
the fact that the railroad commits
sion tax and industrial commissions
fix salaries of employees. These COM
missions maintain a cost system and
each employee is paid according to
his earning ability. Under the sys-
tenn of salary fixing by the legisla-
ture the state employe was offered
no incentive to greater activity
A comparison of salaries proves
that the innovation will save the
state money. Twenty steno graphers in
the above mentioned commissions re-
ceive salaries of 94620 per annum
while stenographers in departmen
where the legislature fixes the sal
aries receive ,014.17 per annum
Under the new method the depart
ment would be allowed specified
sum for salaries, and with the aid
Of cost systems the state would get
better and cheaper service while the
efficient employe would be promoted
and the drOne weeded out
Emery Wins Corn Syrup Fight
Despite the opposition of Bull
Moosers to the Emery bill for the
truthful labelling of chemical "syrup,' >
the dairy and food commissioner won
victory by large majority in the
assembly, and his bill will be passed
by the senate. Early in the fight it
was thought by some that the Bull
Moosers would tip the balance against
the progressives, but the issue was
SO clearly one of common honesty
18th the consumer, that the progress
sive ranks We're recruited from those
not usually voting that way