The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-02-26
Republican State Chairman
Points to Two Grave Defects
in the Salary Bill; Classifica-
tion a Menace.
FULL VALUATION Will
MAKE ALL IN FIRST CLASS
Expects Republican Majority
to Fulfill Pledge ON Taxation
and Shows What Will Hap
pen to Salaries il They Do.

Santa Re. y. NJ. Feb. 9e.--Ralph
G. Ely, chairman OF the Republlcan
state committee. today told the news
paper reporters OF his faith that the
Republican majority In thiB legisla-
by the Repubiican party In the last
campaign and enact "A thorough, eff
clent and adequate taxation and rev.
enue measure. placing the tax rate at
maximum OF one per cent, requiring
return Of properly at full value and
vesting In a central tax commission
the power to require all property to
bear It's Just burden.
In this connection Mr.. Ely pointed
To danger m the Rspublisan salary
bill just passed 20 which attention has
not been called heretofore: which II
that II the Republicans redeem tnesr
pledge ana value proprrty Ia this
state at fuil value for purposes OF tax
alton. every county Ia the state In
1917 viii automatically be raised TO
the first class. or over the $4,000
600 valuation mark, and be forced
by this salary bin to pay salaries pro-
vided for first class counties.
The other fault in the salary bill
which Mr. Ely regarded as most SER
loua ls the lack OF a provision requir-
Ing the county officer TO perform the
service for which he Is elected aud
paid, and go sive personal attention
TO the duties OF his office.
II think" said MIR. Ely, thu the
trainers of the constitution never rea .
iized the magnitude OF the task Which
they were imposing upon the first leg-
stature In leaving 20 it the duty of
liking the salaries OF county officials.
and l am not sure that Il would have
been desirable To have attempted 10
FIX those salaries In so innexible an
Instrument as constitution II and
ought To be. The varied views of
men coming from all parts of the
state and the discussions and com
promises which are necessary TO the
forming OF n salary measue are help
ful not alone 70 the members Of the
legislature In arriving at wise Goa
clusion but to the people of the state,
In that II makes us an sit up and take
notice OF what becomes Of our money.
III has seemed to me that two
things should be controlled In iixing
the salaries of the several officials
first and foremost. how much must
be paid in order to secure the char
acter Of service required; and, Sec
und, how much can "a borrowing peo-
pie afford to pay.
Measured by those standards II Is
probably true that a classified salary
bill In better than a HAT salary
throughout the state, which | have
advocated; and | am glad to defer u
the collective Judgment of the Re-
publican majorities OF both houses.
preserving the same standards
and recognizing the varied abilities oi
the counties 90 pay, and realizing tat
higher earning power Of men In some
communities than In others. II seems
10 me that the salary Dill, so iar az
the schedule Of salaries Is concerned
IL fully as good as could have 0eer
hoped for, and much better thaf
could have been reasonably expected
There are two things, however
which / consider serious commissions
| from this bill. both of which can bs
corrected by supplementary legisia
/ tion.
First. certain men are placed II
! nomination by the various parties fol
county Offices and an appeal Is mad
TO the people TO support them, upoi
| the ground OF their special fitness u
training or character or efficiency O
genlanty. In the end some man Pre-
walls. The people have elected tina
man 20 perform specific service -
! far us his time a.ic his ability vii
| permit. and tney expect that particn
lar man to do Il: now ! know and I'M
/ people throughout this state know o.
more than one instance where res
, ularly elected county Official ma
qualified. given his bond and there
after left the performance OF his pup
lie duties 10 his paid clerks or dep
utles. There II nothing In this OIL
which requires an Official TO have
gwen his personal attention 20 IN
duties OF hts Office during the pas
! three years. or that he shall give hi
Il