Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1919-09-12

| ice than individuals all around are paying for the
same class of service; for in the matter of human
: service we seldom get more than we pay for Be
Sides the man who is shallow enough to give his
time for little imaginary honor, is not likely to
be a heavyweight on any job. We don't see the
president of the United States giving his time
merely for the honor of the position nowithstand-
ing it is the highest honor within the gift of the
people. 1t is an honor to be deemed worthy to be-
come the president and head of great industrial
organization such as the United States Steel Cor
poraton, yet were informed few years since
that in addition to the honor Mr. Schwab was paid
an annual salary of one million dollars. College
presidents and bank presidents and cashiers do
not work for the glory of the position. They ex-
pect and receive cash remuneration in keeping
with the service they render And why should we
expect our public officials to serve for less than
people privately employed in similar work and I'M
der identical conditions receive?
The City Council of Cedar City has just revised
the salary schedule for elective and appointve Of
ficers within the city, the official text of the ordi
nance being published in another part of this is
sue of The Record 1t is not our purpose to crit
icze or find fault, but we cannot refrain from
remarking upon and drawing few comparisons
in relation to the salaries fixed for of these
Offices.
We will begin with the head of the list and con-
SlueT Cne compensation OF mayor Oh Oeuar OlUy.
We note that the salary is fixed for the ensuing
two years at 5000 per year. The present incum-
bent is bank cashier, and with his salary and
other earnings in the form of commissions on in
surance, ETC., probably $4,000 to $4,000 per year,
from his labor. In order to do justice to the po-
siton he holds in the city, he should give at least
One-half, and we are not prepared to admit that
the Office should not have all of his time. Can he
afford to give it and neglect his other employment
fnr iy,Iu NOT Ha otto
the Council meetings, snatch few minutes now
and then to consider some city matter, and that
is about as much we have right to expect at
such pttance of a salary. The mayor of Cedar
City, one of the most promising small cities of the
state, requires careful planning and watchful care
in it's growth and development, morally, socially,
economically and with regard to symmetry and
beauty. 1t is the duty of the mayor chief ex-
ecutive to oversee the work of all the other city
officials and see that it is performed promptly and
in an efficient manner; to that the laws of the
city are enforced and that the moral atmosphere
is kept pure and wholesome; to see that there is
no wasteful extravaganza in any department and
that no expensive errors are made. or course in
much of this work he will receive the support and
assistance of the council but it is largely up to the
mayor to supply the initiative even in legislative
matters If he does this, he will have very little
time for private affairs, and we believe that the
interests of the municipality, in all these different
phases warrants the employment of a competent
executive on half time or more. To offer compe-
tent man salary of less than 81 900 per year APP
pears to us like begging aims from him. 1t is
tacit admission that we are an INDECENT community
which cannot pay for the service require and
80 must ask someone to sacrifice their time and in
terests for the general needs Why not instead
boost the valuation on some of these vacant lots
on Main street. which are being held as specula-
ton and pay an honest wage to our employees?
So much for mayor. Coming down the line
we note that Councilmen receive SIS per year.
While this is small pay for political Office, after
standing for assessment to bear the expenses
of the party compaign, yet considering the nature
of the service, it is not so bad. The office of City
Councilman is about equivalent to that of director
in the private corporation, in which the mayor is
comparable to the position of superintendent or
manager, and the pay is about par. For the
present if the pay of Councilman was advanced to
500 per year, think serious injustice would
be done.
We don't know much about the duties of Treas
urer There is financial responsibility attached
and we would suppose it requires a considerable
portion of mans time. He certainly will not be
overpaid or get rich at 5000 per year.
The City Marshall, for being upon the streets
winter and summer, from 10 to Is hours out or
the "a, guarding and protecting our boys and girls
doing for them what many of we parents fail to |
do, protecting your property and seeing that the
laws and interests of the city protected (if he
does his duty faithfully receives the magnificent
salary of 5000 per year-$75 per month. OIL
course you pay a competent sheep herder day
laborer from 500 to $125 per month, but that is
different. Where we all chip in or divide the
expense between the whole Of the community we