Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-10-15
O z LIGHT ANTE

The policemen and employees of the municipal lighting
plant have petitioned for an increase and a similar request has
been made by the fire house janitors and employees of the street
department.
The aldermen decided that only the question of a raise for
The policemen should be put on the ballot with the understand
ing that if the people voted in favor of a raise for the policemen
il would be taken to mean an increase for all the city en-
ployes.
This is taking a pretty broad view of the matter.
There are hundreds of employees of the city. Besides the
policemen. the men of the electric light plant, the fire house
ianitors and the men of the street department, there are the
employees of the water department and the park commission,
not to mention the numerous clerks, stenographers and tele-
phone operators in the city hall.
In fact, the city clerk, the collector of revenue, the city
treasurer and comptroller, the various boards and even the al
dermen themselves might be included in a general raise in
salary on the strength of a majority at the coming election in
favor of a raise for the policemen. If the aldermen are going
to govern their action in raising city employees generally by the
vote on the police proposition which is placed before the vot-
ers this fall, where will they draw the line?
We are not entering into the merits of the request for a
general increase in all departments. We simply want a little
more definite statement as to just how far the aldermen pro-
pose to go should the voters decide in favor of an increase for
the policemen. This information the taxpayers are entitled to.
In fact, it is unfair to the policemen to make them the
stalking horse for all the other city employees. There may be
voters who would like to see the policemen get more money
IA WHO QUIZ u ~ OppOocQ " q SCHOl@I uFohSO III LII NoP"V
ments at this time. On the other hand some people might
think the policemen are getting all the city can stand just now,
but that employees in some of the other departments should be
favored.
AS a matter of fact, the aldermen are elected to handle
these affairs for the people. 1t is all we'll enough to put a
proposition of an increase in salary for any large number of
city employees up to the voters, but the aldermen cannot escape
the responsibility of increasing salaries not definitely voted on
by the people merely because the people voted to give the po-
licemen more money. 1t naturally follows that should the peo-
pie refuse to saction an increase for the policemen there would
be nothing to hinder the aldermen raising other employees if
they think they deserve it. 1t must be taken for granted that
the people have confidence in the aldermen or they would not
elect them.
To place merely the one proposition before the people and
use that as a basis for action in all other cases, ~justifying what
ever is done by the verdict of the people in regard to the police
men, is decidedly unfair.
This matter ought to receive a little more attention on the
part of the candidates for Office. AS the subject Of city f1nan-
ces seem to be playing q prominent part in the campaign per-
haps some of the candidates for office can throw a little light
on the subject.
They might tell the voters exactly how they will inter
pref the vote on the policemens proposition. They ought to
go on record definitely as to whether they would take q favor
able vote for the policemen to mean that the voters are in favor
Of a raise all along the line.
If a vote in favor of an increase for the policemen is I'M
derstood by the candidates to mean that the people also favor
an increase for the employees Of the municipal lighting plant,
The street department and for the fire house janitors, they
ought to say so,
If they understand that a vote in favor of the proposed in
Grease for the policemen means that the people are in favor
of an increase in salary for all city employees of all depart
ments including the employees at City Hall, they ought to say
so and have it so understood in order that the people may vote
inteligenty.
On the other hand, if the candidates are willing to take
the vote for exactly what it means, that is, a vote for an in
crease for the policemen as the ballot reads, then that posi-
tion ought also to be stated.
The voters ought to know exactly what they are voting
for. They ought not to be asked to pass on the question Of an
increase for policemen, only to find after the election that they
have been voting on the question of a raise for all employees in
all departments of the city.
Let's have a clear and definite statement as to just what
this question that is placed on the ballots this fall actually
means.
On the ballot the question will be asked, do you or do you