Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-03-10
BOOSTING SALARIES

The Legislature seems to have entered upon a grand carnival OF sal
raising. Where there Me-Sssa@fo raise bills arc iutr9dueeSl
to create salaries so that, probably, they may be raised next year. Ii
certainly would seem IS if the taxpayers were burdened enough al
ready without this wholesale increase in salaries for men who, while
devoting most of their time to their private business are already D
orally paid for what work they do for the public.
Last year a State Athletic Commission was created to regulate
the art Of boxing and sparring. In spite OF the TACT Ia there was ~
salary there was no difficulty in securing men to serve on the eommlS-
sion. Now a bill has been introduced providing for a salary OF $2,ooo
for the chairman of the commission, $4,000 each for the other two mem
bers and $1,000 for the secretary. The regulation" by this commits
sion during the past year has been a farce. The commission ought to
be abolished and the law regarding boxing repealed instead of now try
ing to give fat salaries to men who a year ago were falling over them
selves merely to get the appointment.
Then, there is Senator Ackerson's bill increasing the salaries OF
the members of the Board of Freeholders from $500 to $4,000. We
have not noticed any particular demand for such an increase. In prac-
ticaIy every instance the ~freeholdes in every county are engaged IN
private business, the county receiving only part of their time Every
member of the respective boards became a candidate for the office
knowing full well that the salary was $1,000 and there is reason to De,
lieye that practically all considered it a plum worth going after. OF
course, they would not object to getting $1,000 added TO what they
are already receiving, but why force this additional burden on the tax
payers at this time9
The salaries of the judges of practically every court in the state
from the district and juvenile courts to the ehaneery and the supreme
court justices are to be raised il all the bills that have been introduced
IN the legislature are passed.
Then there are numerous heads of bureaus to be taken care OF A
bill to increase the salary of the chief of the bureau of land, crops and
markets from $4,000 to $500 is an illustration. Nearly all of these
bureau chiefs are politicians and it is not difficult for them to get some
one of the members of the legislature to introduce a salary raising bill
for them. Then it IS a ease of camping at the capitol and lobbying ior
the passage of the measure.
If the legislators want TO serve the taxpayers of the state-and
that is what they are elected for-they viii see TO it that ninetenths
Of these bills never get out of committee and those that do get out are
overwhelmingly smothered when they come to a vote.
It is said the bills for the increase of the salaries of the judges are
likely TO be passed because a majority OF the legislators are lawyers
who practice before these various judges and they fear gaining the dis
favor of the judges should they go ON record as being opposed to an
increase in the salaries. Then, too, most of the lawyers in the legisla
ture have ambitions to sit ON the bench themselves at some time and o
course the higher they can boost the salaries the better the job wher
they get to it.
One thing is certain, with taxes of all kinds going up every veal
the people are going 10 resent any pihng on of salaries for men wh'
give but a fraction of their time to public affairs. Cases where a pub
lie official resigns because of salary, or for any other cause, for thai
matter, are very rare, indeed. If they do, there are plenty ready Il
I'll the vacancy. This is no time for the legislature TO indulge in the
wholesale raising of salaries inst because some member has been eour
teous enough TO introduce a bin to crafty the wishes Of some Office
lolder-