The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-05-26


reason alone, regardless of their in
competence, the people have right
to demand and should demand their
immediate resignation from their po-
sitions and the abandonment of the
attempts they are making. as legis-
lation.
Instead of reducing the high sal
aries paid the state officials and sub
ordinate employees of the state. the
Legislature proposes to increase them.
Their pretext for this is the increas-
ed cost of living. How ridiculous
this is may be understood when it is
known that the comptroller, for ex-
ample, was living very comfortably
three years ago on $1,000 a year,
whereas he is now being paid $4,000 a
year, which the legislature proposes
to increase to $4,000.
He, the state treasurer the attor-
ney general, the secretary of state,
the superintendent of public instruc-
tion and the commissioner of agricul-
ture, are each getting $4,000 a year
out of the state treasury. If their
salaries were reduced to $500 a year,
as should be done, not one of them
would resign. All of them know, and
the legislature knows and the people
know that there are plenty of good
and capable men in the state who
would be glad to get those state jobs
at $500 a year and would support
their families comfortably on that
salary. But the legislature thinks
that these officials should each be
paid $4,000 a year, and that is what
is proposed.
1t is wonder that it is not pro-
posed to increase the governors sal
ary, which is $4,000 year-$25OO too
much.
1t is proposed to increase the sal
aries not only of the state officials
circuit judges and states attorneys
of which there are between twenty
five and thirty, but every clerk in the
departments of the capital and every
inspector and every other employe
who is living at the expense of the
people is to have his salary increased
A 5000 clerk is to get $1,000; the $1,000
clerk, $1,000; the $1,000 clerk, $500
and so on through the whole long
list.
New offices to be filled by men al
big salaries are to be created. Sen.
ator O. M. Eaton, of Polk county
wants his county to constitute a sep.
arate and distinct judicial circuit
with new Judge and a new states
attorney to be paid good salaries out
of the pockets of the people, and Sen.
ator Igou, of Lake county, seeks the
creation of another circuit, the Sew.
enteenth, to add to the burdens of the
people. These two senator's are rich
and are able to pay twice the take:
they are now paying; but it doe:
seem that they would have some pity
for the people with whose condition:
and circumstances they are fully &C
quainted.
There is no end to the schemes anC
propositions being discussed anC
pushed by various members of the
Legislature to add to the cruel loaC
(which the people are carrying. W,
! readily admit that many, if not all, o,
these propositions are desirable, may
be necessary, to be undertaken, bu
i the people in general have not tn,
money to pay for them.
j 1t is eminently desirable and prop
ler that your beautiful, beloved wifi,
should have diamond tiara, costing
| 100000, but, if $4,000 is all tn,
money you have or will have for tw,
years, you would be an idiot to bu,
such a costly bauble. Similarly,
would be grand to have broad, bricl
highways running to every count,
seat IN the state and all connected u
with each other; magnificent stat