The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-19
Says Raising of Salaries
Simply Prolongs the
Agony.
GROOME PRESENTS
DIFFERENT VIEW
Declares a Cheap Man Is
No Good and Is Gener-
ally Costly at Almost
Amy Price.

Fee officers in Virginia will he ask
ing the same pensation they do
now when corn drops TO fifty cents
hushel. Delegate r, Lindsay Gordon
declared Yesterday. in tho course Of a
speech in opposition to Groome bill
increasing by 81 900 The maximum
amount Of fees officers in each class
may receive and placing counties on
the same plane as the cities with re-
spect to comp nsation.
Desnite Mr.. Gordon's protest. how
ever. the hill. along with other fee
measures set Yesterday as special or
ders. was advanced to its third read
ing ana enErossn ent and stands A
good chance Of passing the hous"
when it is reached. probably today,
for final action
"oficors never die and seldom re-
sign" the delegate from Louisa do
clarcd. and they will he coming here
asking for the same things they do
now when the price Of corn has
dropped to nifty cents 4 bushel The
high cost ~ living is bound TO come
down with anoter good crop ard I
protest against the raising NJ any
salaries except in a few isolated IN
stances, ut this particular time. All
OF us are suffering from tho conditions.
why relieve a few at the expense Of
others7''
Delegate Groome told Mr Gordon
that in the last twelve months the
firm with which he is connected has
voluntarily raised the pay Of its en-
nloyes forty per cent
Don't you know that with that
very act you prolonged he |fc q
abnormaiiy high prices" Mr.. Gordon
asked.
well we did Il anyhow. Mr,
Croon4e rerlied "and We believed Il
Was the right thing to do. NV cv-
perience is that cheap man is high
al any price
Mr. Gordon said he oppressed the
orfgfna, West Zee bill, which he de-
ciare4 il mis- named and should TIC
known az the Brewer hill. since i
was sponsored nv the present speaker
~ the house He advocated n that
time. he said fat salaries Of $4,000
for the officers compensated hr fees
with no allowance made for help
1T is notorious fact" he said
that many OF them draw the maxi
mum amount Of fees for the porula-
ton Of their cities or counties and, IN
addition. received corn pensation from
the county or city, for simply super
vising the work and seeing that it is
done"
Mr.. Groome told the house that
Senator West known as the. father of
the original bill. had given his cor
sent to the increases set out in has
m easure and will support II when 1t
comes in the upper branch. The
highest compensation allowed under
the measure is $500 for cities or
counties with populations OF 10000
or more. For each Of tho other
classes. by population, an increase OF
81 900 Over the original figure is al
lowed This. supporters Of the bill
say. is tn take care Of the increased
cost OF living.
The Norris resolution. relieving
veterans of the world war OF the pay
ment Of poll taxes AS "A prerequisite for
voting was re~committed 10 the com
uittee on privileges and elections.
Delegate Wilbur &. Hall. member
of tho American Legion, was opposed
to hasty action declaring that he had
rather sound the sentiment of legion
aires and see how eX-srrviCe men gen
orally feel about the extension to them
II such privilege.