New-York tribune., 1921-12-18

- or January /. He is now, by unwritten
law, permitted to a1ix to his name the
.hbreviation of the title "Honorable" He is
,repared to serve the people to the best of
lis ability, for that was what he promised
hem during the campaign, and we shall pre-
sume that he was sincere.
Yes. he promised to serve them, and he in
tends to do so. This he expected to do and
wants to do But did he also expect and does
h want to be compelled to play Santa Claus
10 every organization, political and otherwise,
and many individuals in his political sub-divi~
sons Just as definite as his privilege to call
himself Honorable" is the companion 'priv-
i]ese' of playing fairy godfather to everyone
who considers that he ought to share his por-
ton of the public payroll with every Tom,
Dick and Harry who thinks he deserves it,
or who represents an organization with such
an idea.
Let the Hon. Jonathan be considered the
average officeholder-elect. He has not been
chosen Governor, or even Mayor. His public
Office may pay anything from $4,000 to S12,-
900 year 1t makes difference, for the
Drain upon it will be proportionately the same.
Mr. Doe, we will say, has elected himself to a
salary which, on the face of it, might seem
10 promise him larger income than he has
enjoyed in his hitherto non-political business
affairs. He is looking forward eagerly to his
increased income, for he imagnes it will be
easier for the next few years to meet his
household expenses.
"We can afford better automobile next
SPRING he tells his wife. "You won't have
to scrimp and save as you've been doing for
years. We can go out to dinner oftener, and
to the theater. Just as soon as l can I'll buy
yoa new fur coat to replace that old thing
that you wore while working for me during
the campaign
Thus speaks the who is new to political
aaice In New York there are not so many
Of them to be inducted on January ] as usual,
in view of the large number of reflections
sfected in November, but a fair percentage
Of Jonathan Does will assume Office for the
irst time on January l in this and nearby
municipalities.
Just now they are the envied members of
their social circles. They are being congrat-
ulated by everyone who knows them and by
many who don't. The Fluctuations are par
!icularly fluent and apparently sincere if the
acquaintance often self-introduced. is trying
to induce the oficial-eect to subscribe to
something
doe is lucky dog one of the new Off
Gals friends will remark to another. "He
worked in the same office with me. l know he
wasn't getting over $4,000 year. And now
he's been elected to job paying $4,000.
Pretty soft, I'll say
If they only knew. If the subject of the
remarks only knew. He, of course, has had
some inkling during his campaign Of what is
coming, but he undoubtedly does not realize
4 just what it means to be the holder of mu-
nepa Office The general public certainly
does not. Almost everyone believes that 4
i holder Of Office has nothing to do but ride
around in city automobiles and salt away most
Of his salary for use after the day, inevitable
A as death and taxes, when he discovers that he
aas lost his influence with the voters and has
been returned to civil life.
In cold dollars and cents, here's the way it
figures out: Does political livelihood while
he holds Office will cost him SO per cent Of his
salary. r. therefore, he has relinquished
s5O00-a-year position outside of politics to
gain an 5000 one inside, he is $1,000 year
h % the bad and will have to live, during his
official term, on $4,000 d year.
! At this joyous Yuletide season every one in
The Hon. Mr.. Does district is merry save the
hon. Mr.. Doe, who is fast discovering that he
4 wasn't elected County Clerk or Sheriff, or even
Alderman. What he was really elected to was
'he position of political Santa Claus to the
hungry hordes who wished the job on him
WITH their ballots
i FOR the purposes of this discussion we need
7 not designate our supposititious official with
any Political title. Whether he is magistrate,
borough President or Register, it makes no
Inference. Whether his salary is to be $1,5Oo
Year or $4,000, the effect upon it will be
as same. Visualizing his pay checks, as he
As many times since he heard the joyful
sSs late on the night of November 8, he may
ii sSe take one-half of each of them and light
ssafs with them, for that is all the good they
vii do him.
"aat can compel Mr.. Doe to spend half his
@elal emoluments upon others than himself
:" MS immediate family? theoretically, no
as can force Mr.. Doe to spend a cent of 1t
any manner that does not please him. But
..ss1caily-and it must be assumed that any
!" VINO can be elected to Office in these days
sast practicable will be made to spend
ssey With lavish hand if he does not de-
s ais political career to end with his first
sss,. N office. He must buy tickets to every
k.