Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-19
Economy the Need of the Hour.

The demands that are being advanced
by or in behalf Of city and State officials
for increases Of appropriations naturally
suggest the pertinent comment that con-
ditions do not warrant larger epcndi-
turos at this time. when ten or fifteen
thousand Of our workmen are idle and a
general 'curtailment Of wages ia under
why. The City Council and tho State
Legislature would be wise % not make tho
mistake of misintcrprctine public opin-
ion or existing economic conditions when
either body is pressed to vote away
money, especially for lnrRer salaries,
with few exceptions. Both bodies should
not fail % understand that the people are
taxed to the very limit; in fact, the burden
of the taxes, for various purposes, is bear
ing heavier on the wnge-workcr or tho
men who live from their weekly pay en-
vclope than il has ever done before.
Unless tho members Of the Legislature
understand this condition and net ao-
cordinEly, they will have entirely mis-
judged the sentiment or temper oi the
people. Notwithstanding these facts
which arc entirely obvious, measures arc
suggested u increase the pay Of several
officials quite materially. In respect ol
the salaries Of the governor and secretary
of State, appropriate increases would h'
reasonable, but it docs not appear that
any other State offices, or my county
offices. have any just claim to-incrcascd
compensation
Along the same line City Council IS
considering n proposition to increase the
pay Of the building Inspector, IN addition
to the fact that we have just added sew
eral thousand dollars Of cost 60 The ad-
ministerinE cf our Police Department, by
the employment of more men. There
seems 10 bc no stopping place, once the
movement to advance wages has been
set afoot, especially II the money docs not
belong to those who are voting i 50 freely
II would sccm much wiser that We have
a State constabulaIy than 20 e. ~ m
cressing salaries. II We can afford the con
siderable expense thrso police would en-
tail There iF, however, room Tor much
discussion as 90 whether We would he
warranted in adding this heavy item Of
expense 90 our budget i we arc given q
budget-although there seems to be need
for the better protection of our highways
There is no denying the fact that the state
constahularv have rendered very efficient
service in Pennsylvania ri times e m
rest or when there were outbreaks ot lew
Iessness. but We have had no such condi-
tio1s 20 meet that should not he provided
for through cur county cfEcore, our en-
larged police force Or in greater ener-
gencies by our National Guardsmen
The plan to have State constahulary to
cover the State roads very we'll, proper
efficiency on ne part e county anthorl-
tiea might do great deal Of good
The members of the Legislature know
full we'll that the farmers are ~ this
moment finding their balances on the
wrong side If the ledger; that the work
ing men, with lowering wages or enforced
idleness and continued high rcntF and cost
of food, have found the problem q Oh
tanning mere living most difficult and
those who have been compelled 20 paw
taxes on incomes which barely permit them
to meet the costs cf existence, in the
humblest, plainest form, VIII Fcore their
disapproval a the frat opportunity against
legislation that does not relieve them q q
verv considerable portion of their direct
and indirect tax burdens. instead of in
creasine them