Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-01
FRIDAY. APRIL l, 1921.
NOW PAYING THE PIPER"

,lti, ntly So timely and appropriate, IL is
largely quoted in references 10 existing
situations.
For moro than quarter Of century
h, prople of Delaware have been dane
tx to the piping" Of almost continu-
ss Republican state administrations.
ad il must b, apparent To them at
ans time that they have been paying
rhe piper" with vengeance. If any
-,tfl.n or taxpayer has any doubts on
inns score let him or her take time for
. careful scrutiny Of the allowances
1l4d, by the Legislature Of 1911 whicn
.i.. not vet loosencd its oXtraVagant
Is. IN the state and Of the appro-
,..,,,.,s f,,. meeting the expenses for
..sxt i've wears. exclusive of schools.
1:,. i, rrot.riations for the next two
.r. f,,- .p IL nearly $3.5oOo0o. ex-
,,..,. II fha amounts to be appro
.a..d ror the support of public
s.aIs which certainly win exceed a
.,l.., dollars for. each year. How is
.5f4 far , state administration the cost
+ which. thirty years ago. was not
....tIv in excess Of a haIf-million dol
,,rs ! veare This is what the people
\ peiaware-ospecially the people Of
Ivilrnington-ar paying the Republican
,artv piper" for their dancing"
Also. perturbed taxpayers. look care
.uIy into the extravagance Of this
very remarkable. and also very lavish
Legislature in providing assistance for
tsclf and paying for it, In the first
place. the per diem Of members has
been increased from three dollars to
ten dollars. and while for the former
compensation the members worked hon
cstly throughout the session. affording
the people ample opportunity for hear
ings on all matters in which they were
concerned. il is now the custom for the
members 10 hurry away from Dover
zach night. thus allowing little time for
the people 70 have say. This evil
r-act.ce enables the members TO save
money for themselves. but It imposes
.srze cost on the people.
and then take look at the large
number Of employees these Isisurely
legislators under the rule OF the Re
publican piper" consider necessary for
.heir convenience during a session
Iier. is a list. taken from the legisia-
uv, pay rolls:
S.aat-CIcrk 10 the President PR
ton. euiet clerk. reading clerk. bill
,i.rA. document clerk. Two sergeants-at-
ur4- chaplain page, telephone mes
~.aeer TWO attorneys. three stenog
uluer~ total il.
Ilaus,-Speakers clerk. chief clerk
-,.staut chief clerk. bill clerk. tele
phone clerk. attorney. special attor
ney on School bill, reading clerk. passec
hin clerk. sergeant-at-arms. chaplain
page. FIVE stenographers; total. Il. Th'
pass bill clerk was a member of tn
House. and this service-scrutinizin,
tho enrolled bills-added $3.50 10 hi
compensa ton. a member of the Sen
ate I,rohted for similar service to tn
extent Of 5000.
the compensation allowed these Of
ucials was in the main very liberal
especially 10 the regular attorneys. eacl
Of whom received 50. 500.
In tho good old days" before tn
I.epublcan piper" furnished the musi
Tor the peoples indulgence in dancing
then very moderate-the legislativ
ohiciary was:
senate-one clerk. who performe
al the clerical work. including the en-
rolling Of bills. and if ne had 10 ha.v
assistance at any time. paid for It on
OF his own pocket; one sergeant-at
arms chaplain page; total. four.
House-The same. with the excep
ton that a few sessions before the par
tisan innovation the House made plnc
for a reading clerk. Occasionally som
outsider was hired for special assist
ance as a committee clerk. at a com
pensation never exceeding $50.
But the apologists for rank extra7s
sance and waste Of money may CLAN
the Legislature is much larger now an
the volume OF business is much create
Let US see:
Under tho old regime the Senate wa
composed Of nine members; now it ha
n members. Does this increase excus