Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-01-24

VI ! AEIchcs uDt meeting tncse Spe-
cifications will be rejected
\ To the Editor: The Mariol
9 County Grange had quite a dis
cussion on the tax question a
their meeting on the IS, and tn,
taxpayers demand reduction II
taxes, and the way to reduce the
taxes Is to reduce the high
salaries, and extravagant ex-
4 penses Of the state institutions,
etc.
i Commencing with the governor
who should have five thousand
dollars and no more; the members
Of the supreme court $1,000 a day
or $4,000 a year, no more; secre-
!, tary Of state $4,000; state treas
urer $4,000, no more; attorney
general $4,000; assistant secre-
tary OF state $4,000; deputy treas
urer $2,500, and no other clerks
to exceed $4,000; and stenograph-
ers $1,8O0, and no other clerks
In any department Of state should
have more than $500 year.
The salary OF state engineer
OF $4,000, and the salary of high
way commissioner cut one half;
and the highway garage expense
cut In half; and the cost Of road
construction can be cut one-half;
and then save money on construc-
ton work. 1t is easy to cut the
wage OF the laboring men, and
raise salaries Of the class in kid
gloves, riding around In state
autos and state gas and state re-
pairs on cars all at expense Of
taxpayers.
The chief engineer commission
and assistant are responsible for
the unjust law passed taxing
oid cars that have been in use & ,
or years as much as new cars ,
'or license; car after 1t has ]
'een used that long should not /.
% taxed at more than half. and !
ne road fund should be put on !
ne roads, and not over Is nerl !
ent should in any way be used !
9 pay salaries and travelling ex- i
lenses, II the commission is 90 !
Interested In raising money for
GOD roads why don I they re-
uce the salaries of chief engineer
nd assistant, they can not and
2 not earn the salary they are n
ow receiving. And there is !,
qually as capable engineers in ;.
40 state working for half what
aey receive; but they are not 1,
eek politicians. The bill fixing
le salaries was placed in the in
anus OF the commission and they
used their salaries $4,000 for III
cretary, and two assistants vera da
used 5000, an increase not war ii,
lnted. When the farmers and
'ouucers were taking less for III
eir produce and all laboring lai
en- g salaries or wages was ba-
9 cut to as low as $500 a day da
Keep these families, and now Pt
Salem there is many men ont
work at any wages in this Pc
"a spell and are housed In an
" bastile. mi
The fact that there is no work -
the highways the chief still -
cps his two assistants on duty nm
Ia their high salaries, the chief RAIN
d two assistants are all sun lyEl
cd with cars, gas. up-keep by Da
state with chatfeur: all hotel Rsl
Is paid by the state when away Rl
m home As the chiefs salary ss
SS2O0 with expenses added RI
ting the state probably ten GIJl
'usand dollars year, his sec "A
ary $4,000 with expense. and RqR
TWO assistants with $4500 NkE
expenses. / understand the QlI
81 and assistant are now ON a HEM
keung trip down in southern kla
itornia' enjoying the winter alS
state expense. E!,
low, the farmers and fay I8
ars. and laboring men. have a u
i TO Kick, and we win take y
$ to reduce large salaries ana II
eeessary expenses In a general
sing Of the taxpayers in a HR'