The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1922-03-31
SALARIES


The executive board of the state
tax commission, we understand, has
under consideration the initiation of
a bill at the Forthcoming election to
reduce state and county public sal
aries, providing such salaries in neigh
boring states are curtailed, upon the
theory that public salaries are too
high. We think the move will be i'll
advised. We are convinced that, while
the governor is we'll enough paid,
state salaries in Montana are gener-
ally too low. The same thing is true,
largely, as to county salaries.
Good service in public offices is just
as important as in private business.
and salaries ought to be sufficiently
high to attract able men, and when
these are elected to leave them free
of financial worries, provided with
sufficient income to be easy of mind.
so that they may give their bes. SER
VIC w tIS SoolitS Va Wv
penny-wise-pound-foolish policy to
pinch salaries in public Offices. A ten
thousand-dollar man is much cheaper
in any office of responsibility, any
office where the duty of spending pub
lie money and conserving the public
interests. rests upon the incumbent,
than a five-thousand-dollar man.
And this state pays most of the
state officers less than $1,000, the at
torney general, who has the great
financial interests of the state to
guard in courts and in legal super
vision of public administration, re-
~ceiving but $4,000, while the auditor
and the secretary Of state get but
$4,000 a year.
Furthermore, poor salaries not only
secure incompetent servants, but they
have the effect of turning the office
holders attention from the states
business to his own financial and
economic interests. With an insuffi-
NlCilS IlNOAllC Y " uloNC llI NOIul
able, or meet his needs, he is likely to
add to his salary by means incompati-
BILE with public interest, the record of
public officials showing that, under
such conditions, men in office are
likely to use every opportunity the
official place offers to advance their
own economic or financial welfare,
while they neglect their duty to the
county, state or government.
What is needed is not a curtailment
of salaries-the servant is worthy of
his hire-but an elimination of use
less offices, of public service that does
not profit the taxpayers. This should
be Topped off. In both state and coun-
ty government the taxpayers are buy
ing some services in bureaus and Of
fices that they should be as we'll or
better off without.
In any private business or industry
all jobs and departments are under
keen and close scrutiny, and those
that do not make good by showing
genuine service in profit, are swiftly
eliminated. The same principle should
be applied to public offices and bu-
reaus.
The unchecked tendency in this
country for years has been to develop
governmental structures into larger
growths of offices, boards and bu-
reaus. This is what the state tax COM
mission should fight. There should be
a national tax commission to fight i
at Washington. There should be a
permanent state tax commission lob
by at the Montana state legislature to
battle it to a finish.
The place where the taxpayer is
separated from the taxes, from his
money, is the legislature. All reform
IN government in this country that
ever will be made effective will be ac-
compllshed at the legislature, nation
al and state. The initiative power will
do a good deal, but it cannot head off
the Legislature. The legislature sells
She taxpayers laws, government, of
fees, boards, commissions, and the
goods very largely are not worth the
money.
An attack upon public salaries in
Montana will be a very crude method
of saving money, and the returns will
be insignificant in dollars, and even
tually the net effect will be injury to
the taxpayers, because to force the
standard of pay down will be to get
porer public service. We hope the
state tax commission will think better
of this plan.-M Montana Record Her
aid.
GOVERNMENT VS.. PRIVATE