The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-25
TAMPERING WITH STATE CONTRACTS.

A<An4E EAAA1NU WITH DIA1E GONlhAIlC.
The insistent demand at Madison that the
state legislature act Immediately to either
amend or repeal the state teachers retirement
act is beginning to get disquieting to teachers
all over the state. The attack on the bill seems
to be backed by powerful influences and while
the titles of bills which have been given out
may be misleading the recent effort to suspend
the rules and pass an amending BILL this early
i'll the session, would indicate. that the teachers
are going to have to fight to secure the proper
consideration Of their rights.
1t is possible that the bill needs clarifying,
that there should be interpretations by law of
some obscure clauses but these things can be
done after sober second thoughts and there is
no reason to rush head long into legislation.
The fact that few large claims have been made
under the bill is not sufficient reason to repeal
it, The people of the state have no desires to
have the state WEIGH on solemn contracts which
have been written by the state with the teach
sers. Tampering with contractors is serious
matter and contract made between a state
and one of its citizens should be just as in
fviolate as one made between two in
dividuals of that state
There has always been question in the
41AA4iSi0 VI lAlAy pCOpS W
state going into the Insurance business But
Wisconsin has gone into the business and it has
written these insurance contracts with the
Eteacherss and the same safe guard should be
thrown about these contracts as the state
would insist on throwing about contract writ
ten by any insurance company and an individ-
ual. Not letter in those contracts should be
changed without both of the contract parties
koSy, F,11Tx
the charge. The teacher who pays his or her
money in to this fund must be impressed with
the fact that his payments are safeguarded by
the state and that they are not subject to
change at the whims of legislature. The
teacher who pays into this fund has the right
to expect that the death benefit provided
shall be paid to his heirs and paid without quib-
BILE the same as such benefit would be paid
by any other insurance company.
The teachers have not gone into this plan
with the understanding that the people to be
benefited by their saving shall be forced to
settle at few cents on the dollar or fight for
their rights in courts of record
The contracts which have been made with
the teachers can not be lightly regarded With
a state promises are not like pie crusts made
to be broken, but the state is expected to pledge
its word and its entire resources with every
contract it makes. The understanding is that
such contract carries moral as well as legal
obligation. 1t is hard for many of the teachers
to spare the money necessary to meet the pay
ments to this fund and it is going to be in
creasingly harder Teachers in Wisconsin are
not over paid. They can not afford to have
their savings become the football of a whinl-
steal legislature.
Teachers throughout the state should not be
forced to hire men to go to Madison to defend
their rights against legislation. The state has
made it's pledge to these people in contract
signed, sealed and delivered and the state it.
self should protect this great mass of it's cit
liens from loss of pensions or from loss Of
death benefits.
Members of the legislature are expected to
be honest and to have some of the elements of
fairness Any effort to rush through amend
ments or repeal of this law will have none Of
either element in them.