Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-03-26
F., GIVE INCREASE
Naxt Tuesday Ought
!, "..s ayes" on Amend
,,oI Increase Salaries.

,i.ta "1 SS OH AAACAAA-
cunt, ! 10 Increase Salaries.
LET the people Of Wis
ectio. n.y. go asked to vote upon a
amendment to the state
.,-on to change the salary
'u Lors Of their legislature.
slD yssont salary Of $500 per
Nv oonivaIent to $2.72 for each
~ DAYS that the 1923 legis-
Farm. w. as in session. All other
'alue ,. G legislatures of the last
. p ~. have been in session
' %on 184 days and the pay
y, members, consequently,
y ~, less than S2.72 per day.
'''S' t5or state pays the members
legislature at so low rate.
and Oregon, next to Wis
! Of the bottom of the list,
g per day and every other
At least 'S4 per day or more.
ants Wisconsin the farmers of the
4;+,tion of l848 fixed the sal
A. the members of the legis-
70 at $3.50 per day. In 1867
was changed to $3.50 per year
IN 1881 to $500 for the term
ro years.
;oce 1881 the population of the
has doubled and it's wealth
rs,sed twentyfoId. This in
,,e in population and wealth
IN lead to a corresponding in
,se in the volume Of legislative
mess In contrast with a reg
session Of IS days in 1883, the
legislature which met after
$500 salary was fixed, the reg
, sessions of several of the
satures of the last ten years
e exceeded 200 days. Special
gons, moreover, have become
uent. Members are not paid
special sessions.
While the amount of time which
members of the legislature
a devote to their duties is now
DIV much greater than in 1881,
purchasing power of the salary
ch they receive has decreased
more than one-half. While in
81 members could rent rooms in
5diSOn for 81 per month and
uId get board for 81 per week
less, they must now pay at least
per week or more for room
Ld 81 to SIS per week for board.
The pending amendment was
RSsed unanimously by the legisla-
reS Of 1921 and 1923, and has
~ support of all political parties
hd factions in the state. To date
opposition has been expressed
gamst this amendment. Be
PuSe there IS no organization ac-
kyey pushing this amendment,
oWeyer, 1t may, nevertheless, be
eieated; this should be avoided.
The powers of the state Iegis-
PJHe are so important that cleo
ION to the legislature should be
egaTded as one of the highest
Onors within gift of the people.
Decause Of the low salary however,
Ene positions in the legislature in
nany districts have in recent
ears gone begging" and it has
become increasingly difficult to
eI the strongest men in the com
auaJy to become candidates.
many OF the members elected to
De legislature, moreover, come
"Iya the idea of serving but
Png.e term and refuse to- be can
loaJeS for reelection. In conse-
oeAee' tWo-thirds or more of the
members Of each legislature are
" members without previous
esiSIatiVe experience.
Inc amendment to be voted on
ap[I LIST involves more than fair
oeaIlng on the part of the people
"Int their servants. In the last
analysis 1t raises a question of
sOOa government, with all of the
s'"ence supporting the conclus-
~" That the founders of this coun-
ny were correct when they adopt
." 'ne policy of paying legislators
d sufficient salary to compensate
'"ell reasonably for time spent in
syI''le OF the public. This is what
"e pending amendment proposes
W no and why it should be adopt
w w aO the election on April 1st.
voters OF Wisconsin are urged to
.u-l Iayorably for the amendment.