The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-04-24
REGRETS DEFEAT
OF REFERENDUM
Shearer Comments on De-
feat Of little Ballot
Recently.
FOR A SALARY RAISE


| legislature, gave out a signed state
rnent today commenting on the fall-
| ure of the voters of the state to en-
dorse the proposed increase in the sal
| aries of members of the state legls-
lature. Assembyman Shearer main
tains he cannot see the reason why
the voters of the state rejected the
project upon any solid line of reason
ing and finds his only solace out of
the fact that the first Wisconsin dis
trict supported the proposed increase.
Mr.. Shearer's statement follows:
"Mr. Editor:
"When the news of the defeat of the
legislators salary raise was announced,
| was hopeful that Kenosha county had
recorded an affirmative majority. The
complete record of the county shows
that the measure was beaten by less
than one hundred votes. AS one who
believed conscientiously in the justice
of the proposed statute, I can only
take comfort in the fact that the First
Assembly District, which it was my
pleasure to represent last session,
voted 1889 to 1871 in favor of the sal
ary statute. In some of the rural dis
tricts, the vote stood four to one
against the proposition and yet farmer
members of the legislature were most
outspoken in their condemnation of
the present salary schedule.
SIN commenting upon the defeat of
the proposed increase of salary for
members of the legislature, the Keno
sha Evening News says: The people
of Wisconsin have declared decisive
| ly that they do not care to raise the
salaries of members of the legislature
under the present program. If some
one will just work out a plan where
members of the legislature will go to
Madison and get through with the
work in business-like manner and
show that they are capable of doing
something to advance the interests Of
the state rather than to advance politi-
cal propaganda, the people of the state
will be more ready to pay a fair re-
Enumeration for that service Very
fine, Mr. Editor; will you be one to
| help work out such plan? The peo-
pie get just the type of service they
vote for. Your prediction proposi-
ton to pay the legislators their ex-
penses should be equally applicable to
other officials. Why not also cry it
out on the County board, clerk, treas
urer, sheriff and others? You evil
IDENTIFY do not believe in the theory Of
poor pay, poor preach. Why single
out the legislature as body of men
whose only remuneration shall be ac-
tual living expenses? If your argu-
/ -
cient sheriff or district attorney should
be paid only his bare expenses until
he improves the service. In that case,
I ask, who shall be the Judge of eff
cheney?
Will Destroy Competition.
Gone very ardent result of the ac-
ton of the electorate is to destroy
competition in election for members
of the Wisconsin legislature. An as
semblyman from up the state who Wis
tied me since election said: Well, I
voted against the salary increase for
| legislators, because under the present
recompense those of US who seek re-
election will have little opposition.
This is quite true, and while it is
difficult for me to figure from a per-
sonal standpoint, why any member of
the legislature should SO zealously
guard his chances for return to Office,
| if this particular legislator who, by
the way spent only a fractional part
of last session in Madison, is desir-
Gus of returning, he exercised caution
in casting his vote in the negative.
Possibly if the other legislators had
| - II D. M
stead of sticking to the job to the end,
they might have finished without get
ting on the red SIDE of the ledger.
In my opinion, the opponents of liv-
ing wage for lawmakers, in voting down
the proposed statute, express salts
faction in existing conditions as ex-
emplified by the 1923 legislature. In
any event, they have narrowed the
field of candidates, and those who can
not afford to work for nothing, be-
sides paying out of their own pockets
portion of their living expenses, can
stay at home.
Not Selfish Measure.
'Any member of the legislature who
spoke or wrote in behalf of the law to
increase salaries cannot be charged
with selfish motives. Had the referen-
DUN carried, the Office would not have
been sufficiently lucrative to have
caused any great clamor. Illinois pays
more than double the salary proposed
for Wisconsin and seven times the
present compensation. We are told
that the measure was unpopular in the
rural districts, because its passage
would have meant an increase in taxes.
1t is too bad that the voters cannot
take crack at SOME of the salaried
officials around the capitol building.
Perhaps if some of the numerous
boards and commissions were eliminat-
ed, it might result in real saving to
! Wisconsin.
Means System Continues.
"The people of the state have spoken
and we accept the result. 1t means. a
continuance of the five hundred per
until such time as the people see diff
ferent. 1t means that many men and
women of small resources but we'll fit
ted to sit in the legislative councils of
our state will be denied the privilege
and Wisconsin will suffer the conse-
uuence 1t means that in many dis
! tricts of the state those who seek the
office will be imbued with personal mo-
tives rather than the thought of rem
dering real service. It means further