Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-04-28
REDUCING EXPENSES

Representative Dewey w Johnson
of Minneapolis. progressive member
of the Minnesota legislature. recently
made suggestions relative to the
SlaShing of legislative expenses which
are constructive and received consid-
cradle favorable comment in the Min
nesota press. Without doubt much
can be done along this line without
sacrificing any good to be accom-
plished by the Legislature.
Mr.. Johnson estimates that saw
ing of between S150.000 and 100000
can be made to the taxpayers of the
state in the 1888 session by the elm
ination of useless employees and the
Introduction of other policies of
economy. He says: Il shall propose
to the 1888 session that instead of
handing out fat jobs to each legiSla-
tor for distribution to friends and rel
atives, it turn this task over to the
department of administration and
=, hpance, which can select employees
on the basis of ability and not for
political astuteness.
A resolution presented in the 1881
session by Representative Frank T.
Starkey of ST. Paul. another progress
sive, which would have amended the
rules so that those needing employ
ment would have been selected in
stead of relatives and friends of the
Legislators, was voted down by a ma
jority of the House members. Candi-
dates for the legislature this year
81 hn dot
stand against the practice of nepo-
tism, the hiring of relatives in the
Legislature.
Another means of cutting down ex-
penses of the legislature will be to
reduce the membership i'm both the
House and Senate. If the member
ship was reduced from 1913 to an
even 100 it would mean $4,000 less
in salaries at the present rate of pay.
There are 131 representatives and
So senatOrs-in all 1913 legislators.
The membership should be reduced
to about 100, that is 81 representa-
tiveS and 33 senators. We see no
reason why such move in the next
session would not be a good one. IN
stead of each representative serving
a district comprising on the aver
age nearly 10000 people he would
then represent about 10000 people.
In the rural districts he would GEN
orally be representing two counties
instead of one. The senators would
represent directly $4,000 people in
stead of 10000 as now.
The larger the body the more un-
wieldy it is, and certainly a House of
81 members should be able to do as
good or better work than one of 131
members. The same holds true of
the Senate-33 members can accom-
plish the same as 81 members. The
salaries of 9S legislators will be
saved to the state and there will also
be other savings in the way of less
help in the legislature True, each
member will have more constituents
to represent, more letters to write.
more callers and larger field to
cover in the campaigns, but it would
have tendency to bring out stronger
and better known candidates for the
office
The tendency is usually to increase
the membership of legislative body
when a re-districting takes place, it
is human nature for the members not
to vote themselves or friends out of
office. But circumstances alter cases,
and this would be good time to re-
duce the membership of the Mime
sofa legislature which will spell econ
Omy and more efficiency.