The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-02-02

Furthermore fiat ten per cent
reduction in salaries would be an une-
| qualed and unjust method of distribut-
| ing the burden, for the reason that a
reduction of ten per cent in the case
of an employee getting one hundred
dollars per month would take away
from that man or woman the neces-
sites of life, whereas in the case of
an employee drawing ten thousand dol
lars year ten per cent reduction in
salary would only mean a little small
Ter bank deposit each month.
Salaries paid to State employees
should unquestionably be reduced, and
it is my belief that they will be re-
6uced, but they should be reduced in
the budget by the legislature and not
left to some ones whim CIR fancy or
partially, and they should be reduced
in greater proportion in the case of
the high salaried employee than in the
case of an employee who received
merely enough to keep body and soul
together.
"These three recommendations in
the Governors message then, the pro-
posal to reduce salaries of State en-
ployes ten per cent Though asking
that they remain in the budget with
out change from present levels) and
the proposal to use the grade cross
ing fund derived from a 12-cent tax
on gasoline for the reduction of the
State tax by three cents, and the i'm
position of additional tax on tobacco
products, constitute practically all of
the tax relief program so far SUBJ
mitted by the Governor, and l say
again that it doesn't even scratch the
surface in this hour of vital, impera-
tive need for reduction in govern
mental costs.
"This is not said by way of reproach
or condemnation. l willingly concede
that Governor Richie has done his
best, probably as much as any other
man situated as he is could or would
have done.
"But emergencies are not to be sue
cessfully met by honeyed praise or
cringing sycophancy, and if the peo-
pie of this State or any portion there
of are going to allow this session Of
the legislature to adjourn without def
initely and emphatically legislating
those reforms and adjustments that
only can bring the relief that is
needed, then they must be willing to
bear without complaint or murmur
the hardships that will follow as sure
as day follows night.
"This is no time for anything but
straight thinking and plainest speech
"a proposal has been made by those
qualified because of their hand to
hand contact with conditions in the
various sections of the State to put
all salaries of State employees back
on a basis that obtained in 1924, at
which time the average income of
farmer and city man alike was great
err than today, and to eliminate GER
tain non-essential office holders. This
proposal was met by the Governor in
his message with the request that all
salaries in the State budget be left
exactly as they are, and that a vol
untary contribution would be ex-
pected from employees.
"a proposal has been made that the
IL cent lateral road tax fund or at
least a portion thereof be allowed to
the respective counties for the use of
local road needs, either in the form of
debt service or county road bonds,
or to replace the annual levy for coun-
ty roads.
"The response to this request, so
far as official statement is concerned,
has been merely to say that what
ever tax relief is to be allowed from
this fund will be allowed for county
road maintenance only, and that only
as the State Roads Commission shall
determine, which means less than
nothing so far as actual relief goes.
"Any county should have the right,
through it's accredited road authori-
ties, to determine for itself the use Of
this fund in way that affords great
est relief in the way of tax reduction,
so long as it is not diverted from road
purposes, and road purposes should
mean in the present emergency, debt
service on road bonds. In no other
way can that degree of tax relief be
afforded from this fund that the need
of the people demands.
"The Governor and his supporters
take the position that this is State
money and should be expended by
State officials, disregarding, appar-
emily, the fact that it was in most in
| stances county or city money before it
became the property of the State, and
disregarding, too, the fact that in the
present emergency county officials
| naturally are in a position to know
how best tax relief may be secured to