Year: 1873

In last weeks TRUE NoRTHERNER we took oc-
casion to say something touching the article on
the Judiciary as embodied in the proposed
amended Constitution, which has recently been
completed by the Constitutional Commission
and which will be submitted to the people for
their approval or rejection. In the new pro-
posed one We find the following touching the
matter OF salaries, viz:


ARTICLE IX.-SALARIES.
SECTION I. The Governor, Lieutenant Gov
ernor, Secretary OF State, State Treasurer,
commissioner or the State Land Office, Super
lntendent OF Public instruction, Auditor Gen.
eral, Attorney General, Commissioner OF Rail-
roads, Commissioner of Insurance, and all
other state officers, shall receive for their servic
es such salaries as shall be provided by law,
winch shall NOT be NCREAsED or DIMINISHED
during their official term.


SEC. 2. The Judges Of the Supreme Court,
the Judges OF the Circuit Courts, and the
judges OF all other Courts Of Record, shall
receive Tor their services such salaries as shall
be provided by law, which shall not be DIMIN-
lSHED during their Official term.
The State officers shall receive o fixed salary,
the judges shall receive a salary that shall not
bo dannisI,a, but may 10 increased without
limit to any extent they may be able to induce
a Legislature to manifest its lberality in their
behalf.


1t will be recollected that convention OF
Circuit Judges was held at the city Of Lansing
just before the assembling of the last session
OF the Legislature, the principal object Of
which was to devise some means by which that
body might be induced to make them an extra
appropriation.


We take it, the people are already sufficiently
burdened with taxation, and are in no mood to
have their burdens increased by paying extrav-
agant salaries. and particularly as the amount
of salary paid is no measure OF the ability Of
the recipient.


In contrast TO the foregoing proposition the
following article Of our present Constitution Is
definite and unmistakable in its provisions. 1t
reads as follows:


ARTICLE SALARIES.


SEC. /. The Governor shall receive an annual
salary of one thousand dollars the Judges OF
the Circuit Courts shall each receive an annual
salary OF one thousand five hundred dollars
the State Treasurer shall receive an annual sal
ary of one thousand dollars the Auditor Cen
eral shall receive an annual salary OF one thou
sand dollars the superintendent OF Public In
struction shall receive an annual salary or one
thousand dollars the Secretary Of State shall
receive an annual salary Of eight hundred dol
lars the Commissioner OF the Land Office
shall receive an annual salary OF eight hundred
dollars the Attorney General ehal receive an
annual salary of eight hundred dollars. They
shall receive no fees or perquisites whatever
for the performance Of any duties connected
with their offices. 1t shall not be competent
for the Legislature to increase the salaries here
in provided


This provision is definite and easily under
stood, and withal has an honest look about 1t.
There are no loop-holes by which any wrong
can be perpetrated upon the people. They
understand just what compensation their serv-
ants get. II the salaries are too low let us
know what is proposed to be given, and II
thought reasonable the people will vote It,
But such is not the case. The provision in the
proposed new Constitution gives no idea Of the
amounts to be paid, and that is just what the
people want to know.