Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 222, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1914 — COST OF COMMISSION BEYOND ALL REASON [ARTICLE]

COST OF COMMISSION BEYOND ALL REASON

Democratic law Provides Salaries for Members and Employes That Are Excessive. (By Charles G. Sefrit.) -■ Just now the Democratic State press bureau and some of the Democratic newspapers of Indiana(are making a desperate effort to justify the act of the recent Legislature which created the Indiana public service commission. When the people of Indiana come to understand thoroughly all the circumstances surrounding thi4 law, they will not wonder, that the managers of the Democratic State campaign are apprehensive of its effect, and that these managers are occupying columns of newspaper space almost daily in the attempt to apologize for the constructing of this new board, which has placed upon the State a tremendous burden of expense without adequate return. Doubtless there is in the State a sentiment favorable to a law which shall provide for reasonable supervision of the public utilities of Indiana, through the operation of a legitimately organized and competent board, serving for pay in harmony with the services expected and rendered. But the present public service commission is not that Sort of an organization. This act, which went into effect May 1, 1913, provides for a commission of five members and an attorney, each of whom Is paid a salary of $6,000, a year and expenses. Thus the total of the salaries of the five commissioners and the attorney is $36,000 a year. In addition there Is a secretary at $3,600 a year. Likewise a chief clerk at $3,900, and numerous other clerks, stenographers and “experts.” The law is extremely liberal in authorizing the employment of lawyers, engineers and the like. It there were no other objection to the law under which this commission is made up, manifestly the salaries provided are indefensibly excessive and extravagant. Each commissioner, including the commission’s attorney, who was appointed in recognition of his labors in the campaign two years ago as secretary of the Democratic State committee, receives within sl,500 a year the sum paid to the representatives in the lower House of Congress, who have to make extensive campaigns every two years, while these commissioners obtain their offices through executive appointment and serve for four years. Each of these commissioners is paid a salary nearly double the salary of an Indiana circuit court judge, the officer that fundamentally is the most important to the general public of aM the officers in the State. Why, the secretary of this commission is paid a salary greater than the salary of a circuit'judge. The chief clerk receives almost as much as a judge.

The State of Indiana should pay Its servants liberally. This is generally conceded. No one would have the State be penurious or niggardly. But these public service commission salaries are entirely out of reason. The legislative act which created these salaries is an expression of the tendency toward a most startling increase in official emoluments and general administration expense. This pub|ic service commission law is a compelling illustration of this tendency among the politicians in authority to an unwarranted multiplication of public officers and a distressing advance in the public expenses. Until recently the salary of the Governor of Indiana was a thousand dollars a year less than the salary of each of these commissioners, and the Governor’s secretary no#, receives $l,lOO a year less than the secretary of the public service commission, and SSOO less than its clerk. The people, for their own protection, must wake .to the peril which menaces them in the extraordinary rise in the cost of public administration. If they do not, they are going to find themselves in a situation wherein their property, gradually but certainly, is being indirectly confls cated through excessive tax levies. Over and above the matter of the inexcusable expense of this commission is the faulty makeup of this board. Of the five commissioners, one is a capi-talist-politician, one a banker, and the other three are lawyers. And this board has another lawyer at $6,000 a year to serve as its attorney! Besides the board has authority under the law to employ other lawyers. In no sense is it representative or balanced. One pf the weaknesses of this Indiana public service commission law —as is the case with similar laws in other States —is the employment of it as a medium for supplying easy berths qt high pay for personal favorites and political pets. Much has been said by Democratic authorities about the connection of the public service commission with the “settling” of the Indianapolis street .carmen’s strike last winter. That disturbance, so far as the quieting of the rioting and the restoration of order were concerned, was accomplished by the presence in the capital of the State troops under the order of the Governor. The subsequent longed and tedious investigation .and hearing by the public* service commission did not settle anything.• But even If it did, are the farmers and other taxpayers of Indiana to be charged SIOO >OO a year to maintain a board of arbitration for the adjusting of the differenced between the Indianapolis strew railway corporation and its employes. Tho Democratic law authorizing the creating of a public service commission is an illuminating example of what a public service commission law should not be. And the commission, as constructed, lacks much of being an Improvement on the law.