proposed tax
or assessment to the people to be affected by it, under such
regulations that it can not be levied unless at least two-thirds of
the tax-payers approve the measure.

One of the most valuable articles of the present State constitution
is that which prohibits the State, save in a few exceptional cases,
from creating any debt, and which provides for the payment at an
early day of the debt already contracted. I am convinced that it
would be wise to extend the same policy to the creation of public
debts by county, city, and other local authorities. The rule "pay
as you go" leads to economy in public as well as in private
affairs; while the power to contract debts opens the door to
wastefulness, extravagance, and corruption.

In the early history of the State, when capital was scarce and
expensive public works were required for transporting the products
of the State to market, public debts were probably unavoidable; but
the time, I believe, has come when not only the State, but all of
its subordinate divisions, ought to be forbidden to incur debt. The
same rule on this subject ought to be applied to local authorities
which the constitution applies to the State legislature. Experience
has proved that the power to contract debt is as liable to abuse by
local boards as it is by the General Assembly. If it is important
to the people that the State should be free from debt, it is also
important that its municipal divisions should not have power to
oppress them with the burden of local indebtedness.

It would promote an economical administration of the laws if all
officers, State, county, and municipal, including the members of
the legislature, were paid fixed salaries.

Under existing laws a part of the public officers are paid by fees
and a part by fixed annual salaries or by a per diem allowance. The
result is great inequality and injustice. Many of those who are
paid by fees receive a compensation out of all proportion to the
services rendered. Others are paid salaries wholly inadequate. For
example, many county officers and some city officers receive
greater compensation than the judges of the Supreme Court of the
State. The salaries paid to the judges ought to be increased; the
amount paid to many other public officers ought to be re