Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-08-30
THE LAST CARD OF LocoFoCoIsM.


ccs of the State of Vermont, addressed to the
frcemen and tax payers, by member oil the
late Legislature" 60,
This is the title of pamphlet, which we call the
" last card of locofocoism"-its author is anony-
mons Somobodv-we know not who-sent us
copv of this precious document, but at so late an
hour ms to preclude detailed exposition of the ras-
colitv of this pretended "expose" We shall
merely touch upon the principle points far as to
chow the character of the document There is
first comparative statement OF expenses from
1896 to 1880, and 1889 to 1913 1t is grossly de-
ceptive statement. For instance: the "ordinary
expenses" of 1913 are set down at $780, l70 So
when the author knows, if he is not more ass than
knave that during that year the debts of the state
prison. accruing for years past, were paid making
for tho prison alone an expense of $l4,09l 26 and
by the adoption of the new financial SYSTEM funds
were advanced 20 clerks of courts for court cx-
penses" to the amount Of $l3279 90 There is
sure test to shcw whether the expenses of the gov
eminent have been advanced beyond the natural
increase ofpopulltion, governmental business, &C.,
and that is the amount Of tares. Have the taxes
been increased, or do the ordinary means Of the
government fall below its ordinary expenses? We
answer-No.
The truth is the financial condition of the State
was greatly Improved within the very year of which
the writer complains A new system was adopt
ed to cut down the expenses of our courts, which
under the old system had grown up to a degree
indicating an alarming increase of crime, or
Strong necessity for the pruning knifo while under
the new grand list system the revenue of the state
has exhibited gratifying increase. By the audi
tors last report 1919 the gross debit side 30
656-from which deduct Sl2,G66,4G cash in the
treasury, 2S27I,lS for the items above enumcra-
ted, b,3206l for dcbentures of the Constitutional
Convention, 2957,60 cash loaned on account of
school and safety fund, 5,92695 arrears of interest
to safety fund banks, 1920 for two former accep-
., Tho =
for payments of borrowed money, surplus money
and interest, making in all S0,950,7S, we have The
ordinary expenses for the gear, TO Wit, S69,S96,22
The whole revenue was $l50S56,
from which deduct S9,3GS,50 the bal
ancc on hand at the beginning of the
year, and 9706S for money borrow
ed, share of the land fund, surplus rev.
enue, safety fund.- and school fund pay
monts, &c. making up $5l,339,lS, we
have the revenue from ordinary sources,
to wit: so9,5lG,s2
Showing a surplus revenue Of S29,620,G0
over the ordinary expenses of the year. At this
rate, we think the people need not be alarmed even
at the ShddolU Of the state debt which will soon be
left. We ought not perhaps, to have deducted
the Sl0,2l36l for the public lands, as we have
done above, as these will be a permanent source of
revenue if the Wings succeed-and not to the
tune of $4,000 only, but nearer ten times that
amount per annum.
The writer has selected sundry items for special
animadversion As illustrating the knavcry Of the
whole pamphlet, we will notice the principal ones.
DebentuUes Of the Legislature From 26 to 80
this item 3G5. l13 4S-from 80 to '43 $Sl 40
65-beng an increase of SlG306 II in five years.
49, 435 % per year; but he concealS The facts that
in the latter period we had Senate of 30 instead
of the old Council, and that IN that period also oc
Cured the extraordinarily long session in which the
whole statute was revised In addition to this it
should also be remembered, that the increased pop
uaton and business of the state would naturally
produce an increase of legislation
An allowance of 1854 Sc to the treasurer is the
subject of great flourish The simple fact is that
the treasurer was required to re-divde and re-dis-
tribute the surplus to all the towns in the
state--a purely extraordinary service, not coming
within the duties he is usually required and expect
ed to perform, and for which it was perfectly Just
that he should be paid. This knave, however, does
not condcscend TO give the of the allowance,
which made with the approval of the Com
mittee of Claims, of which nearly one half were
locofocos! This very Committee, locofocos inclu-
sive, were in favor Of paying the Treasurer still
further sum last year-though not asked to do so
by the treasurer--and the proposition was prevent
ed by vote Of the House-aye, and by Hhig
House.
A similar allowance to the auditor is another
bug-bear. The fact that the Auditor was re-
the whole financial system of the state, and embra.
cling the investigation of accounts for years Should
he do it for nothing? The Committee of Claims
thought not-and every reasonable man will say
that it but right for the State to pay for serv
ccs which were required.
The Increased amount of auditors orders is an.
other topic Of alarm: the explanation is that under
the new system, the auditor settles varioussclaims
upon the treasury without expense, which were
formerly settled by the Legislature at a cost OF
about $500 for each day spent upon these claims
The Auditor is charged with making liberal al
lowances to political friends. This charge is an
uninitgatcd ialsehood--a libel upon that officer
We venture to say that every man who has passed
through his hands will testify that he has been too
rigid rather than liberal. That is our experience.
This anonymous slanderer then makes an on.
slaught upon the Sergeant Arms, and absolutely
him as receiving for his own seryicesas
"costing the state"-Sll00. 1t is the duty of
this officer to provide the necessary rcpairs
of the State house, furniture, stationery, oil for
lamps, &c. These items all went in to make the
sum of Sll00, and yet that sum is knavshly repre-
scented as the PAY of the offcerl! By turning to
the auditors report Journal of the last session. ap
pendix, p. p it will be that his pay was last
year and one half of the present years salary
1925" What comment is this upon the intelli-
gence or honesty Of ga member of the late Legsla
ture !" But this writer argues that there has been
great increase Of the Sargeants expenses because
a vastly less sum was paid to Judge Ware. This
inference is not just; the Judge is superanuated
and for this or some other good reason, we happen
to know that the persons who furnished stationery
oil, &c. had their bills audited in their own Names
and took the pay themselves, without troubling the
Judge. That explains the difference.
The next item is the state printing, which is set
down at the enormous amount of $4,000 to S3,5OO
per year ess, wehave no doubt than my other state
in the Union of equal population, pays land the
to11 Ron
paid to firm "to ensure the performance of
the Wing party" and "to distribute, grat,utouslu,
Wing papers among the freemen of the state."W
We know not the author of these charges; but be
he whom he WILL we pronounce these charges UT
TERLY FALSE. We refer the reader to page
81 Of the Revised Statutes for the law which regu.
laes the principal part of the State printing, and
him that we have secured that printing only
in accordance with the law, and because we offered
to do it cheaper better and quicker than our com