Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-08-21
For the Age.
STATE FINANCES.

10 any one WIN mas SNOH dltcItioH u
this subject for few years past there are
twoprominent reasons for astonishment.-
First, that the tax paying community have
so long and so quietly endured the reck'
less extravaganza of those who have con.
trolcd the affairs ofthe State and sec,
ondly that the ruling dynasty have had the
hardihood after having been repeatedly ex
posed, TO persevcre so tcnaciously in their
course Of corruption. On examining the Au.
ditors Report for 1914 the startling fact Of
continued is not increased extravaganza
and corruption stands out in bold relief.
To be fully convinced of this we need
examine but few items of that Report
The amount paid for Estate Printing and
Stationery''if reported at $685., II IAN en-
ormous sum for the little state Of Vermont,
although little more than $1,000 less
than in l843. This reduction perhaps may
be accounted Tor as follows several of the
orders in l343 were drawn for Stationery
State Printing &C.-while in the report
of 1874, no 'SC.' is charged, showing
concIusively that the SC. which has been
furnished from year to year, cost the
State in l843 something more than $1,000
au entire needless expense, for the state
had never any occasion for the least pos
sible quantity of that article But a
gain cfthe $4,000 paid for Printing and
Stationery in 1914, f. P. Walton s Sons
received 81, 943, 45 probably in the shape
ola bonus, for the falsehoods and decep-
tions, weekly perpetrated upon its read
ers, and for re-iterating the stale and
senseless croaking of the Auditor of &C.
counts about the 100000 fund Of the
State, with which to lquidate the public
debt
But the rage for extra allowances is not
yet abated, for No. 35 in the abstract, !"
reads thus-JOIIN SPAULDING Treas.
urer for EXTRA SERVICE borrowing and
paying $4,000 of Banks collecting
School fund, and paying State Prison
debts, SC. allowed by committee orc.aims
Sl96,9l. An order was drawn to the
same Spaulding in 1913 for similar scrvi-
ces, of 1854, Sc and these are the very
services for which the law provides his sala-
ry, amounting to $500, Well may the peo-
pie enquire why John SpauIding the wing
Treasurer of the State, with salary Of
$500, (for the discharge of duties, which
cannot possibly occupy the time of mod
erately expert business man more than
60 days in the whole, could have the I'M
bllshing impudcnce the misery ,grovelling
covetousness, to ask for extra pay. Well
may they ask why the auditor of accounts,
or his committee of claims could be so
lost to sense of the obligations they
were under to their constituents, as to en-
terrain for moment such an appeal from
tina, bloated lump of aristocracy. There
is a fact connected with the payment Of
the State Prison debts, which should be
exposed to the people in all its naked de-
tormIty.
The superintendent, Mr. Swain, urged
upon the Treasurer the plan of deposting
the necessary funds with him, that those
debts might be cancelled at the Prison,
and save much trouble to the claimants
and expense to the state, offering at tho
same time to give good and sufficient
surety for the faithful application of the
money. This Mr. Spaulding refused, but
did finally deposit portion ofthe amount
with the Bellows Falls Bank, where Mr.
Swain obtained the money and paid of
portion of those claims without any
charge for extra services, yet this same
John Spaulding, the wing Treasurer,
charges, and receives paw rom the State,
for this very service through the benevo-
lence and great kindness of the wing au-
ditor and Wing committee of claims
Now let it be remembered that all this is
the fruits of Whiggery.for none but wings
are entrusted at all with the State inan-
ces.
The people may with propriety enquire
why did John Spaulding refuse to en'rus
the superintendent with funds to pay the
debts of the prison? And why did he af
forwards claim extra pay for services per
formed by the Bank and the superinten
dant? The first enquiry may be answer
ed, by supposing that he wished to have
some excuse for claiming an c1hs alloc
ance at the hands of his friend the audito
and his committee. To the second, per
haps no better answer can be given thai
the advice of the dying miser 10 his SON
HJohn ret money -pet il hOnpSfIU if vol