Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-03-12
Rep0rt Of Senate Committee on Contingent Expenditures

lures, to whom was referred the message
of the Governor transmitting the report of
his predecessor, Hon. "a. w. Randall's ex-
penditufe- of the Governors contingent
fund, for the year 1881, have had the
same under consideration, and beg leave to
make the following report:
The contingent fund appropriation for
the year 1861, by the last legislature, was
ten thousand dollars, which, together with
an unexpended balance Of seventy -seyen
dollars and seventy cents from the previous
appropriation, amounted to the sum Of ten
thousand seyenty-seyen dollars and seventy
cents.
OF this amount your committee find
that over six thousand dollars was paid
during the year to laborers and watchmen
in and about the capitol, which, in their
opinion, is a large expenditure # money
for that object alone; and this amount,
large as it appears to your committee, is
exclusive Of certain amount Of artisan
labor, nor does it apparently cover all ex-
penditure for labor during the year. Sun
dry amounts, which your committee are
not prepared to state, came up, not long
since, for appropriation in the Senate, as
having accrued to aborers in and about
the capitol during the months Of Noyem-
Der and December last. Your committee
allude to this item Of expenditure for the
purpose alone Of directing legislative attcn-
ton to it. In times like these, though ey
er ready to vindicate the rewards and the
dignity Of labor, they cannot consent IN
any manner to its unnecessary employ
ment; and, moreover, they are constrained
to say that the amount thus paid out Of
the contingent fund not only appears large
in itself, but large when compared with the
same kind Of expenditures in form r years.
In no year, as FIR back as your committee
has investigated, has this item Of expendi-
ture been so large. The average expendi-
ture for labor and watchmen III and about
the capitol for the last five years is less
than four thousand dollars.
The amount thus expended in the year
1857 was $1,914.74; 1853, S2,490.34;
1850, $4,015.77; 1860, $5,972.61; 1861,
$6,l36.87. Tbs recapitulation, connected
with the unpaid items Of that character
which seem to have accrued during the
months Of November aud December last,
fortifies the first impression Of the commit
tee, that the amount expended during the
last year. in and about the capitol, for "a
Dor and watchmen, is really large, and
with view Of reaching legislative action
in tho case, your committee herewith sub
NIT bill amendatory Of the law upon
that subject, and recommend it to the IA
yorable consideration of the Senate.
Your committee find that the sum
Of three hundred end eighty-one dollars
was paid out Of said fund to j. B. White
law, for swamp land surveys, which, in the
opinion of your committee, is a proper
charge, if at all, against the swamp land
fund, and not one against the contingent
fund.
Your committee also find the amount Of
eight hundred and fifty-six dollars and sew
enty-one cents paid out of said fund, du-
ring the past year, to B. w. Suckow, as
Assistant Superintendent Of Public Prop.
erty; and inasmuch as your committee
have been unable to find authority Of law
for The employment Of such functionary,
and inasmuch as they hold that the said
contingent fund is only subject to exeeu-
tive discretion under the law, they cannot
escape the conclusion that the compensa-
ton Of Mr.. Suckow from that fund IS I'M
authorized. Your committee do not con-
slider themselves responsible for the effect
of this conclusion upon the public service.
If that be impaired, the remedy is with the
Legislature If an Assistant Superinten-
dent of Public Property be necessary, let
that necessity have the sanction Of law
But whether the Legislature may or may
not have been derelict to duty in the prem
:ses, your committee prefer that the public
service lake its chances II that particular,
father than to have it relieved By the era
tuilous assumption Of fJrelgn authority.
Inasmich, however, as your committee
deprecate both contingencies, ana wish to
shun the probabilities of the one, as well
as to avoid the recurrence Of the other,
they herewith submit bill to authorize
the appointment of an Assistant Suberin-
, tendent Of Public Propnrty, and to estab-
lish the term of service and compensation
Of the same.
Your committee also find tg1 bundled
and twenty-six dollars for ( sernors
expenses to Washington, vi said
fund, which ii their opinion isrxa improp-
er charge. Not improper ii amount, for
while private gentleman can make the "Trip
at a cost inside Of sixty dollars, your com
inittee would not have the executive of the
State of Wisconsin, as a representative
character, conduct bis visits to the Capitol
with the burdensone idea Of saving mo-
poF but your committee do think il in
prol,cr in its character. Inasmueh as the
/ Governor is a salaried officer, and mas
much as he is salaried not Oily as Govern
or, but also by special appropriation last
year as "Commander-in-0 Chief Of the hill.
tia," to the aggregate amount Of three
thousand seven hundred and fifty dollesss
and nasmueh as Tie occasion Of his visit
to Washington appears to have bsss, Of 4
military nature, your committee are 81 the
opinion that said visit cannot be properly
construed into into a public charge, bas il
50 construed, It must necessarily rest for