Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-11

harDOfS. 1l,f0l %
Fisheries. ........ 1882 26
Take the last of these as a fair Illustration of
the rest. The commission consists of three
members, two of whom serve without pay; the
third, to whom the executive duties are left,
received STA last year. The rest was paid for
materials and fiShwayS, for which ample and
satisfactory vouchers will be found in the treas
ury.
The insurance commissioner received, last
year, a salary of 50, GOO. The rest of the expen-
dture was for work done, and for which large
surplus accrued to the state. The value of the
services of the public land commissioners could
only be shown by history of these lands, and
of what the state has saved from them. The com
missioners were paid for their years services and
expenses hardly 81, 500. They were also able to
transfer 500, 900 to the war-loan sinking fund,
and still retain the handsome sum OF S35, 900
as working capital, to be accounted for in the
next report. The agent for discharged convicts
received salary of SS00-the rest of the ex-
pense was for office rent tools, clothing, and
other needed charity. The board of state
charities consists of five distinguished
citizens who work without pay; the labor of
their secretary and agent, and of the necessary
clerks and officers, is now paid by the head
money set apart for that purpose 1t would be
better, we think, if they were paid directly from
the treasury, with no contingent interest in the
antiquated head money tax. But as the law
stands, and as the record shows, the board paid
TO the state last year above all expenses thirteen
thousand dollars. The bureau of labor statistics
is not money making institution. 1t was eS-
tablished on the urgent solicitation and pres
sure of General Buffers constituents. We do
not think their work to this time has been Just
or creditable TO the state. But that there should
be such bureau we have no doubt and we are
very sure it would correct its own mistakes in
good time.
The state board of health is composed of six
members, well known citizens all of them, who
no pulF nj nfff SC
that OF the secretary and executive officer,
whose services seem to have won a much IN pre-
intelligent appreciation out of the state than in
1t as vet. The three commissioners OF prisons
with the three members of the advisory board,
were charge to the state last year of S92 SO for
travelling expenses only. The salary of the
secretary and the expenses Of his office amounted
10 S7O6. The tax commissioner is the treasurer
of the commonwealth. In 1864, it was found
that the state could collect the taxes on corpor-
ate stock better than the town assessors possibly
could, and could save something in doing il,
The treasurer was accordingly appointed under
the corporation tax law. Other duties have
been added from time to time, so that the ey-
penses of the department now amount to $4,000
wear. These are fully accounted for in the au.
ditOrs report. The result is that the towns re-
ceiye as much as they ever received from this
class of property, while the state nets about
| S35O,OOO from an entirely new source of revenue
| namely, from non-residents, who could only be
reached under Such law and through such ma
ehinery. For 1870, the record stands as follows:
Corporation 81 4T4 398 OF
Paid to towns. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. US3 563 Al
Cost of department. ,.....,...,..... l6O25 "a
| Net TO the Commonwealth. ........... 374,79S SO
mat is TO say, the department collected for
me towns from corporations 81 ,0S3, 563.47, and
also pad to the state 1914 1886, in addition to
ny state snare IN the tax on national bank
SHARES adjusted through the same department
Inc services OF the liquor commissioner are
provided Tor by the liquor regulating law. The
vice only, the burden of the department faIiing
upon the engineers and draughtsmen cmpIoye3
by them. Both the commissioners and he en-.
glneers have rendered services to the state
which have not yet been recognized.
Many additional facts relating to these com.
missions, which we have no room for, illustrate
IN the same striking manner the mpudence and
the untruthiuIness of the candidate who pre-
sumes to discuss questions of state finance
without having read even the title page Of the
auditors report.