The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-20
State Expenditures.
A Message from Governor Dingley.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Auousta. Jan. 10, 1875.

ing the year 1874, in order that you may nave
full understanding of the nature and extent o,
the disbursements for every public op]ect' anu
thereby be able to reduce the approPriaeI, ono
wherever, in your judgment, 1t may pe aono
without injury to the public interests. mas
much as this state has never had an AUDITOR OF
Comptroller charged with the special duty OF
auditing bills and claims and keeping Ihoa
ough system of accounts, with view .. 10 %
porting to the Legislature the expenditures III
detail, il has been difficult to analy2e INC us
bursements entirely satisfactory. .d-
1t will be seen, as indicated in my recent ao-
dress to the Legislature, that the expenditures
of the state are controlled by consiue!a'loI
economy to an extent rarely observed 10 pubic
affairs, and that the opportunities for retrencn-
ment are comparatively few. SO TAR as tne!e
NAV be reduction of expenditures IN any ol,
rection without injury to the puoiic In'e.eo. ~
earnestly recommend legislative actioh w 'n"'
end.
1t will be seen from the accompanying STATE
ment that the aggregate expenditures ol 'ne
state during the last year, after deauctins sums
which simply passed through the treasury cas- was
81, 52S.643. OF this amount Sl, l420'o was W
account of debt and for edueatlona;t a"nro,
and $50, 1914 for special and exceptional apply .S;
priations, leaving 1926, 1T as the correct ofui'
nary expenses of the state. a..
have already indicated my judgment that
tile annual expenditures on account ~ co.. ono
public debt should be reduced from aoou. @o.u,
here. Justice to the brave men VINO peIIeu
their lives in defense of the country, requires
continuance of aid to soldiers Ialhiiles.
suggest that whatever appropriations may pe
hereafter made to the Bath Home anu jug
Bangor or any other orphan asy lum, snaii W
fixed sum for each orphan OF soldier auni,'
ted to either institution Recommendation VI
the Governor and Council. In this manner tne
aid extended will be confined to the sodiers
orphans as intended. / suggest that the re-
eoiuac miscellaneous DeDS1OQS,
which have been passed from time to Tune, De
carefully examined for the purpose OF ascer-
tanning if some of them should not be re-
pealed.
Of the expenditures for educational purposes
nearly 100000 is divided among the several
towns and cities, and reduces municipal appro-
pratious for public schools to that extent In
my Judgment the attendance upon teachers
institutes has been so small for the past rev
years that the state is not Justlhed IN 1urtneT
suggest that instead of this the State Superin.
tendent visit each county, ,hold meetings OF
school committees, confer with friends OF eou-
cation, address the people at various points on
educational topics, and, by every means IN MS
power, endeavor to awaken new interest IN our
public schools. A small appropriation for ex-
penses will be all that is necessary TO carry
out this plan.
1 simply direct your attention to the expen-
SEES of the Legislature and doubt not tnat you
serve. suggest that the full compensation OF
the subordinate officers of the Senate and
House be established by law in the same man
ner as that of the members and OF the presld.
ing officers l suggest also that the amount OF
stationery to be annually distributed to each
member of the Legislature by the Secretary OF
State be determined by law, and not be left to
doubtful custom which calls for an annual ex-
penditure of about $1,000 for that purpose,
AS the laws are promulgated by means OF
all flr mol
the state soon after the close of each session,
there would seem to be no necessity TOR longer
continuing in force the resolve for them to pc
advertised also in the state paper >,
For several years the Messenger OF the
Council has also served as private secretary to
the Governor, in addition to performing other
miscellaneous duties. l recommend that mere
after messenger be employed only when the
Council is in session, and that the appropria-
tion for this purpose be reduced accordingly. l.
also recommend that the compensation OF
Councillors, both when acting on committees
or recess, be made definite by law instead OF
being made to depend upon the construction
which has so long been given by custom,
If county attorneys are to continue beyond
the control of the state authorities, there
would seem to be propriety in having their
salaries paid by counties instead OF the state.
1 suggest that the expense of arresting fugl-
tives from justice ought not to be borne by the
state, but by the counties, as in the state OF
New York.
1 also direct your attention to the practical
workings of the law authorizing Justices of the
Supreme Court to allow compensation from the
state treasury to counsel for prisoners.
Attention is directed to the expenditures OF
the several departments. Undoubtedly care
will be taken to restrict the appropriations for
deputies, clerks, postage, printing, binding, ETC.,
within the narrowest limits consistent with the
public interests. l am assured that the heads
of the several departments, and the State
Librarian and the Superintendent OF Public
Buildings will heartily cooperate with the
Legislature in every measure to this end.
l suggest the prOpriety of disseminating the
appropriations for the transportation of public
documents. Towns and individuals that de-
sire documents printed at the public expense
ought not to ask the state to also pay Tor
transporting them.
The appropriation for the State Volunteer
Militia and an annual encampment as well as
those for restocking our rivers with food fishes,
will undoubtedly be carefully considered. A
little more than half of the $18 900 expended
for objects relating to the encouragement of
agriculture is appropriated for the voluminous
and valuable re port of the Secretarys embody-
ing not only the proceedings of the Board of
Agriculture, but also all the papers read in full
in two volumes containing about 700 pages. 1t
a smaller number of copies of a pamphlet in
paper covers, of less than half the size, en-
bodying only the proceedings and brief alb
stract of the papers, could be substituted for
the present report thousands OF dollars might
be saved, should the Legislature consider such
course advisable.
The expenditures on account of the Insane
Hospital Gncluding about $4,000 on account of
expenditures of the hospital in 1879, Reform
School, State Prison, support of paupers in un-
incorporated places, education of deaf, dumb
and blind, and aid to Indians have exceeded
$130O00 1 invite special attention to the
appropriations for these objects. The expendi-
lures of the several state institutions are made
by the several boards which have them in
charge.
1 have already recommended such legislation
as will not only make the Office of Commission
err of Insurance self-sustainiDg, but also will Sc
cure revenue to the state. lnasmuch as it
was intended that all expenditures on account
of the Railroad Commissioners should be paid
by the several railroad corporations, l suggest
legislation providing that the expense of their
annual report be included in the assessment.
The expenditures for printing and binding Idur-
ing the past year were about 49,, 900. of which
little more than $1,000 was for bindings little
less than $26, 900 for printing. AT least half OF
the expense of printing, however, consists in
the paper used. The large expense for print
ing and binding is not due to excessive contract
rates, for so far as the contracts apply to most
of the classes of printing and binding, the pric-
es are very low, but to the large amount of
printing and binding ordered by the Legisla-
ture or required by existing laws. The print
ing contract should establish a definite rate
per page for each engrOsSed bill or resolve. 1t
will be seen that the printing and binding of
the Legislature, the agricultural report and the
reports of the Superintendent of Common
Scoools and of the Insurance Commissioner
all of which may be reduced-comprise more
than three fourths of all the expenditures for
these purposes. Probably you will find it ex-
pedieDt to so modify existing laws as to reduce
the amount of printing and binding to very
considerable extent AS the expense of print
ing and epgrossing the numerous acts of incor-
poration which are for the benefit of private
parties is large, it might be wise to impose
charter fee on such private legislation as is
done in many other states.
/ suggest legislation providing that all the
stationery and other supplies required by the
several state officers and the Legislature be
purchased by some state officer under the d.
rection of the Governor and Council, and &C
counts be kept of the distribution of the same.
Also that the public documents distributed to
towns he placed in the hands of the Librarian
or Superintendent of Public Buildings to be
forwarded by him in one package. Should it
be deemed advisable, a considerable sum
might be saved by distributing only those doc
uments which will be likely to be of advantage
to the public generally
Without indicating further appropriations
which may be reduced if it shall Seem advisa-
Bile, l submit the accompanying detailed state
ment of expenditures for your careful consid-
Grafton. NELSON DINGLEY, JR.
WAR EXPENDITURES.
On account of war debt. $671 100 IS
Pensions to soldiers. ..s.... 22,S38 Al