The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-01-28
Gov. Dingley's Retrenchment Mes
sage.

Gov. Dingley's Retrenchment Mes
sage.
TO the Senate and House of Representatives,
L have the honor to lay before you q detailed
statement OF the expenditures of the State, dur
ing the year 1874, liz order that you may have
Il full understanding of the nature and eNten
OF the disbursements for every public object
and thereby be able to reduce the apprOprl
ations, wherever, in your judgment, it may be
done without injury to public interests. lnas
much as this State has never had an Auditor
or Comptroller, charged with the special duty
of auditing bills and claims, and keeping !
thorough system of accounts, with Il view o.
reporting to the legislature the expenditures
in detail, it has been found difficult to analyzt
the disbursements entirely satisfactory.
1t VIII be seen, as indicated in my recent ad
dress to the Legislature. that the expenditures
of the State are controlled by considerations o
economy to an extent rarely observed in pub
lie affairs, and that the opportunities for re-
trenchment are comparatively few. SO far a>
there may be reduction of expenditures il
any direction without injury to the public IN
terests, | earnestly recommend Legislative uc-
ton to that end.
1t will be seen from the accompanying state
ment that the aggregate expenditures of the
State during the last year, after dedurtinG sums
which simply pass through the treasury, was
Ssl 526, 80. Of this amount $1,141 ,O13 was on
account Of debt and for educational purposes
and $50, 1874 for special and exceptional appro-
priationS, leaving about 1926, 102 as the current
ordinary expenses of the State.
/ have already indicated my judgment that
the annual expenditures on account of the pub
lie debt should be reduced from about $3.50 900
to S450,00O, and | need not repeat my views
here Justice to the brave men who periled
their lives in defence of the country, requires a
continuance of aid to soldiers families. l sug-
gest that whatever appropriations may be here
after made to the Bath Home and the Bangor
or any other Orphan Asylum, Shall be Il fixed
sum for each orphan Of a soldier admitted to
either institution, on recommendation of the
Governor and Council. In this manner the
aid extended will be confined to the soldiers
orphans, as intended. | suggest that the re-
solves providing for miscellaneous pensions,
which have been passed from time to time. be
carefully examined, for the purpose of ascer-
tanning if some of them should not be repealed.
Of the expenditures for educational purposes
nearly S400, 900 is divided among the several
towns and cities and reduces municipal appro-
priatiOns for public schools to that extent. In
my judment the attendance opon Teachers In
stitutes has been small for the past few years,
that the State is not justified in further con
tinung the appropriation of $1,000 for this pur-
pose. | suggest that, instead of this, the State
Superintendent visit each county, hold meet
ings of School Committees, confer with friends
of education address the people at various
points on educational topics, and by every
means in his power endeavor to awaken new
interest in our public schools. A small appro-
priaton for expenses will be all that is neces-
sarv to carry out this plan.
| simply direct your attention to the expenses
of the Legislature, and doubt not that you will
give them the attention that they deserve. |
suggest that the full compensation of the sub
ordinate officers of the Senate and House be
established by law, in the same manner as that
of the members and of the presiding officers. |
suggest, also. that the amount Of stationery to
be annually distributed to each member of the
Legislature bv the Secretary of tho State be
determined by law. and not be left TO a doubt
ful custom which calls for an annual eNpend-
iture of about S3,100 for that purpose.
AS the laws are promulgated by means of
'eXtras'' distributed by all the newspapers of
the State, soon after the close Of each session.
there would seem to he no necessity for longer
continuing in force the resolve which requires
them to be advertised also in the State paper.
For several years the Messenger OF the Coun-
ell has also served ~ Private Secretary of the
Governor, in addition to performing other mis-
cellaneous duties recommend that a Mes
senger be hereafter EMPLOYED only Wheh the
Council is IN session, and that the appropria-
tion f,,. this purpose be reduced accordingly. |
also recommend that The compensation Of Coun
cllhrs, both when acting i'll Council and when
acting on Committees i'll recess, be made def
mite by law, instead Of being made to depend
upon the construction which has 50 long been
given by custOm.
If County Attorneys are to continue beyond
the control of the State authorities. there would
seem to lie a proprlety in having their salaries
paid by the counties instead Of the State. |
suggest that the expense Of arrcSting lugitives
from Justice ought not to be borne by the State,
but by the counties. Us i'll the State of New
York.
also direct your attention to the practical
workings Of the law authorizing justices of the
Ct IN
the STATE treasury TO counsel for prisoners.
Attention is directed to the expenditures OF
the several departments Undoubtedly care
will be taken 10 restrict the appropriations foI
deputies, clerks, postage, printing, binding
&c. within the narroweSt limits consistent
with the public interests. am assured that
the heads of the several departments and the
State Librarian, and Superintendent of the
Public Buildings, will heartily cooperate witt
the Legislature in every measure to this end.
] suggest the propriety of disseminating the
appropriations for the transportation of public
documents. Towns ana individuals which de-
sire documents printed at the public expense
ought not to ask the State TO also pay for trans
porting them.
The appropriations for the State Volunteer
Militia and an annual military encampment, Il,
we'll rs those for restocking our rivers will
food fishes, Will undoubtedly be carefully con
sidered.
A little more than half Of the : IS 900 eXpenl
ed for objects relating to the encouragement o
Agriculture, is appropriated for the volumin
Gus and valuable report of the Secretary, EN-
bodyins not only the proceedings of the Boarc
of Agriculture, but also all the papers read il
full. in two volumes containing about sever
hundred pages. If IL smaller number of cope:
of Il pamphlet i'll paper covers of less than hal
the size, embodyin@ only the proceedings and
brief abstract of the papers, could be substitut
ed for the present report, several thousands o
dollars might be saved, should the Legislature
consider such a course advisable.
The expenditures on account of the Insan
Hospital (ncludlng about $4,000 on account o
expenditures of Hospital in 1879, Reform
School, State Prison, support Of paupers in I'm
corporated places. education of deaf dumb AN
blind and aid TO Indians, have nearly reache
$l30000. | invite special attention to the ap
preparations for these objects. The expenditure
of the several state institutions are made by til
several boards which have them in charge,
have already recommended such legislatio
as will not only make the office of Commission
er of Insurance self sustaining, but also wi
| secure revenue to the State. lnasmurh as
was intended that all expenditures on accoul
| of the Railroad Commissioners should be pal
| by the several railroad corporations. [ sygge>
| legislation providing that the expense of thei
| annual report be included in the assessment.
| The expenditures for printing and bndin
1 Il tt,.N