Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-10-11
State Expenses.

Governor Barstow devoteS considerable
space in his message to the subject of state
expenses He gives figures showing the cur
rent expenses of the state for a series of
consecutive biennial periods from 1860, the
"halcyon period before the war;" down to
the term ended July l, 1882. From these
figures he deduces the conclusion that the
expenses of the state for the year just ended
are $4,000 greater than twenty years since.
The governor makes no explanation of this
increase and the impression which his manner
of discussing the subject is calculated to leave
is that the state is not practicing good econ
omy. The governor has no fault to find
with the expenses for the state prison, for
the reform school, for the house of correc.
ton, for the insane asylum, for agriculture,
or for education, nor does he criticise the
management behind these expenditures.
Everything in that direction seems to meet
with his cordial appreciation, yet it is on
our penal, reformatory, and charitable insti-
buttons, some of which did not even exist in
1860, that the state is now spending money
that will fully cover the increase as stated
by the governor. The message itself fur
nishes the details of large portion of this
increase. Under the heading, "The Law
Relative to the Insane" is given table by
which it appears that the state paid for the
support of its benefciaries at the asylum in
1861, $1,000; in 1882, s37 10s an increase of
more than 900 since the halcyon Pc
Rod when the unfortunate insane were
Gagged up in the historic poorhouse without
the care and skill that are now devoted to
the amelioration of their condition. In 1860,
little more than nine thousand dollars
was spent on the state prison; for the
two years ending July 81, s75,l26 was
expended on this institution and for the
same period on the house of correction
S27,l4l, on the reform school S37 ,174,
against nothing in 1860, since these institu-
tions did not then exist, After deductng in
come and exceptional expenditures, another
large slice of the governors $4,000
will be found in the combined increased
expenditure for these three institutions. For
educational purposes in 1860 the state
spent 81 800 in 1882, on the normal schools
alone nearly double this sum. In 1860 less
than $4,000 was spent for agricultural pur.
poses in 1882 more than five times this
amount. In 1860 the towns paid the costs
of liquor prosecutions, in 1889 the state
In these and other directions the increase as
the governor puts it is fully accounted for
No point is made that benefits measurably
commensurate with these new expenditures
are not realized For information on thai
point the people look to the messages Of
governors and special reports of official,
and their judgment seems to be unde
niably in favor of the expenditures
If there is any mistake in their verdict
let it be made known and let things be SCI
back to the status which existed during tn,
"halcyon period" and then the states ex
penses will shrink into comparative insig
nifcance-whatever may become of the PEG
pie, We do not believe there is any caus,
for serious alarm in the exhibit made by tn,
governor, but, on the contrary, that in tn,
auditors report, especially, there is yery
substantial ground for satisfaction with tn,
general tendency of the state fnancia
affairs. 1t has been generally understood
that the state expenses for 1860 were large
than stated by the governor. The reports o
state officers for that period show that tn
total expenditures were more than tw,
hundred and thirty thousand dollars
sum which was reduced by receipts iron
county clerks and judges of probate to abou
two hundred and twenty thousand dollars
fully fifty thousand dollars more than tn
governor seems to make it, and the stat
owed at that time nearly two hundred thous
and dollars, whereas now 1t has no debl
We believe on the whole the balance of tel
timony is decidedly in favor of the presen
rs compared with the "halcyon period"