The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-02-10
FXtrayagant Expenditures.

A correspondent of the Pittsburg Dis
patch, writing from this city, calls attcn-
ton to the rapid increase of the expondi-
lures of the state government for ordi-
nary purposes. In round mum
bers the total expenditures of the
commonwealth last year were
S6,000,000 of which sum Sl,576,0O0
were for "expenses of government" AT
least $4,000 could be saved to the state
annually by cutting off the unnecessary
clerkships in the several departments.
With the exception OF the treasury,
which is insuflioiently manned, reduction
in the clerical force might he safely and
properly made in all of the departments.
In the senate and house the number of
employees is largely in excess of the force
actually required According TO the cor
respondent of the Dispatch nearly $lS,-
600 were used last year for the payment
of pastors and folders during the session
of the Legislature. 1t is notorious that
scarcely any of the men appointed to do
this work attended to it, but appointed
substitutes who served for about one
sixth the amount paid the appointees
Last year the "scrubbing" of the senate
chamber and the hall of the house was
paid out of contingent fund of s 10000,
but it is questionable whether the "scrub
women were the sole beneficiaries of
the fund. Since the scrubbing cost so
large sum it is not much wonder that
the expense for "buckets and brooms"
ran up to some $4,000. The pasting and
folding, cleansing of the halls and similar
jobs should be given out by contract. If
that were done the state would be saved
at least one-fourth of the expense it now
incurs in those items. The fees allowed
the attorney general for the collection of
debts owing to the commonwealth are
quite large. He is permitted to receive
$1,000 per annum out of fund produced
by a five per cent. penalty imposed OH
delinquencies to the state, all i'll excess
of that sum going into the state treasury.
As was shown in the Patriot some time
since, this was done under strained con.
struction of an act which is itself uncon-
stitutional. During little more than three
years of service the attorney general has
received about S23,000 in fees which
with his stated salary makes his official
income considerably greater than that
of the governor. lie should serve at a
fixed salary large enough to command
the best talent for the position. 1t seems
too, that Notwithstanding the fact that
the members of the Legislature were de
MED the $40 per diem for their services
in excess of the first hundred days of the
session provided by law, the state treas
urer paid the clerks of the two houses 6
pro rata per diem after the expiration Of
the hundred days In so doing that of
fetal violated the law which expressl,
fixes the salaries of the officers of the
two houses at certain sums per amman
The governor in approving the last gen
eral appropriation bill referred to this
matter and said in explanation of his ap
proval of the bill that he would have
vetoed the item covering the payment Of
this illegal pro rata to the officers of the
two houses had not the state treasurer
already disbursed the money The cost
of the state printing has about doubled
during the last four years, though as this
contract is now held at figure consider
ably below first cost it may reasonably
be expected that next years bills will
show large diminution. TO make a
long story short, great deal Of money
can be saved to the state by the appli
cation of business principles in the ad
ministration of the several departments
and the election and appointment of Of
ticials who possess the integrity, wisdom
and courage to put such principles il
practice. Some legislation is needed OF
the subject of salaries and kindred mat
ters, but after all the reforms that are
necessary will come only when the peo
pie see to it that their public servants
are men who will obey and execute the
laws.-Harris6urg Patriot.