The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-10
S6o7.825.12
$4,2a4,7s3.22

versity, Lafayette,
Ind, due April 4.
IDOL 340,o0OOO
Total domestic. $4, Pa, 1888 %
Total State debit S4s76, sos. "a
The item of ''twentylfour internal improve
ment bonds past due, 1924, 000," which appeared
IN the statement of the public debt in my last
biennial message, no longer exists, those bonds
having been paid On the 25th of May, 1888.
The Temporary loan bonds mentioned in the
foregoing statement, amounting in the aggre-
gate to the sum of $585,O00 though not due
until 1889, are now, by the terms of the bonds,
payable at any time sooner at the pleasure Of
the State AS they bear per cent interest,
and the money requisite to discharge them
be obtained considerably below that rate, rec
ommend that authority be given to the Governor
and Auditor OF State to borrow the requisite sum
at the lowest practicable rate of interest and to
discharge these bonds. large saving of interest
can thus be Effected.
THE GENERAL FUND.
The general fund, at the present rate Of tax
alton, will not be sufficient, unless it shall be
augmented from some new source, to meet the
ordinary current expenses of the State and the
extraordinary expenses rendered necessary
for the completion of the three additional
hospitals for the insane, and for the usual
loans to the State house fund. 1t is evident
that unless economies can be introduced which
will relieve the deficit the rate OF taxation will
have to be somewhat increased, or q sufficient
sum borrowed to meet the exiagency In the
event that a loan shall be made, provision should
be simultaneously made for the creation Of
sinking fund for the discharge of the debt at an
early day But before imposing any additional
tax providing for any loan every effort should
be made to avoid the necessity thereof by reduc
ing all needless expenses.
THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL
The failure of the general appropriation BILL
Mt the last session of the Legislature was not
followed by the inconvenience which were BY
most persons anticipated; and the propriety of
my determination not to cali an extra session,
which would have put upon the State ex
pense, at least, of from seventy to. eighty thou
sand dollars, has been fully indicated 1t was
found that laws were in force under which the
State government and ali its machinery could be
conducted, notwithstanding the failure of that
bill The general appropriation bill. if it had
become Law, would, indeed, have limited the
expense for each OBJ ectf for which it made provs-
ion, to the amount specifically appropriated
therefor, whereas the laws above referred to did
not, in most instances contain any exact limita-
ton upon expenditure Blu. the general appro-
prlaton bill having passed both houses and hav-
ing been subsequently recousidered for other
reasons than that its provisions were not salts
factory, 1t was deemed to contain an expression
of the sense of the Legislature. To guard
therefore, against expenditures greater than the
Legislature would have sanctioned, aconference
was held between the Treasurer and Auditor of
State and myself, at which my determination
them, and decision adopted that the ex-
pendltures for the several objects specified in
the general appropriation bill should not in any
instance be exceeded. The effect of this decision
has been that through effort to keep down
expenditures for the objects specified ia that bill
TO the lowest practicable amount the eXpendi-
lures have been less than they would have been
had the bill passed. An examination of the ex-
penses OF the executive department., especially,
will show that no greater economy could posi-.
bly, have been practiced.
The failure of the general appropriation bill,
however, occasioned great inconvenience to two
or three of the public institutions, from the fact
that no law could be found under which sudici-
eat provision could be made for them This in
convenience will doubtless be redressed by you
by proper legislation.
STATE PRINTING.
Your particular attention is invited to the re-
marks contained in the report of the Auditor of
State on the subject of the States printing,
The printing has, during the last few years,
increased very much in quantity, yet there has
been no corresponding increase in the appropri-
alton to pay for it The law is also defective in
not defining with precision what matter shall be
printed. Since the law of March Is. 1875, was
enacted, specifying the reports which shall be
printed, considerable number of new Offices
has been created, the incumbents of which are
required by law to make annual reports 1t has
been the practice to print these reports under
vague and doubtful authority contained in the
act creating the Bureau Of Public Printing
The Legislature should clearly express its will
with respect to what reports shall be printed
1t is believed that some of these reports should
be published but once in two years. in season to
be printed and laid the desks of members at
the meetings of the Legislature In regular ses-
sion. Other reports, allowed to be printed an
nually might properly be limited in length and
restricted in topics, at least in the years follow
ing the regular session. In this way very con
siderable and prudent saving Of expense might
be effected.
The Legislature should require paper Of bet
ter quality to be used in printing most of the re-
ports than the law now requires The paper
used is by no means equal to the paper gener-
ally used in other States of like wealth and ad-
yancement
Notwithstanding the Legislature at it's last SEES
sion failed to make an appropriation for the pub
lie printing, the present contractor Mr. W. b.
Burford, has printed the reports of public Off
GERS. the acts of the Legislature, and the House
and Senate Journals, with the expectation that
you would at the present session make proper
appropriation TO pay him for such printing at
the rates specified in the States contract with
him. The work has been done promptly and to
the satisfaction Of the officer required by law to
inspect 1t. recommend that the appropriation
b. made as soon as practicable
THE STATE TREASURY.
The aet of 1850 to provide q treasury system
for this Staten--which act is still in force-de
e!ared that the room then occupied, or which
Eiight be thereafter assigned to and occupied by
f&s Treasurer of State, together with the safes,