Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-04-10
ADVICE or THE GOVERNOR 70
THE LEGISLATURE.

Thursday morning.
After stating that the constitution |
provides that the Chief Executive !
shall offer suggestions to the General
I Assembly on such measures as he
, deems expedient, and disclaiming all
purpose of encroaching upon their
. prerogatives, the Governor contin-
n ues.
"Your prompt action in removing
= from Office detaulting Treasurer
has revealed the fact that if the Leg
- islature had not been in session when
= the dcfalcation was discovered, no
/, adequate means were provided by
existing laws to ascertain the amount
of funds for which the temporary
Treasurer should receipt, as Commits
sioners could not be appointed by the
Governor in the case of the suspen-
=, sion of the Treasurer, but only in the
event of an actual vacancy caused by
D his death, resignation or removal"
"Tho General Assembly will re-
cognize with me the fact that is alike
Just to the public, whose trust has
been violated, aud to the Officials
who earnestly desire an examination
5 of their accounts, that prompt in
) vostigation should be ordered, and
that ii should be conducted with fair
ness, dignity and thoroughness, dis
eliminating between uuintentional
error and criminal neglect as becomes
the representatives of great people
holding their officials to strict ac-
countability for the manner in which l
they have discharged their public
trusts To make this examination
with throughness which will result ,
in benefit will require months of ar
duous and patient labor by men es-
pecially qualified for such work. II |
is therefore respectfully suggested |
for your consideration thata special
commission, to be constituted and APP
pointed as the General Assembly
may deem best, and under such supr c
ervislon as they may direct, be estab- n
lished for the purpose of investiga- =
ting all the executive departments OF
the government, with instruction that c
soon as examination of any depar,- n
ment shall be completed they report Il
the result TO the Legislature, il in II
session, or TO the Governor during '
the vacation of the Legislature; and Il
that such officials as may be designs II
ted by the General Assembly be au- W
thorized to take such specific action Il
on their report as may be rendered
necessary for The protection Of the
public interest
at is suggested that the commits @,
sion be further directed,to formulate II
system of accountability for the 81
public funds and for public property, :
which will have the effect of lessen 4
ing, if not of preventing, the dangers 4
of future defalcations, and that hu-
in in' force when approved. = 7!
= invited your atten-
ton in my annual message to the
necessity of creating the office Of an
inspector or examiner of works and y
in which the State had L
an interest, and which were in any
way under the general supervision
of the executive department. The
recent defalcation of the Treasurer of
the State induces me TO renew this
and to urge the :.
legislative department to enlarge the N
duties of the Office, so as TO extend
the investigation TO every department
of the government. Under such n
system of constant supervision abuses
would be discovered and Immediate
ly corrected, defalcations would
be almost impossible, and the current 4
expenses ofour charitable institutions
could be materially diminished. In
my report on these institutions !
recommended that, with the estab-
lshment of such an Office for inspec-
ton, the per capita appropriations
for the asylums be diminished in the
sum of $40, which would result in
saving of more than $4,000 per an
mum in the current expenses of the
lunatic asylums alone.
81 desire also to invite your atten- I
ton to the large number of banking
institutions authorized by recent leg
islative enactments, the charters of ,
most of which require but a small
part of the capital stock to be paid in
before they are authorized to COM
mence business, and the terms of
which leaves all future calls for pay I
ment on the stock entirely discretion
airy with the directors. When 1t is
considered that banking institutions
when properly conducted may be
made to subserve the commercial and
industrial interests of the country, |,
but when not established on sound
principles, and when badly admins
tered, may be the occasion of wide
spread disaster to the community, the
necessity of proper legislative super
vision in the interests of the public
becomes apparent. Such supervision
will be opposed only by institutions
which may be doubtful of their own
solvency, and meets, as far as has
been learned, with the approval of
the managers ofevery sound financial
institution.
"The creation of the office OF Bank
Inspector, disassociated from every
other duty, with his duties so defined
as properly to protect the pub
lie without any unnecessary in
reference with the business of the
banks, is recommended as necessary
TO accomplish these ends. The salary
of the Inspector and the necessary ex-
penses should be assessed by the Au-
ditor upon the different banks in the
proportion of their business, and
proper publication should be made of
the result Of each inspection.
/, 81 desire also to refer you TO the
recommendation in my annual mes
: sage which suggested that all fines
be paid directly into the treasury of
the State through the proper chan
nels, and that the State officials be
paid from the sum thus collected by
warrant of the Auditor.
"The numerous charters granted
by you for the construction of rail-
ways are not uniform in defining the
powers that are conferred. OF the
L l. 4 i /