The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-01-16
THE PROPER SPIRIT.


The Republicans in the Senate. have
already given evidence of cutting down
expenses to the very lowest practical
notch by declining to make, or allowing
to be made, surplusage OF minor po-
sitions with which to pay political prom
ises. There is room for retrenchment
in this particular. The swarm OF door
keepers, cloak room keepers, etc., etc.,
which has infested the capitol In former
years should no longer be permitted.
Already Donnelly is smarting under the
fear that the dozen or more places he
had farmed out for favors received, Will
be abolished, and to cover his own
tracks of extravaganza he is ridlcullng
the determined efforts of the Republic
cans to bring the numbers of employ
ees down to the minimum. Let Don
nelly and his o-called followers of re-
formers create places at So per day
and thus burden the state with an un-
necessary and wholly needless expense
of about $1,000 during the session, if
they want to, but let the Republicans
protest against such extravaganza. Not
only can the State be saved large sum
in this particular, but there are other
expenses which have heretofore been in
dulged entirely unauthorized by law
and inconsistent with good government
economically administered. We Will
call attention to one such item as an ex-
ample. A regiment of newspaper
fends representing the st. Paul and
Minneapolis papers put in an appear
ance at the opening of each session 30
liciting Senators to subscribe for num-
Der of copies of these papers to be sent
to their constituency. The Senators,
and members of the House also, have
been in the habit of doing this and then
passing resolution drawing the money
necessary to pay for same out of the
State treasury. Already, and within
one hour after the Senate had organlz-
ed, resolution was sent to the speak
er's desk providing for an approprla-
ton of 35 cents per member per day for
newspaper expenses. There are 81
members of the Senate Multiply this
number by 35, and you have total of
$18 80 per day paid out for. papers with
out the slightest authority. There are
ninety days in the session and if the re-
solution is adopted the taxpayers will
pay out during that period $500. There
are, in the House, Ia members. They
will very likely want as much as the Sc
nate, and if they vote themselves 30
cents per day for newspapers the State
will be filched of So, 591 in this branch of
the legislature, or total of SIS, 2S2. Add
this sum to $1,000 which can be saved
by refusing to create list of offices as
long as the multiplication table, and the
tax payers will be saved oyer SIC, 900 in
these matters alone. But there is the
House which has not been taken into
consideration on the employee question,
and if it shall practice necessary econo-
my at least 81 900 more can be saved.
The high moral reformers and reven,
ne cutters of the Alliance and Democra-
tic parties, led by Donnelly, will have q
good chance to show how deep seated is
their love for the down trodden and tax
ridden farmer by joining hands with
the Republicans in an endeavor to save
to the state at least $780, 900 in the items
referred to.
Upon this matter the Republicans
should stand firm and unyielding, and
thus demonstrate to the people of MIN
nesota who are the friends of the tax
payers.