The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-01-22
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY,: Your honorable body having organized
for the transaction of business, it becomes my
duty to present to Won such recommendations
as seem to me for the best interests ofthe people
of the state. The electors of Wisconsin have
snokep in favor of reform in conducting the
business state. 1t remains for you to see
that the will of the people, as expressed, is
carried out A short business session, with
economy for your watchword; the passage OF as
few bills as possible consistent with the needs
of the state: little interference with existing
good laws; the repeal of bad laws, and the
amending .ofsuch as are detective, Will create
feeling of confidence on the part of the people,
and help to make prosperous and happy all
your constituents. The way to bring about q
shorts session is for every member to do his duty.
The principal cause for long sessions is delay III
the action of committees A few committees
that do not attend promptly to business, anu
allow bills to accumulate on their hands, cause
the WORK of the session to drag ano hlnueI
those who are willing and anxious 10 tran a
business and adjourn. The presiding olnceFs
should keep a close watch on the committees
and not hesitate to call attention 10 thOse WHO
cause unnecessary delay.
UNNECESSARY OFFICES.
The pledge that state expenses would be re-
,duced to the point necessary for an economical
administration of state affairs should be con-
stantly borne in mind. During the past twelve
years more than seventy Official positions have
been created by express acts of the Legislature.
and the reports OF the secretary of state show
,hatsome 265 more persons drew salary from the
state treasury tor personal services IN 1889 tnan
In 1873 These are facts sufficient in themselves
to justify, if not demand, the closest scrutiny
and investigation. to the end that unnecessary
officials may be dispensed with, and unneceSsa-
ry expense cut off. / recommend that this mat
ter, together with all proposed legislation look
ing TO the curtailing of the salary nst, ana Tn
reduction of expenses, be referred TO q speclal
Joint committee of both houses, appointed tor
the purpose, in order that such action In the d1-
rection indicated, as the Legislature may take,
no yg--l DO p1 q
term or office as governor has so recently Degun
-3at l have yet been unable to fully &C
quaint myself with this matter in
detail. Certain facts. however, have already
ZONE under my observation which suggests the
necessity of investigation. For instance the Of
fee of the state veterinarian created in 1885, cost
the state for salaries and expenses in 1882 49,,
6S, and for so-called glandered horses,
slaughtered and then paid for by state, $1,642-
ga total OF So. 54o67 and in 1890, salaries and
expenses So, 460.47, and for slaughtered horses,
ST, 612 61-$5 3.08-an aggregate for two years
of $10.622. IS. Also that the number of Senate
employees in 1878 was 65; in 1889. 123; Assem- ply
employees in 1875 Sc; in 1889, 49, total in 1878,
Isl; total in 1889, 274; an increase in both
houses of123. The expense OH account of Senate
employees in 1878 was ST., 546S 81 in 1889, $25171;
expense on account OF Assembly employees In
1873 $14,7095C; in 1889, $30,8S186; total in
1875 $780, 25587 total i'll 1885, S56,O0288; increase,
It will be observed that the number of en-
pOyes of the two houses has nearly doubled,
and that the expense is now more than twice
what it was twelve years ago. 1t does not seem
possible that this immense increases necessary.
There are many other places in which 1t is the
opinion of many that retrenchment is not only
possible but advisable and where, II the offices
are not abolished, a reduction in the expenses
can be made without impairing the efficiency
of the public service or neglecting the interests
of the people. / call your attention to
some of these: The dairy and food commission
eT. the state timber agents, game wardens, fish
WardenS, and the many boards created for the
furtherance of special interests. have else
where called your attention to the State Board
of Charities and Reform, and the State Board of
Supervision and earnestly urge you to take
prompt and decisive action in regard to these
matters, in order that the burdens of our peO-
pie, instead of being added to, has been the
custom for many years past may be light
ened to the utmost possible extent consistent
with proper, business-H efficient admins
tratiOn OF governmental affairs.
Very little in this direction can be accom-
plished without the active, earnest aid of the
Legislature, but with that assistance am con-
Edent much can be done. In this connection l
would suggest that the eDgrOSs1ng OF bills be
done away with except where the original bill
shall have been amended in snch Il manner
to make such engrOssing necessary, which in
itself will cause material decrease in expendi-
ture, and saving in time. This can very prop
erly be done by rule so instructing the clerks
of your respective bodies
It must be remembered that all special inter-
ests and individuals disposed for private pur-
poses to retain useless officials, and continue
the payment of unnecessary salaries, will at
tend your sessions, and by every means, in per-
son and by their agents, urge upon you the
the whole people will be represented by no paid
attorneys or lobbyists, and their interests will
be wholly unprotected unless you fearlessly
perform your duties, ana see TO IT that impartial
investigation and unbiased judgment take the
place of special pleading and selfish interests.
Let it be demonstrated that the cause of the
whole people is safe in your hands.
THE CONDITION OF THE TREASURY.
The last report of thesecretary of state showed
a balance in the treasury to the credit of the
general fund, on the SOth of September last, of
$S45895 Of. On the 5th of January, at noon,
when the administration was changed, there
was turned over to the in coming state treas
urer, as the balance of the general fund, the
sum of $23,599.32, appearing upon the books of
the outgoing treasurer In point OF fact, how
ever, the general fund of the state was more
than exhausted. At that very moment,
rants upon that fund to the amount of $50, 09687
had been drawn by the outgoing secretary of
state, (which those for the sum of $S5,642O8
had been actually signed on the morning of
the 9th of January and but very short time
before the transfer of the offices to the incoming
administration. Besides these warrants large
amount of unpaid obligations, Immediately due
and entitled to discharge, and for which war
rants should have already been issued, re-
manned unaudited by the retiring secreta-
ry of state, and the additional sum of $685.
9S4.44 has been necessarily audited by the pres
ent secretary, and warrants drawn therefor upon
the general fund In the meantime
this fund has had no consider
able receipts, and can expect none
OF substantial amount until about the middle of
February. In this condition of things the
creditors of the state are either obliged to wait,
or the treasurer is put TO the FISK, In order to
protect the credit of the state of employing
other funds in his custody to discharge war
rants drawn upon the general fund 1t needs
not be said that such a condition of affairs
ought not to be encountered. The annual rev.
enues accruing to the general fund sufi-
cIent to discharge all the annual obligations
imposed upon it unless unwarrantable and ex-
travagant appropriations be made, and this diff
fculty has arisen, as believe not from a real
insuficiency of receipts to discharge the obliga-
tiOnS of the general fund, but from faulty prac-
tices in legislation hitherto prevailing. 1t has
been customary, in making special appropria-
tiOns to direct that they shall be payable from
any moneys in the general fund not otherwise
appropriated, whereby an immediate liability
for the entire appropriation is imposed upon
the treasury, Notwithstanding. in many in
ttances, considerable time may elapse before
she money will be actually required, and that,
when required its disbursement should more
properly be made in installments as expended
1t is respectfully recommended that this prac-
t1ee be corrected by carefully providing in
every appropriation for the disbursement of the
money from the treasury from time to time only
as it shall be actually required for the purposes
TO which it is applied.
Another practice has added TO the difficulty
mentioned, and seems TO me TO require correc-
ton This Is the payment in advance, quarter
ly, of the regular annual appropriations for the