Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-10-26
FISHERS FOLLY.
ExTRAV STATEMENT
ON THE STUMP CORRECTED.
Gov. Rich,s Administration Ons of the
Rest Michigan Has Ever Hsd.-Honest
and Economical.

spicuous manner. In the form OF ques-
tions and unsupported assertions he is
repeating the same stuff about the eX-
travagance of Gov. Rich's administra-
tion that has been published in the
Democratic handbook and already
refuted by Republican papers.
At Ann Arbor and elsewhere he has
made the wild assertion that Gov.
Richs administration has cost the peo-
pie S733, 7ss. 25 more than Gov. Winans
did, when, as has been already shown,
theRepublican administration has been
S323, 626 Is more economical than the
Democratic. Mr. Fishers lack of can
dor, if not downright dishonesty, is
shown by the fact that he never tells
his hearers that the Democrats had the
advantage Of receiving 1920, $50. GO from
the United States and also reduced the
working funds of the state 1857, SIS.
thus making S67s, 502.54 spent, OF
which they are not willing 10 give a
word of eXpla Are the people
willing to trust such men 80 manage
their affairs? No, they have had one
experience with Democratic manage
ment in Michigan of late years and
that one is enough
i y
Of the state had been overdrawn within
the last 30 days. So far from being
overdrawn was the state treasury on
the first day of October inst, that it
contained S492, 63s.l0, which shows
that the Republican administration
has not only stood the strain Of Demo
cratic deficiencies and heavy expendi-
lures, but has also brought the treas
ury up 10 its normal condition.
He also represented that there
had been great increase in the
number and cost of clerical help in the
several departments. The fact is as
has already been shown, that there is
absolutely no increase in clerical help
throughout the departments, except in
the auditor general 5 Office and in the
secretary Of states. The former is
caused by return TO the state system
Of the collection of delinquent taxes.
The work which was done under the
Democratic administration in the 81
counties is now done by the state, but
at no increase of expense TO the people.
About so extra clerks are now employed
in the state department on the compi
lation Of the state census.
1t is true, as he asserted, that the
salaries of the justices of the supreme
court were increased, but at the same
( time they were required TO move to
Lansing and devote themselves con-
! tinuously TO the legal business before
them The court has thus been prac-
! tically always in session Business
has been dispatched as never before
The court has caught up with its work.
Unless this change had been made
additional judges would have been
necessary. so that virtually there has
been no increase of expense. Why
cannot Democrat tell the whole
truth? The Republicans are willing
TO go before the people with the
question of increase in the judges
salaries.
The salary of the governors clerk,
however, was Not increased as Mr.,
Fisher asserts. Although this is a
small matter, it is worth notice as an
instance of Democratic misreprese Ia
ton The legislature of 1893 sane
toned by law what the Democrats did
without law. The Republicans put on
the statute book what the Democrats
did under cover. These are the facts:
The law originally provided for an
executive clerk at salary of not TO
| exceed $500. When the pardon board
was first created, 500 were allowed for
clerical help. The executive clerk did
the work under the Luce and Winans
administrations both. making $1,000
salary. When the Democratic lcgisla-
ture created Il board Of inspectors
for the prisons. that board wanted a
clerk at the capitol and he was paid
$500 out of the general fund by the
state auditors. although the law pro-
vided for no such clerk. The whole
amount. 81 800. was first given To EXecU-
tive Clerk Iiovcy. under GOV Wiuans.
When the pardon board was reOrgan-
lied by the last legislature the same
provision as 10 clerical help was con
tinued and the compensation placed at
81, 800. as it stood before the amount
having been first fixed by the Demo
Gratis Why isn't the whole truth bet
ter than a lie?
The auditor general salary was in
creased when it was supposed by Demo
Gratis and Republicans alike that the
salaries Of all the state officers had
been increased by the people 1t Is
recognized by all who are familiar with
state affairs that the auditor general
and the attorney-gencral- whose in
crease OF salary Mr.. Fisher does not
notice--arc entitled TO greater salaries
than the other officers.
Mr.. flNhcr lays great stress on the
fact that the state prison made some
money in lS92 \ consideration Of that
question raises some reflections that
Fisher ought to keep out of sight for
his party's good In 1892. when every
thing in the business world was boom
ing and every convict in the state
prison was working on contracts, that
institution made money: but today,
when manufacturing has been killed
by "A Democratic administration and the
prejudice against prison labor has been
intensified by Democratic agitation for
political purposes and 300 convicts are
idle, this institution is not making
money and cannot be expected 10 do
so. Instead of being a profit TO the
state, the house of correction at Iopia,
under Democratic auspices, cost $50, 00O
more than its estimate for 1912, and
the Marquette prison sac, 900 more an
aggregate deficiency of S9s, 900, which
the Rich administration had TO assume
and pay.
Instead of being extraya CANT, the
administration of Gov. Rich has been
the best the state has had for many a
day. IL has honestly met its obliga-
lions, paid every man his due and will