The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-03-06
. WARNING rRox GOV. HAsrrNes.
Re Tells the State Legislators that EeOno-
ny Must be Praetieed.

! De I41ctlSI0s
The following message from Governor
1 Hastings was read last Tuesday in both
Houses of the State Legislature:
Awaiting myself of the provisions OF
I Section IL of the Fourth Article of the
/ Constitution, which declares that the Ex-
ecutiye shall from time to time give to the
General Assembly information of the
state of the Commonwealth and recon-
mend to their consideration such meas
ures as he may judge expedient, desire
| Ia call your attention TO the financial con-
dition of the Commonwealth at the pres
! ent time. The total funded debt on the
| FIRST day of January, Is.ij. was S6S77, ,Gjl.-
2S; amount in sinking fund, S6l,2S5.53;
unexpended balance in the Treasury gem
eral fund, S2,9sS, 33S.ii. The fiscal officers
of the State-the Auditor General aud
! State Treasurer-have furnished me with
a careful estimate of the revenues which
may he expected for the current year.
The estimate is that the revenue for the
present year and the year following will
not exceed S9,4lj, - per annUn.
From nay own investigation OF the sub
ject, am forced to the conclusion that
the calculation is liberal one. The same
officers have also made a comparative es-
Inmate Of the amount of money required
TO defray the necessary and ordinary ex-
penses of the State establishment for the
the current year. The estimate includes
the support of the charitable and penal
institutions maintained wholly or in part
by the State and the -, 600 for the sup
port Of the Public Schools. According TO
the estimate the sum of 81. 526, ,200 will be
required for each OF the next two years.
am desirous, as / am sure all good citi-
zens are, that the expenditures of the
State should not exceed the revenues.
am firmly convinced that the strictest
economy should be practiced in the APP
preparation of money until the State and
country are relieved from the present fl
nancial embarrassment; until the condi-
tions improve so that the people may be
permitted 20 resume their wanted avOca-
tions and until the opportunity shall come
again to all 10 earn a competent living,
not dollar should be expended beyond
that which will fairly and reasonably
maintain the State establishment. | am
sure your Judgment will approve the
practice of that economy on the part of
the State which we witness on all sides
among her citizens 10 bring the expenses
within the income. The increase of our
population and the growth and develop
ment of our material aud business inter
ests of necessity iacrssSc the volume of
business between the citizen and the sew
eral executive departments.
If the prompt and adequate transaction
of the business of the State demands IN
creased clerical assistance. il should not,
in my Judgment, be withheld, bat the on
ly reason for additional clerical force in
any department ShOald be that of neces-
sity. During recent years in some of the
departments the clerical force has been
temporarily increased, bat because OF no
specific appropriations their compensa-
ton has been paid out of the several
funds created for contingent expenses.
Ny attention has been called To several
enactments by your honorable bodies and
other proposed cnactments, which create
additional offices. The Department of
Banking. by your wise legislation, lately
enlarged and adjusted To the proper su-
pervisiOn OF all State financial institu-
tons, provides its own independent reve-
nGcs, relieving the State not only from AN
additional cost. but from the former ex-
Pense Of supporting the department ont
of the Treasury. As to proposed legisla-
ton involving the creation of additional
offices, it is not my province or purpose
10 foreStall legislative action.
| may, however, express the opinion
that no Office bearing a salary should be
created, unless there is absolute Ee,essi-
~ thereof. But in cases where necessity
exists, it would be false economy, in my
Judgment, to cripple the administrative
efficiency by permitting the payment of
such necessary help ont of funds created
10 meet only the contingent requirements
Of the several departments.
The representatives of the people hav-
ing in charge the great interests of the
onwealth-legislative, executive.
judicial, educational, agricultural, manu-
featuring and c3mmerc;al-should. and
have no doub: viii, exercise that true
spirit Of economy which has for its pur-
pose the prudent care of every interest
within the bounds q! the State. This
true economy cln best bc conserved by
your honorable bodies in such wise and
prudent appropriation Of money as will !
hold the expenses Of the Commonwealth |
within her revenues.