The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-20
THE STATE EXPENDITURES,
From the Philadelphia Press.

L rum lne 1IlldueIpnla Press.
Some of our Democratic contemporaries
are making a great outcry over what they
call an enormous increase in the state OK
penditures during the past four years, as
compared with the four years of Gov
ernor Pattison's term. The points are
made by a jugglery of figures calculated
10 deceive but not honest. The purpose
OF these charges is TO make il appear that
increased expenditure is due to wholly un-
necessary things, and largely made up
of appropriations for individual benefit
This is not the fact. The legislature has
been pretty severely criticised for the
careless way in which it made appropria-
tons for certain investigations and eX-
ira employees. but these were halted by
Governor Hastings. And as our Demo-
cratic friends seem to want the COMPARE
son, we shall say here that the record
shows that Governor Pattison approved
appropriations for investigations and con-
tested elections amounting to s7,3lI.15 more
than the aggregate amount approved by
Governor Hastings.
O.
The total appropriations made for the
four years covering Governor Hastings
term are larger than the appropriations
Tor the four years of Governor Pattison's
term, just as in Governor Pattison's term
there was an increase over Governor
beavers term, or over the first term of
Governor Pattison. There has been an in
crease in some of the department expend-
lures due to the orgGnizat tion of the agr-
cultural department at the request of the
farming interests, the reorganization of
the banking department that it might be
made efficient, and the necessary increase
| in the number of factory inspectors. The
creation of the Superior court has added
| TO the charge for the judiciary. But no
| one objected to these matters when they
were before the legislature, and so far
| as We know, there is no objection now,
| their Importance being recognized.
o
Let us get at the other items which
| show an increase. The item for the indi-
gent lr sane has been growing from year
| to year since the state entered upon the
policy of caring for these unfortunates.
| 1t grew 100000 between the first two years
| of Governor Pattisons term and the last
| two. The increase for the current term is
| $i50,OOO, and is not too much for the pur-
pose intended. To educational purposes
| there has been appropriated under Gov
| ernor Hastings administration 81, 270, ,00l
more than was appropriated under the
| four years of Governor Pattison. The
| Soldiers Orphan schools and the Soldiers
home get $685. 900 more, while the increase
| to the charities, asyiums and hospitals
| amounts to $475,0 900. These are all sus.
tained by a public sentiment that cannot
| be ignored. 1t will be readily recalled
what an outburst of protest there was
! during the last session when 1t was
thought the appropriations to schools ant
to charities would have to suffer Every
| increase here Indicated was justified By
popular approval at the time, and the ag
gregate OF these three items amounts e
very nearly the whole increase in the ap
| propriations for Governor Hastings foul
years over those of Governor Pattison.
| o
There should be fairness in these mat
ters. There will be necessarily some in
crease in expenditures as the state grows
Governor Pattison experienced this in hi
last term In contrast with his first, and tn
fact that some institutions were starveC
during his administration has made thu
apparent increase all the greater. We can
not defend extravaganza, but we can af
ford to be Just