Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-12-15
CIRCUITS DEFENCE
EX-GOVERNOR TRIES TO JUSTIFY
HIS ACCOUNT.

Appeals FTOm tnS fin"e VI
vestigating Committee Argues
That Dillingham; Was AS Guilty AS
Fie--Makes Out That he Saved the
State $1,000 -Says Nothing About
the Nashville Trip--Rests His Case
With the People.
We publish the following by request
of Ex-Gov. Grout.
To the People of Vermont
The report of the special committee
to investigate expenses OF state officers
and states attorneys is officially pro-
mulgated and making, as it does, my
expenses too much by very consid.
erabie sum and leaving certain mat
ters, to say the least, unfinished; l feel
called upon to give all the facts oc-
casioning gubernatorial expenses
within the period covered by the in
vestigation, concerning which dis
tinction has been made i'll the report
between different administrations in
which similar acts occurred.
The omission of these facts from
the report having been presented to
the attention of several members Of
the committee including the chairman
and correction Of the report in this
respect requested, and the legislature
having adjourned without making
such correction, | am compelled,
either by silence to admit the report
fair, or make this statement.
The suggestions in this connection
arise from the Washington centennial
in Gov. Dillingham's period, and the
Mckinley Inauguration, and dedica-
ton of the Grant monument in my
period; on each of VIII ch occasions the
guard was used rs an escort 10 the
governor and under similar, if not
identical, circumstances in each case.
The particular point is made that the
allowance to the guard by me,
amounting to 81, 1903, is made by the
report a part of my executive ex-
penses and the allowance 10 the guard
by Gov. Dillingham; Of 80, 1872, is not
made part OF his executive expenses
nor does the fact that the guard acted
as his escort in New York appear in
the report. also wish to call atten-
ton to the fact that my account is
otherwise 1872 too large, made SO by
evident errors in two items and that
Gov. DilliDgham's is SAG too small.
| also claim that the allowances to the
guard by both Gov. Dillingham; and
myself are not executive expenses and
should be treated the same in both in
stances.
Section 4,4l7 V. S. gives the govern
or power TO order each year three days
parade OF the guard, by regiment or
company, at such time and place as
he directs and subject to such regula-
tions as he prescribcs. Pursuant to
this authority | gave eight companies
a parade in New. York of two DAYS
with allowance to correspond. Ii
these companies had been given a pa
rade in Vermont probably the COM
mittee would not have thought of
making the cost an executive expense.
The Gov. having right to put the
parade when and where he pleased
renders it as much militia expense
in one place as another
Then protest that the cost Of such
a parade is no more an executive ex-
pense than was the cost of the Ches-
ter muster, which was authorized by
the same section of law and does not
any more belong to my official ex-
penses than the balance of what the
militia cost the state in the year 1897.
In connection with the Washington
centennial in 1889, Gov. Dillingham;
ordered two days parade of the
guard in New York and it was there |
used as his escort. On account of
this parade he allowed the guard two
days pay out of the treasury, amount (
ing to So, 1872. do not claim this sum
should be a part of his official ex-
pens,s but that the fact belongs sn the
report and that the amount belongs as
much to bis official expense account
as the 81 ,908 does to mine.
After stating the different items of
Gov. Dillingham's expenses the re-
port has the following paragraph
"ln addition to the above functions
Gov. Dillingham; attended the GEN.
tennial anniversary of Washington's
inauguration in New York, and some
other official functions, within and
without the state, without expense to
the treasury The committee could
not have intended this statement, after
having found an item of $9l4.3s as
the governors staff expenses in at
tending the centennial.
The report mskes the entire exScu-
tive expenses of Gov. Dillingham's
period $l,754l4; while the auditors
reports put them as shown in my
statement before the committee at
81, 972.6l; in this last named sum
there are two months and few DAYS
Of Gov. 0rmsbee's expenses which
were sl75.45; deduct this sum and the
amount remains at Sl.797.l6; also
three months and few days of Gov.
expenses, amounting to
s423. IL, went into Gov. Pages period;
add this sum to the Sl,797.l6 above
and you have -, 220.S8,
} I