The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-03
SECRETARY RAMSEY WRITES.
lie Takes Plenty of Time to Discuss
Matters Not Really at Issue.
Raleigh. \. c.. Aug. .. 1895


date you publish what seems to be AN
afterthought from the pen of Mr.. j. w.
Bailey in which he says that he lis in
formed" that an understanding exists
that CAPTAIN Jno. Il. Smith, Commits
sioner of Agriculture, is to get 5000
salary instead of 81 500. He then says
that THE padding of some items in the
budget at the June meeting of the Board
may throw some light on the matter.
He says: Gas, water and telephones
cost 500 for the past six months; for the
next six months 5000 are appropriated.
Printing (and) paper cost S3,617; $1,000
is appropriated. There is special appro-
priation of $4,000; of this amount
$1,000 is for the experiment station work
and $500 for the museum, the balance of
S4, 700 is for labor, fuel, repairs and such
special appropriations as may be or
dercd."
As to these intimations that the
"budget'' was padded for the purpose oi
paying Mr.. Smith additional salary. or
for any other purpose whatever, or that
the budget" was padded" at all. | de
nounce as absolutely false. | will pro-
cecd to explain why l have certain
knowledge Of the falsity Of the intima-
tons.
AS Secretary of the Board of Agricul-
turc | receive and account for every cent
of money coming into the department..
All cash is turned over to the State treas
urcr | also write the warrants FOR the
expenditure of every cent, they beng
drawn unon the State treasurer. me
appropriations are made by the Board
scmi-annually. i'll June and December
| make up the budget just before these
sem-annual meetings. giving the amount
appropriated for the previous half year
and the amount expended under cach
head Having charge of the books all the
time, and, therefore, i'll position to
make better estimate of what the OK
pcnses are likely to be for the next six
months. the work is naturally left TO
me. The members of the Board have III
every instance adopted my recommends
tions without change. | will state that
this method was pursued under the old
Board. which was Democratic. and that
| have in most instances adopted the
plans of Mr.. Il. X. Bruner, the former
secretary, who, as is well known, was Il
very capable man Mr.. Bruner assisted
me in making the appropriations III June,
1897. They were fully rs large rs they
were in June 1898. The appropriations
for salaries can he made to the dollar,
but there are many things that cannot
he forescen in making appropriations for
future expenditure in ii department like
This where the exposes run up into the
thousands in wear. Mr.. Bailey was Il
member of the Board of Agriculture for
more than Il year, and should have posted
himself well enough not to make serious
charges without Il shadow of foundation.
All these matters have been explained
to him and he knew better. but the gen
eral public has not had the same .oppor-
tunitieS. and | will make it understood.
In appropriating a certain amount for OK
penses which can only be roughly cStl-
mated q Board does not intend that
every dollar shall he expended. We Will
suppose that $1,000 was appropriated.
If ii turns out that only $1,000 are need
ed then the 81 900 is left to the credit Of
the department in the State treasuryi
Even Mr.. Bailey ought to be able to
grasp little thing like that. In Deem
Dor last 5000 were appropriated for gas.
water and telephones Only 500 were
expended in the six months. leaving S1O1
in the State treasury to the credit of the
department. Anything criminal about
that? | hardly think 5000 will be spent
in this way in the next six months. but
the bills will be to pay. and electric lights
will have to he paid for. repair made.
probably new lights put in.
Ii the budget for June was padded"
Mr. Bailey helped to do it, for he voted
for its adoption. At any rate he was
present and not vote was recorded
against it.
As Mr.. Bailey has brought up the
III hn. inf tod hot i.
wrong, or may get wrong, and has sought
to make campaign thunder out of his
illusions, | will take the items he men
tons and compare them with the fnan-
cial records of this department in 1896
under Democratic management He
picks out three appropriations for six
months, l. q. Gas, water and telc
phones," $500: paper and printing"
$4,000; Especial appropriations" $4,000.
| will compare these appropriations with
appropriations made the last year of
Democratic control of this depa rtment--
1896. In June, 1896. the Democratic
Board appropriated for ''gas, wafer and
telephones" 5000: for paper and print
ing" $1,000; especial appropriations"
$4,000. In December. 1896. the same
Board appropriated for gas, water and
telephones" $3.50. $50 more than was
appropriated by the present Board in
June last for the same purpose); $1,000
for paper and printing" and $11. 800 for
special appropriations" or $1,000 in
excess of the amount appropriated by the
present Board during any meeting since
it has had control. Now what is Mr.
Bailey and his associate campaign thun-
der manufacturers going to do about the
above facts and figures?
The only item apparently favorable to
the former administration is in the mat
ter of paper and printing In one in
stance the amount was $1,000 less and IN
the other 81 1000 less. But that is easily
explained. In 1896 the circulation of
the Bulletin, one of the largest items in
paper and printing" was less than
10000. 1t is now considerably over 30
000 requiring more than 80 per cent. in
crease i'll cost of paper and typeSctting.
In making the above comparison / dis
claim any intention of rejecting upon the
former Board or officials So far as |
know the expenditures were all legitimate
and judiciously made. and as | receive
every dollar and pay out every dollar ex-
pended. | stand ready to assert and
prove that the same is true under the
present Board ReSnectfuliy