Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-10-24

which Il would not haye had to meet
but 1or the clllpable refusal q the Leg
islature Of 1895 to make the necessary
appropriation when the matter had been
called to It's attention. With the excep-
ton Of this item. neither the Legislature
Of 1893 nor the Democratic administra-
ton are justly chargeable with any OF
the so-called deficiency appropriations.
THE FIRST THING STRIKING
about the above comparative statement
OF appropriation is the great difference
in the total amounts appropriated by
the two Legislatures respectively. This
difference, SITS, 465, is enormous, when
its size is considered in reference to the
total expenditures. 1t shows that for
every five dollars appropriated by the
Legislature of 1893. six were appro-
priated by the Legislature of 1897.
With reference to expenditures for
State institutions, such as asylums, nor
NAL schools, ETC.. 1t will generally be
found that where the appropriations
were very large by either Legislature,
there was usually some permanent i'm
provement in the nature of new build
ilgs, apparatus, furniture, etc. Thus in
connection with the principal items in
which the appropriations of the Legis-
lature of 1893 exceeded those of the
Legislature of 1897, it will be learned
upon looking at the appropriation act
that the appropriation for the West
Liberty Normal School included con-
struction fund of $4,000, and that for
the Fairmont School about the same
amount for the same purpose and fur
niture, while the Glenville Normal
School appropriation embraced $780,
600, on account of permanent improve
ments. 1t will be noticed that the ap-
preparations for the Second Hospital
for the Insane exceed for 1894, those
of 1s97-S, by s9S,600. Upon looking at
the act it will be seen that about $780,
600 was appropriated for building or
construction purposes for those years.
The size of the appropriation Of 1898 for
miscellaneous expenses is mainly due to
the fact that it includes two items that
should have been provided for under
different heads, 5000 on account of
copying Virginia Land Grant books,
and 5000 on account of legal expenses
in the boundary suit between Maryland
and West Virginia.
The class Vt appropriations that
afford the best field for
REWARDING POLITICAL FRIENDS
in office are what are called contingent
funds. The size of funds of this sort is
usually a pretty reliable index of the
extent to which the party in power is
disposed to use public funds for party
purposes. Probably an examination
of the contingent funds allotted to the
different State Boards by the Legisla-
ture of 1897 would show strong indi-
cations in this direction, but itemizing
appropriations SO infinitely would re-
quire more space than is available here.
1t is worth while, however, to glance
at such appropriations of this character
as appear in the foregoing statement.
Civil Contingent Fund.-Under this
head the Democratic Legislature
allowed the Democratic Governor
100000. The Republican Legis-
lature concluded that a Republi-
can Governor would naturally require
more than his Democratic predeces-
sors for expenses of this nature, and
increased the allowance to SIS 600.
That it knew the disposition of its own
people in matters of this kind may be
inferred from the fact that before the
close of the first fiscal year of the Re
publican administration so much Of
this fund as was available was ex-
hausted, and one or two small .aiaries
payable out of it
HAD TO BE STOOD OFF.
Contingent Fund Of Executive De-
partments.-Under this head the Legis-
lature of 1893 allowed the Democratic
departments $4,000 for two years. The
Legislature of 1897 allowed the Repub-
lican departments for the same period
of time $4,000, an increase of $500.
Contingent Legislative Expenses
The Legislature Of 1893 expended I'M
der this head s4,700; that of 1897 S.
000 an increase CT $4,000.
Salaries of Clerks in Executive De-
partments.-The Legislature of 1898
appropriated for this purpose s35, 200;
that of 1897 $4,000, an increase Of
$500.
Contingent Expenses of Judicial De-