Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-17

transfers, carriages, hotel bills, Pullman
car service except carriages and rooms at
Richmond and carriages at Nashville. The
stop-off features covering three and one
half days, it was thought would render
the itinerary more attractive and assist
in securing the needed number The staff
and Tennessee centennial commissioners
paid SIS for the tickets they used, and to
dispose of untaken tickets within the
guaranty others were allowed this reduc-
ton, and then as Gen. Gilmore advised.
there were three unused tickets. which II
at s15 takers could have been found, si5
would have been saved to the State
The members OF the party paid their
own fare to New York, the starting point
Gen. Gilmore had charge of the service
branch of the trip, and did all the busl-
ness in that line and was more oonver-
SAINT with such details than l. The best
rates, for the staff and State officers, was
&7 from New York, extra for transfers,
hotels carriages and sleeping cars, which
would have been hardly less expensive to
the State and not desirable. The full fare
for the trip was s65, tickets for which the
State paid this sum, were used without
expense to the parties receiving them.
Full fare for editors was $40 and tickets
for which the State paid this sum were
used ty parties receiving them without
expense. On tickets for which the State
paid $50, So was paid by the parties us
ing them. The other tickets for which
the State paid were to make up the num-
bcr necessary TO complete the guarantee.
did not pay anything toward the Nash
VILE trip. l apprehend that compare tive
ly or intrinsically the biennial period from
1896 10 1895 dscloses no unusual features
except possibly the Mckinley courtesy and
the Nashville trip when | was urged to
come. If you say the Nashville trip was
improper and should not have been made
l cannot agree with you. You may be
interested in knowing during the period
from 1896 nearly one hundred invitations
to functions more or less of public char
acter were received by the governor and
the practice of leaving Ii discretionary ry
with him to refuse or accept and incur ex-
pense is anything but kindness
When Gov Grout finished the paper and
came to questions things did not run so
smoothly. The resolution passed by the
Assembly of 1896, providing that a COM
mission of seven visit Nashville at no ex-
pense to the State was referred to and
Gov Grout was asked If he did not under
stand this as the expression of the Assem-
bly, that this was all the expenditure they
would allow. Gov. Grout said he did not
understand that this was the expression
of the Assembly that this was all the ex-
renditure they would allow. He did not
50 understand 1t. Tic admitted there was
no legislation authorizing him 10 call out
the National Guard in New York at the
time of the Grant monument dedication
and could not remember the killing of the
bill in lS9d drawn especially for the pur-
Jose of allowing that body to be assem-
bled outside the State. The bill was read
to him and he thought no legislation was
necessary to allow him to order them &c
New York. although he knew Mt the time
that 1t was not provided BY statute he
could cali them out for drill.
Some very searching question like the
following were put 10 him:
Was not the muster OF 81 tho most eX-
pensvc one ever known?
Didn't know.
What are the duties of Gen. Peck as ad-
jutant and inspector general under his
salary?
Did not know.
He stated in reply to questions that he
did not think Gen. Peck ought to be rait
extra for writing invitations to musters.
EIe would not commit himself on qucs
tions whether 1t ever occurred to hin
that Gen. Peck's biSs were unusually
large and should not be allowed He was
anxious to have these questions asked
Gen. Peck. lie never inquired If thes,
items were proper because Gen. Peck wa
an Old officer and thought he knew wha
would be proper.
When asked ii he could recommend any
regulation for the expenses of the COVER
nor in the future he said; Enact statute
defining the duties of the governor, fix his
limit to the expenses and then pay hin
enough so a poor man could afford to b(
governor.
EX-GOV. PAGE.
The only significant facts brought out IL
Coy. Pages testimony were that his per
sonal expenses at the Bennington centen
nial and the State muster were one dollar
charged for two meals while en- route t(
and from the celebration; that Gov
Grouts statement as to Gov. Pages Of
fetal expenses was too large, not all he
longing to his account that he did no
believe the expenses Of the governor coulC
he limited by statute without detractns
from tho dignity of the office. The gov
ernor should be ruled by the public sense
OF the State which any governor coulc
easily learn.
HON. C. w. BROWNELL.
Ex-Secretary of State Brownell was
questioned about the charges for travel
ling and hotel expenses which he hat
made as commissioner on the distribution
of the laws. He thought he had authorit.
to pay n clerk for this work, but coulC
not show n statute granting it. He wa'
also questioned about his authority fo
paying assessments of the Insurance Com
missoners' association and for charging
his expenses while attending the conven
tion of this association to the State, HI
claimed that these were duties that h,
performed in the interest of the State anC
thought the State should pay for them.
ADJUTANT GEN. PECK.
Gen. Peck was the last witness, and IL
answer TO questions admitted that he di,
not know any statute authorizing III
State to pay his travelling or hotel eN
penses, carriage bills, subscription TO th
Army and Navy Journal, Army and Nav!
Register, expenses of team to carry peo
pie to the State House, and did not know
as these things had been charged 10 th
State previous to his holding his presen
Office. He did consider writing invitation
to muster as extra work, which should b,
paid by the State. Different items of va
rious administrations were then taken NJ
in detail and he was asked to explain
them. He was sure the various item
mentioned were for service which th
governor ordered done and which were al
lowed him as extra but he did not hav
any copies of orders given him by tn
governors authorizing the eXtraordtnar.
expenses referred to by the committee.
In regard to various bills for pictures
he stated he had no authority to purchas
| them except the custom. and that tn
pictures were placed in the adjutant an'
inspector generals office.
From the figures quoted by the commit
tee tonight it is evident they have sum
married. the expenses of each administra
tion and If they embody these in thei
report they will astonish people by thei
size.
RECEPTION VERMONT OFFICERS
Banquet Given by Knights of Pythia
Lodge of Bennington.
Bennington, VT, Nov. l6.-Monumen