Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-01-18


1t will be noticed that the general fund
this | wish to say Il word. The equipment
OF the militia and the general preparation
OF our troops for the war early in the year
necessitated extraordinary expenditures
from the general fund. special session
Of the Legislature might have been called
to meet the emergency, but this in itself
would have involved heavy expense. 1t
was necessary to recOntruct of the
large buildings of the state Industrial school
for boys al WaukeSha, which was destroyed
by fire, and on which there was carried
no Insurance | might say here that since
that fire the board of control has insured
all Of the state institutions, that here
after when buildings are destroyed by fire
it will not be necessary to Oyerdraw the
appropriation in order to rebuild.
This shortage in the general fund caused
by the extraordinary expenditures, it was
found necessary to prC~id for temporarily
In order to meet the current expenses for
the closing month of the year. Although
there was no authority for doing so, | re-
quested the state treasurer to transfer from
the trust funds for a period of thirty days
whatever amount was necessary to pay the
current DillS for December, and we were
thus enabled to meet immediate demands.
The license fees from railroads are due in
February, and the general taxes begin to
come In III January, so that it was only
necessary to transfer from the trust funds
for period of about thirty days. Advances
might have been secured from the rail
road companies, the state officers might
have borrowed the amount necessary on
their personal credit: but to do either
would have been unwise, not to say absurd,
while the treasurer had in his hands moro
than $4,000 belonging to the trust funds
which he was unable to loan at per cent,
the minimum late authorized by statute.
Rather than have the state fail to meet its
current bills l requested the state treas
urer as before stated to transfer to the
general fund 4 sufficient amount to meet
the requirements. Within thirty days suf-
ficient money will be received in payment
of taxes to reimburse the trust funds.
If it had not been for these extraordinary
expenditures the general fund would have
contained an ample sum to meet all eX-
penses and leave Il good working balance
with which TO begin the new biennial pc
riOd.
Governors Contingent Fund
On December 81. $685. there was a bal
ance in the governors contingent fund in
the hands of the state treasurer of $347. II.
The Pass Question.
The two leading political parties in convention
assembled adopted resolutions condemnatory of
what is known as the pass system and nd de- r
end to 1T. These resolutions were seVeraliy
unanimously adopted. They are to be taken, al
! though differing somewhat in form and scope as
| expressive of the popular sentiment upon the
general subject, and l earnestly recommend that
legislation be enacted giving full effect to the
popular viii as thus expressed.
| The theory of the resolutions is that the ac-
! ceptance by members of the LegiSa ture or other
| public servants, executive judicial, of such
! faVors from corporations is calculated to in
| fuencc them in their action by placing them
under Il sense of personal obligation, and there
fore is prejudical to the public interest In this
/ view neither declaration in my judgment is suf-
/ flciently broad to reach and eradicate the evil
! complained Of
1t is well known that it has been the custom
/ for many years for the railway companies of the
! state to send to all members of the Legisla ture
/ and public officials generally, annual passes for
| themselves This. to some extent, mas been
| true to express, telegraph and sleeping-car
! companies. The universally of the CUSTOM and
! the fact that IN the distribution of annual passes
to the members of the Legislature no discrimina-
/ ton has been shown, has tended, it is believed,
! to minimize any possible of fayOritism or
! personal obligation on the part of the recipients.
/ The real field for favor, and therefore of per-
sonal obligation. has been in the granting of
transportation upon the request of public officials
to constituents, fayors not granted a matter
of course and therefore possible of being con-
strued having been distributed with Interior
purposes. either to influence the recipients in
| future action to reward them for past action.
1t has seemed 20 me that the popular will upon
the subject can only be expressed by legislation
which VIII destroy the system root and branch,