Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-05-18

publicly upon different occasions. hut
the legislature has adjourned without
providing any additional revenue ex-
cept possibly an increase estimated at
5000 600 per annum after the first year
under the new mercantile tax law. The
appropriations will amount to as much.
If not more. than the estimated revc-
nues of the next two years. On the lst
Of June--but few weeks hence-the
whole appropriation of $1,000, 600 for
The year ending at that time will be
due. no part of which mas yet been
paid At that time there will not be q
million dollars in the treasury to meet
this obligation. In view of this imam
cial condition 1t seems to me unwise to
accumulate one appropriation upon
another when there are no funds with
which TO pay them. ! have carefully
examined the general appropriation
bill. as well as other appropriation
bills. aud have In every instance with
held my approval from items where
felt justified in so doing. In this way
I have reduced the appropriations
made by the legislature and withheld
my approval of bills amounting in
round numbers to $500, 900
MUST PRESERVE STATE CREDIT
"Jt Is my desire to pay the obliSa-
tions of the state which have been
heretofore made. and which II Is hon
orably bound to pay. to relieve the
present en-: :barrassment OF the treas
ury and preserve the credit OF the
state. No fair minded and impartial
citizen will justify me in approving
appropriation bills in excess Of the
unpaid appropriations made by prior
legislatures and the estimated revenues
Of the state for the two fiscal years
next following.
During the four years for which the
people have honored me with the ex-
ecutive Office | hope by economy and
care, even in the absence of additional
revenue to see these unpaid appro-
priations iquidated and the state
placed upon sound fint ticial basis,
A state, like an individual. cannot con-
tinue to pay out year by year more
than 1t receives and remain In SOL
vent condition, My purpose is TO pay
all appropriations made by the present
| legislature which receive executive aps
proval. and liquidate at least one and a
half million dollars OF the obligations
remaining from former legislatures
| during the next two years. In order 10
do this | am compelled to reduce the
appropriation to the common schools
| $500 900 year, amounting to mil
| lion dollars in two years, which, added
| to the $500 900 obtained by reducing
! other appropriations of the legislature
of 1893, will enable the auditor gen
| eral and state treasurer to reduce
what would be called the floating debt
| 81 500, 900 during the next two years
| In my judgment the state should pay
its existing debts, incurred under
the sanction and authority of law. be-
fore 1t assumes new burdens which
| 1t is impossible to pay
''The authority OF the governor to
dlsapprove part Of al item is doubted
but several of my predecessors in office
! have established precedents by with
holding their approval from part OF an
item and approving other parts OF the
same item Following these precedents
and believing that the authority which
eonfers the right to approve the whole
OF an item necessarily includes the
power to approve part of the same Item
therefore approve of so much Of this
item which appropriates $5.0 900 900 an
nually, making $40, ,OOo, 900 for the two
years beginning June l, 1899. and with
holding my approval from $500, 900 an
nually. making 81. 900 900 for the two
fiscal years beginning the first day o1
June, 1899.'
The governor has also vetoed mum
ber OF items III the general appropria
ton bill providing payment for salarie!
of state offlcials and legislative EN-
ployes that he regards as unnecessary
and he gives death blow to numbel
OF schemes to cover expenses OF certain
pet institutions and projects of SOM
OF the members of the legislature.
The Democratic leaders Throughout
the state are feliciting themselves upoI
the fact that they may get place OF
the bench OF the superior court at tn
coming election, as we'll as upon tha
OF the supreme court, of which late
they are practically assured. This l
made possible by a bill enacted by tn
last legislature. The purpose of thf
is to give representation on the su
perior bench to the minority part,
when two or more judges are to b
elected.
The same stipulation in the law ap
plies TO the supreme court, in whic
two vacancies will occur to be filled l.
November. One of these will 60 to til
Republicans as the majority party
and the second will probably be Alle
by the Democrats. On the superio
court bench only one vacancy will oC
cur by the expiration OF the term O
Justice Beeber. appointed by Governo
Hastings to succeed the late Justic
Reeder.
Superior Court Justice Peter Z
Smith, OF Lackawanna. is among th
Democratic candidates for the euprem
court nomination. II nomtnata0 b
would resign from the place he aoN
holds on the superior court beneh, an
this would make a second vacancy
the latter court, which, in view Of th
recent legislation, would give th
Democratic party an opportunity
elect member of this court. tn
friends of Justice Smith are perticu
larIy pleased over this new condition
as they feel that it greatly strength
ems the chances of their favorite.
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