The St. Louis Republic., 1900-08-22

TO 69S5 miles. and the assessed valuation OF
all property from $5i2,2 ,3Ii in 1872 10 81
comparative exhibits, omitting some o! IT'S
voiuminous details to avoid respassing
unduly upon your patience. | may say,
however, that every fiscal exhibit | have
made or Shall make is official and accurate.
Comparative Exhibit.
Eight years of Republican rule prior 10
Democratic ascendency in 1873 cost the tax,
payers $l6o.4o more for printing the laws and
journals than the cost for like purpose
under twenty-eight years of Democratic
rule.
During 1867 and 1865. the last years of
Governor Fletchers administration, the Re
publican party expended N6,66y.@ more Tor
printing. copying and distributing the laws
and journals than was expended during the
last two years of Governor Stephens's ad-
ministration for the same objects. That Is
TO say, the Republicans expended more than
eight times as much money for this pur,
pose in 1867 and 1S6S than the Democrats did
In 1899 and 1900. a like favorable exhibit is
disclosed by the official records in FAVOR OF
Democratic management in the expenses OF
the General Assembly. During the eight
years OF Republican and Liberal Republican
rule PRIOR 10 the administration OF Governor
WoodSon the pay and contingent expenses
of the Legislature amounted to Sl.5li,V2iSi
while the. expenditures for the same pur-
poses under twenty-eight years of Demo-
cratic control We're s2,S25. .50S. l3. That Is to
say, the average annual expenditures OF Re-
publican administration during eight years
OF control was SiS9, ,253.l0.
The average annual cost under Democratic
control was only l00,55S6S The total cost
OF the last Legislature amounted TO $780,
SS9.l9, which is $l2,6i6n less than the aver
age cost OF the four Republican legislatures
which assembled prior TO 1913.
In this connection L may say that the Re
publican candidate for Governor, according
TO dispatch TO the st. Louis Globe Demo-
! crat of the 18th of July last, from Monett
stated at Jenkins, Barry County, that the
last Legislature cost the taxpayers nearly
Sj00,0Q0, and in a speech at Delmar Garden,
St Louis. on the evening of July %. he also
taxpayers $500 daily. In discussing affairs
at Monet. ON the night Of July Ii, he fur
ther asserted that number Of the war
rants. Of the members of the General AS
sembly went to protest" and there We're
Isl persons on the pay rolls of the State
doing clerical work in both houses 1t may
be true that the clerical force of the last
number really required for the economical
transaction of business. The honorable
gentleman, however, In the assertions to
which l have referred. has exhibited an In
accuracy wholly unwarranted by the facts.
The total cost of the recent Legislature
stated. is less than the average cost Of
the Republican Legislatures prior to DEM
ocratic rule. However the fact of Repub-
.. lican extravaganza both in State and ma
tionai administrations should not be ac-
cepted as a precedent by Democrats. 1t is
true that the Republican party wasted the
trolled this State. and it is also true that
its record in national affairs. as l shall
presently show, IS record OF reckless
prodigality, but in submitting the exhibit
shall not wander from the record. as did
| the gentleman named for the great office
of Governor by the OPPOSING party | am
| been so mistaken as to the facts. 1t cannot
| be charged to a lack of opportunity to
| acquaint himself with the affairs OF the
| great State whose financial record he has
maligned, and of the party he has assalied
! with all the venom of needless partisan
ship, without justification In fact During
~, Loo, civ Ia haS hnpn on
| holder at jefferson City, where the records
are easy of access. and the gentleman
should have put himself in possession Of
! the facts before attempting to recite them
or else maintained discreet silence.
Cost of the Legislature.
But what are the facts? The Legislature
was in session 1888 days at a total cost OF
| $3.50 3S9. 10. The average daily expenses, In
| Guiding printing, per diem and mileage OF
members. and the expenses OF the clerical
| force were s2,62s.10, instead of $500, as
| stated. Deducting the cost of printing and
| expenses, other than members and clerks,
! the average cost per day was s. i3l Oh.
! There We're 4eS clerks and employees in the
| Senate and the Housem2ls in the Senate
| and 24o in the House. The honorable gen
| tleman states the number at ISL. or LIS in
| excess of the real number
| Mr.. Chairman and felioW-citiZenS, l chai-
| lenge special attention to the assertion
! that a number Of the warrants or the
! protest" This statement is absolutely un-
! true. am in receipts of letter from
! Honorable F. L. Pitts, State Treasurer,
| under date of the 26th of July last, in which
| he says, among other things:
! Responding to your favor OF the 25th
inst; beg to inform you that the assertion
! Date for Governor, in a speech at Monet !,
| Mo-. 10 the effect that warrants of the
members of the last, General Assembly
went to protest, IS false. Every warrant
drawn by the State Auditor was paid on
presentation at this office. 1t could not be
otherwise; for no warrant can be draWn
lature: and no appropriation in excess OF
/ the receipts into the State Treasury can be
made" The State Treasurer then gives the
| facts familiar to most of the taxpayers. II
| is the custom Of the committees on account
of the General Assembly to issue "scripn
! or pay accounts certifying that the party
| whose name appears therein IS on the pay
roll and served a certain number of days,
| and is entitled to warrant tor certain
! money. but s IMPLY an evidence OF Indebted
! ness and of no value until the approprla-
! tons are made. Il may have been the Gus
| tom of the State treasurers. upon the re-
| quest of both houses Of the General AS.
| semhly. and for the accommodation OF
members and clerks TO cash pay a couhts
/ before an appropriation by the Legislature;
! but the custom is wholly voluntary in con-
| temptation of law. w
! ton of this State provides for the disburse.
! Inent of public money, and to quote IT'S
| language: Upon warrants drawn by the
| State Auditor and not otherwise
Section 10 of the same articl e also declares :
| that mo money slal ever be paid out of
| the treasury of this State or any other
! funds under Its management except III pur-
suance of an appropriation by law.
| The State Treasurer. as commanded ny
the Constitution. simply declined to cash
| these pay accounts" although he says IN
| his letter that every member OF the l., S!s-
| iature and employe thereof knew that there
| was plenty OF money IN the treasury WIN
| which to ray al demands against the STATE,
| and that warrants to cover the amounts
due them would be issued as sgon @ as 8 me tne
appropriations were made The STATE
. Treasurer simply obeyed the law. Nhe!
members Of the Legislature desire their pay
| the law provides the methods by when II
| pitts in this case pursued the course which
| should invite commendation rather than
| carping criticism ,,
1t may not he the occasion FOR sufp5i ~ ise s.
that some Republican cand dates Tor ONCE
| should seem 10 desire 10 break down the
| safeguards of the treasury fixed by the
Constitution, but | am sure that me IaM'
| payers of all parties will applaud the cour.
| age of Treasurer Pitts IN executing Tit
| law without fear or favor.
| State Pcnitentiary.
| now invite the attention OF the taHpayets
| to the cost of the State Peniten;ary under
| In 1863 and 1870, under Governor McCiurg'
administration. the penitentiary cost th'
taxpayers 1891. Al over and above its earn
ings. In December .1SIo there were ~
being s3i9 994. During 1899. and up to july 2
last, only S3.476l IS was drawn from the Statt
| Treasury for the expenses or electric igh
plants. fireproof vaults and the library a
there were 2,O95 prisoners in the peniten
tiary, and at the same time balance o
$50, 205 Il in the State Treasury to the credi
of the account for earnings"
in its relation to the penitentiary can per
haps be more clearly understood by tE