The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-18

The refutation of the fusionists' claims
OF great savings in the management OF
state Institutions under the admfnistra-
ton OF Gov. Rogers In complete. From
the official records at Olympia and the
various institutions have been presented
the following irrefutable facts:
That the actual cost OF maintenance OF
the I'VE principal state institutions under
Republican rule from April l, 1898. to
April /. 1897, was s44.7s3.o7 less than under
fusion rule from April ]. 1891. to october
10, 1900.
T'hat on April l. 1901. TO which date the
appropriations OF the legislature of 1890
are supposed to extend. the fusion man.
agemcnt OF these state institutions will
face deficiencies amounting to at least
y80ss.75.
That with these deficiencies met, as they
must be by the incoming legislature, the
net balance In favor OF Republican man
agement viii be y7o.S3is2.
That this balance In favor OF the Re-
publican management. arrived at by sim
pie methods OF calculation upon the ON
ciai figures. OF record and accessible to
anyone, proves that the statement of Err
nest Lister, commissioner of public insti-
tutions under Rogers. 70 the effect that
under Gov. Rogers the expenses OF these
institutions have been sls5. 1868 less than
under Gov. McGraw, IL at variance from
1856. the difference between the actual
total Of Republican expenditures and the
imaginary total of Mr. Lister
That not only has the statei board OF
audit and control saved nothing to the
taxpayers, as compared with the former
system OF separate nonpartisan local
boards OF directors but II has actually
been much more expensive to the people.
such are the facts established not by
mere assertion ana reiteration, nor yet
BY falsirei statements purporting to be
taken from the records of interested pub
lie officers, but from the records OF iegis-
iattve proceedings, the official reports OF
those directly In charge OF the state In
stttutions, and such other sources of
unanimously recognized reliability
Well Established and Ea.Ipped.
The whole period OF statehood prior TO
tho incoming of tho Rogers administra-
tion was one OF formation. state insti-
tutions established by law during the FIRST
three years, under the administration OF
Gov Ferry, were from 1898 20 1897 In course
OF almost continuous enlargement ana
steady Improvement in efficiency, neces-
stating tho constant expenditure OF
money
Appropriations for maintenance con-
template the payment of only running
expenses. improvements. endorsements
and additions are usually made the sub
jects OF special appropriations. Yet II
~ matter OF record that from 1883 10
MT vas, improvements were undertaken
and accomplished and paid for directly
from the maintenance funds without the
imposition OF the least extra burden upou
the state treasury.
The outgoing Republican administration
IN 1877 lett every state Institution fully
equipped for all it's purposes: without a
penny OF deficiency or indchseanaSs More
than ,his every institution was left well
provided for In the matter OF supplies on
haha IN food, tuei and other necessities
70 their daily operation.
The incoming fusion aamtnistratto,
needed only TO take hold and continue the
operation OF institutions firmly establish
90. tuly equipped, well supplied and ab.
solutcly Tree from debt. vet less than
four years under Rogers has brought me
exhaustion 81 all available funds. the in.
eaFrence" % Indebtedness far beyond the
appropriations, and dencirnrv ~ e,..r
s.e,en to BE- met BY the next aaministr..
ton
Under tho f'sion rule nor an extr. a.-
mAnd Tor expenditure az any Of th, st4tn
Institutions has had 20 be met There
have been M improvements no eniarv.-
mohtH, no additions 90 equipment. moth.
ing g. pay except fnf running expense.
Yet the money actually paid ouf an 90
date on the account % these institutions
exceeds this total ~ expenditures under
Republican rule hY nearly &4ssa ana
slin leaves the deficiency og S. 900 a
grand esgrcga,e 90 nearly 81 90 Ia "a.
vor 81 Republican "extravaganea" ana
against Rogers "eeonomyT
Ia Debt and ngsrepate.
50 far ff,sm any improvements or hs,.
teruc0ts iu the state Institutions under
itekors administrator btieg aeon
pllshca or even undertaken. the truth is
thag there has been great deterioration
ir each. Neglect Incompetence. ttveraian