The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-19

of the payment of interest on bonds te not involved. Why, the section of this Convention. which directs approprfa- tions. includes an appropriation every time for the payment of interest on bonds. That has to be made out of the revenues along with such other expenditures as are fouad necessary and there is nothing dangerous in 1t at all It is merely safeguard against excessive appropriations.
 MT. Long CWalker)-Suppose the. Auditor and Governor should taks issue as to the amount of income?
 MT. Oates-Well. the Governor holds the rank there.
 Mir. Long-Therefore, you leave 1t to one man. and not to the Legislature?
 Mir. Oates-Not at all. It is easy to suppose a case whenever a gentleman wishes to make an argument. but 1t doesn't, follow at all. I remember in one instance differed with the Auditor a little and made my estimate a little lower than his. My motive was to be extraordinarily conservative and to be sure to he right. The Auditor though was conservative man and his in formation was more extensive and more minute than mine. The duties of that office are such that he has every opportunity tndN du OHleT Cdu nave tO know the probable income each and every year and the probable amount of expenditure. Now. sir. in the last Leg islature. composed in the main of most excellent gentlemen and many that are very able men-6id make so far as re- ported in the papers. for I have never examined otherwise-excessive appro- priations in the aggregate. more than the amount of revenue probably would Justify. That is what was stated. and to such an extess rlat it necessitated bill which my friend. the delegate from Lee. who sits in my rear. being a Senator constructed and introduced and 1t passed the Senate and House, to cut down the aggregate appropria- tions. and keep within the ability of the treasury to meet them. Now, sir. that was not because that Legislature was composed of inferior men. not at all It was the most natural conse- quence that you ever find in the Legts- lature The preceding Governor, it seems. had exerted his energies to &C., cumulate all the money possible in the treasury and he had succeeded in getting a large amount of 1t with an increased amount of taxation. and there was a vast amount of money in the treasury supposed to be much more than was needed. much more than would meet the ordinary wants of the Satet. Wherever that has occurred In the history of our government. State and Federal. wherever you pile up money in the treasury. the Legislative body that succeeds, that comes in next after that is understood-I don't care how good the personnel of it is-they always go in for making large appro- priations numerous appropriations. Why. sir that has been the case in the Federal government. whenever you want to find a vast amount of appro- priations made by the Congress of the United States, you will always find 1t. when it is supposed there is an excess of revenues. surplus revenues in the treasury, more than the government needs, and to that I attribute the en- thusiasm of the Legislature in making the appropriations in the aggregate probably a little too large. Now. this is a proper precaution. It Is a proper limitation because these officers. the Auditor and Governor. are charged. 1t is their statutory duty, the Auditor to inform the Governor and the Gov ernor to inform the Legislature of the probable necessities and the amount of income necessary to meet 1t. or the amount of income with which they will have to deal in order to meet the ne- cessities. Now, sir. it gives them no more power Those officers are In the attitude where they can give that in- formation to the Legislature when no member of 1t has it or can have 1t, because he has not the opportunity to get it. That is ali of 1t. There IS nothing in this that is at all danger ous. think it is a very good provision, and the substitute offered by the dele gate, General Jones. covers il com pletely, and it is accepted and do not see any room for speculation and move the previous question upon the report of the committee and the amendment.
 MT. Pettus-Please withdraw that for a moment. I desire to offer an amendment, which will not limit the Legislature to the specific year for which the appropriation is made, but will prevent one Legislature from an ticipating revenues of the other Legis- lature, and will give them authority to distribute the funds for the four wears as they see fit.
 Mr. Oates-Allow the Legislature to anticipate or prohibit?
 MT. Pettus-To prohibit. I mean to say. I will ask the gentleman to withdraw his motion and allow the Clerk to read the amendment.
 MT. Oates-Certainly. I have no ob- jection to its being read.
 The Secretary read the amendment as follows: During any regular ses- sion of the Legislature the aggregate appropriations made shall not exceed in amount the income from the reve- nues of the State available before the last day of the next regular session of the Legislature. as estimated by the Governor and Auditor"
 MT. Oates-I have great respect for the ingenuity and aptitude of the gen. tleman from Limestone, but l cannot see the necessity for it. I think it is clear and means that substantially without being tied up, especially as his amendment proposes.
 MT. Pettus-I suggest to the distin- guished Chairman of the committee the amendment of the gentleman from Wilcox will prohibit the Legislature from appropr. .ating for the four suc- ceeding years any amount except the amount of revenue for that year as estimated by the Governor and Au- ditor My proposition is that the great law-making body of this State should have the right to dispose of the reve- nues of this State for the ensuing TOUT years as they see proper, and If there is a surplus in the next year after the Legislature adjourns or in any other one of the years. above the current ex- penses of the State government, they ought to have a right to appropriate In Y0llT