Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-10-31

him almost as we'll owing to the able
manner in which he has conducted
the attorney generals office the past
two years. The other night at Sugar
City he delivered q speech that should
be read by our people and then let
them Judge between the facts he pre-
sented as against the false figures
presented by the Patterson-Adams-
Western Federation combine. We ap-
pend the account of the meeting as
follows:
SUGAR CITY, Colo..-Attorney Gen.
eraI N. c. Miller addressed a big Re-
publican rally here tonight. His speech
was q convincing one and made a
great impression. In the course Of his
speech Mr. Miller said:
Gov. Adams is a man who has had
the experience OF two terms as gov
ernor OF this state and can easily cor
rect any misstatements by resort to
Official documents.
He knows that the expenses of our
state are not within the control Of lie
members Of the legislatures are all IA
miliar with what am about to say.
and | submit that the peculiar machin-
cry of our state government is a chain
of state boards.
"The constitution and laws of our
state put the control of all these state
institutions In the hands of boards.
The governor is not a member OF any
Of the boards which have the manage
ment of the state institutions. These
are the state penitentiary, the asylum,
deaf and blind institute, reformatory.
the industrial school for boys and
another for girls, the soldiers and sail
ors home Again, there are the great
educational institutions, called the
State University, Agricultural college.
Normal school and School of Mines.
Every one of these institutions is man
aged and conducted by a board. The
majority members OF all these boards
are Democrats appointed by Democrat
ic governors.
81 do not wish to be understood as
charging them with extravaganza in
the business management of our state
institutions. I simply want to call the
attention OF the voters to the fact that
| they are responsible for the expendi-
ture Of the money appropriated by the
legislature. Gov. Adams knows this
statement to be true when he credits
| Gov. Peabody with the responsibility
Let us get little closer to the ex-
the legislature. The laws Of Colorado
require the auditor to furnish an of,
fcial statement Of the valuation OF the
property taxable in Colorado so the
| Legislature can estimate what rev.
enue four mills on the dollar will bring
for the current biennial period. In
passing I wish to say that the tax
never exceeds four mills on the dollar
for state purposes.
Manner Of Providing the
Revenue for institutions
AN estimate is also made OF the
revenue derived from all other
sources such as the insurance tax and
fees in the secretary Of states office
These afford very large source OF
revenue to the state. The legislature
proceeds to appropriate this revenue
| to pay the expenses of the state In.
stitutions The demands OF these In,
stitutions are estimated by the boards
in control Their agents are generally
present during the entire session OF
the general assembly to see that an
adequate appropriation is made.
"As matter Of fact the representa-
tive and senator from the counties
having these institutions alternately
control the division of the money. !
am not saying II is done universally
or mnjustly. am only tracing the re-
sponsibility. Now let us be honest and
charge Peabody with what he has
done and place the responsibility for
other things where they belong.
II wish Mr.. Adams would explain
the S517 .394.O3 expenditure in excess
of the revenue during his first admin
istration. He will find 1t on page five
of the auditors report for that bien-
NAL period When he has furnished
that | would refer him to page 23 of
the auditors report for his second
| term which shows disbursements
amounting to $3.4S6, ,60120. and al
page 6, deficit OF $161 .220.71. These
figures cannot be correctly explained
without stating the action of the state
boards.
THE fact is that the Legislature ap-
propriated all the money available
and the numerous boards still clamor
for more money. The institutions de-
mand 1t and they become more servi-
ceable and beneficial to the state as
they progress and expand AS the
state grows and the population in
creases, more revenue will be requir-
ed to defray their expenses.
Democrats and Fuslonists
Have Increased Expenses.
THE legislative, executive and ju.
dicial departments Of the state cost
more each decade. The expenses of a
legislative session have been growing
under Democratic control. The extrav-
agance of recent sessions of the legis-
lature is not chargeable to Republican
administrations because they were at
all times beyond the influence of Re
publican control. They were managed
and directed by fusionists and the
leading committees headed by Demo