The Columbus journal., 1904-01-27

An article which lately appeared in the
editorial columns Of Q democratic daily,
wherein the immense superiority OF tho
former fusion administrations va ct
forth at great length" (refsrring to tho
type used) attracted tho attention Of
your correspondent, and for tho purpose
Of d~isooveeing vhsther or not there was
even Q suspicion Of truth in the article, .
careful survey Of the records in tho gov
ernoris o@oe wss made. A. va antioi-
pated, the resultant figures prove beyond
doubt that tho present administration,
% bitterly assailed upon every possible
occasion, he's been much more econo-
mical than tho very administrations %
loudly praised % the best that the state
over had.
In tho beginning, it must b remem-
bered that Nebraska il . growing state.
Her needs have kept step with her 10
sources. II her earning capacity has
increased eighty, her expense account
he's been increased in greater measure.
90 that it would b unfair tocompare tho
expenditures OF tho various administra-
tions, without allowing for the growing
family Of dependeots which have beso
forced upon tho state. 1t 10 we'll to
remember, too, that . governor OF other
state officer u not the Legislature, and
cannot make appropriation. All that
IN Official can do u to disburse the money
allowed to his department in tho best
possible way and mako every dollar do .
hundred cents worth OF good to the
state. The record Of tho present admin
istration in that regard 10 something
which the party may we'll b proud OF.
Reports recently fled with the COVER
nor show that tho average cost OF sup
porting tho inmates OF tho states various
penal, charitable and educational insti-
tutions bas been just S91y95 per capita
for the nix months just ended. Under
the Poynter administration, pointed to
With pride BY men Who arc adopts in
making figures pre~varicate, the per capita
costs 396N These figures arc eloquent
enough Of Themselves, but with them arc
circumstances which add greatly to their
force and weight.
1t need scarcely be explained that tho
increased price OF living, the higher wage
paid to every laborer Who works for tho
state, the advance in food products, coal,
clothing and every other article tho value
OF which f1uctuates or 10 affected by in
dustrial conditions, ill have been over
como BY tho present officials, yet tho
reports provo that each ono OF tho 9061
state b~eneficiaries 10 maintained for six
months for 86.75 less than under the
Poynter reign. This means . saving OF
$82,647 per biennium.
A still greater discrepancy would be
shown il it were possible to get some
account OF tho disbursements made by
ono Of Governor Poynteris appointees,
Dr. Benjamin Franklin Lang, tho York
physician Who Gang his way into the
superintendency Of the Beatrice institute
and became famous for tho lavish ex-
penditures OF public money made by
himself and his family OF assistanta.
Not report or Q column OF figures 10 on
Gle in the governors Office to show the
extent Of the depredations which Lang
committed upon the public treasury
while be VA purchasing silk stockings
and fine linen for his female relatives out
Of tho funds belonging to his institution.
On this account LAnRis expenditures do
not figure in the comparison nor does tho
present administration gain by the fact
that LII. johnson, Langis successor; en-
ponds less in proportion to the number
Of patients under his charge than the
superintendent Of any other institution
under this or any previous regime.
In addition to all OF this, it may bessid
that the institutions today arc kept up,
the buildings, the bill Of fare, tho sani-
tary arrangements, tho discipline and
instruction being maintained ut Q high
standard, while under POynter there
vere leaks in tho roof Of nearly every
state building-and elsewhere.