The San Francisco call., 1904-07-10
MONEY AFFAIRS
IN GOOD SHAPE
Directors of Veterans Home
Deny a Story That the
Allowance Is Exceeded
GOVERNMENT FUNDSDUE
Federal Appropriation for
Six Months Will Soon Be
Paid to State Treasurer

Paid TO State Treasurer
4 press dispatch from Sacramento,
under date OF July s, quotes W. S.
Melick, secretary Of the State Board
OF Examiners, as saying: The finances
OF the Veterans Home at Yountville
are IN very bad shape. The expendi-
tures have greatly exceeded the allow
snce and the Attorney General has
rendered an opinion that a deficiency
cannot be allowed for the paying Of
debts"
Five OF six weeks ago a dispatch
similar TO the foregoing was sent from
Sacramento and it was Immediately
contradicted by Mr.. Melick. Reasons,
political or otherwise, may exist for
creating q false impression concerning
the management Of the institution. but
the directors assert that the finances
are not in bad shape and that no de-
flciency exists and none shall be
created without the full consent Of the
Governor and State Board of Ex-
eminers-
The directors assert positively that
the Federal and State allowances have
not been exceeded. The United States
allowance approximates $4,000 per an
mum and comes in quarterly INSTALL
ments. The State Treasurer has not
received anything from the General
Government for the first and second
quarters Of 1904. In this respect Cali
fOrnia fares the same as other States.
The nation is good for the amount
allowed by Congress and when the
authorities Of the Treasury Depart
Tnent in Washington, D. g, get ready
they Will forward the money TO the
several States.
FINANCIAL CONDITION.
General S. ". Backus, president Of
the board Of directors, was asked yes
terday to submit an exact statement
concerning the financial affairs Of the
institution and here are the figures
presented:
state fund, July J. 1901
Credit July Balance on hand at
Due rom The United states for the
quarter ending March 81. 1904 .... 1S6z6 90
Due from the United States for the
quarter ending June 80. 1904 lI,s2S 90
Total ...........................s8s e81 OF
ed States spPropriatior $500 90
Balance svaGable...............s3 .s3l, ,4e1 OF
April bills................s...... .466 81
5iay oiLs .....s.s.s.s.s...ss.s'.... s'szd ~
Jlne p-l-s ss.sssssssssssssss.sss'ss. 500 %
Total ..........---.....---..... 3e2 90
Leaving balance to credit of the
home in State treasury of s1O99 OF.
This slight balance" says Mr..
Bsckus, will be regulated more or
less by what the deficiency may be IN
the United States appropriations. This
generally averages $500. which sum
the State always gets when Congress
meets and makes its annual deficiency
appropriations"
Il should be noted that the Federal
allowance is not paid directly TO the
Veterans Home. The general Gov
ernment ays it to the State Of Cali
fornia, hence Il was the custom of
previous State administrations to per-
NIT the use OF the States allowance Of
$4,000 per annum pending the re-
ceipt OF the Government money. Now,
under the decision Of subordinates at
Sacramento and IN accordance with
che views OF deputy IN the Attorney
Generals Office, only one-twelfth Of
the States allowance can be used each
month This ruling carried to its log
ical conclusion would deprive the vet
erans OF food and clothing until the
Government allowance reached the
State treasury. because the State al
lowance OF s55.ooo per year to the
Veterans Home is quite meager.
One OF the directors remarked:
''The free-handed, generous appropri-
ations made by California for the an
nusl support of such institutions as
the Attorney Generals Office, the Con-
troller's Office and the Office of the
secretary OF the State Board of Ex-
aminers DO not apply to the Veterans
Home. II the per capita allowance at
Yountville was equal to the per capita
appropriation for the maintenance of
the Attorney Generals Office, for ex-
ample, the veterans would receive
more than s1,0OO,O0O year from the
State"
GOVERNOR PARDEE.
Since Governor Pardee went away
on his vacation an army of deputy
governors has taken the field in Sac
ramento and the leaders of this new
army take the view that the old SOL
diers at Yountville should be placed
on an exact footing with inmates OF
prisons, reformatory institutions and
asylums for the insane. The directors
hold to the view that the best the land
affords is none too good for the old
veterans. Moreover, supplies will be
purchased TO the extent Of the Gov
ernment allowance. The directors do
not question the right of the State
Board Of Examiners to hold up the
bills until the Government money
comes, but they contend that the
statement wired from Sacramento IS
misleading and uncallo for. More
over, the sympathy extended to the
.-~e5sfors nv the Sacra uenfo ofso;aI-