The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-19
EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT
OF STATE APPROPRIATIONS
Work of the Joint Committee Reviewed, and an Ac-
count of What Was Done With the
States Money.

To the Editor:-I have yours of
March eth asking me for an article
reviewing the work of the Appropria-
lions Committees.
1t was with some reluctance that /
accepted the honor and responsibility
of becoming chairman of the House
Committee ON Appropriations because
/ knew that the demands upon the
treasury would be far greater than
could be supplied from the income
under the new revenue act.
The Speaker of the House of Rep
Tesentatives. having been the efficient
chairman of this important committee
two years ago, knew of the difficulties
attending this position and aided ne
greatly by selecting from the body of
the House the best committee avail
able. / sp sak aGviSedly when l say
the Appropriations Committee was the
strongest of the thirty-five standing
committees. composed. as it was, of
the best lawyers, merchants. farmers
ana business men in the House, and
besides, the chairman of nearly every
ether important committee was a
member of this committee.
The Senate Appropriations Commit
tee had for its chairman that able.
practical and sagacious lawyer. Sena-
tor Mason, from CASTOR. With him
were associated some of the best tall
ent of the Senate of 1905-the most
uniformly able Senate that l have ever
seen. The Senate Appropriations
Committee were evidently selected
with view 70 their fitness for the
position. The object of the presiding
officers of both the Senate and House
of Representatives being to select the
men best Qualified for this kind of
a ilxr
without hobbies.
The committees met in joint session.
They did not act upon any bill save
the one to establish tablets at APP
pomattox, carrying an appropriation
of only $1,000. until nearly six weeks
after the General Assembly was in ses-
sion. This delay was necessitated by
reason Of the fact that the sub-finance
committee had not reported the
Revenue Bill, aid hence no idea of
the possible revenue was done, then
again, the bills CARRYING appropria-
tioEs had not all been introduced and
the committees desired to have them
all in before considering any. so that
they might be considered in relation to
each other, as we'll as upon their own
merits
The governmental expenses lid not
concern us in our calculations. as these
are fixed. or rather about the same
every year. BY this. | mean all dis
bursements for departmental eXpen-
ses, interest on State debts. public
printing, judiciary, legislature. etc.
which amounts to about 100000 per
year.
After the Revenue Bill was report
ed, the committees started to work
with a most excellent statement pre-
pared by our State Treasurer, based
upon the new Revenue Act. estimating
the income from all sources for the
years 1905 and 1906 at $4,000 600. to
which was added the balance on hand
Dec. /, 1904, of $339,683. making
total of $3,739.683. From this total
income was deducted the expenditures
of the years 1903 and 1904. including
the governmental expenditures re-
ferred to above and the amounts the
State institutions received for the
years 1903 and 1904. including ST.
400 for the South Dakota judgment,
aggregating SO, 180,05O, leaving an es-
tilnated surplus of $543.633. to which
was added the amount of the South
Dakota judgment, because the same
was included in the bond issue set
Element effected by the Governor and
the commission appointed by the
General assembly and hence would
not come out of the general treas
ury. This gave us $571.033 as a total
estimated surplus for 1905 and 1905.
task was to meet the increased de-
mands for maintenance and for per-
manent improvements to Institutions
already established and the demands
for new institutions to be established
with the sum of $571,033. The bills
introduced carrying appropriations az
gregated about $1.250,000 in excess OF
the appropriations made in 1903 ana
1904. Nearly all of these bills had
merit i'm them, and the respective
causes were dear to the hearts of not
a few members.
There were those who believed a
bond issue inevitable in the face of
these demands. therefore it became
necessary in ore of the first meetings
of the committee after we got down
to nard work to determine upon
policy. that is. whether we would con-
slider these appeals in the light of Il