The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-04
SOME BUSINESS SUGGESTIONS

nrSt two months or more of a legis-
lature's life are devoted to the matur-
ing and consideration of projects near
ly all of which require the appropriation
| and expenditure of large sums These
are discussed principally on their mer-
its and with little regard to the finan-
cial side. A long list of them secure
either partial or complete legislative
approval. Then. the appropriations
committee has to get in its work. It
is found on summing up the amounts
| proposed to be assigned to these various
| plans that it is about twice what the
state can afford to raise without doub-
ling the tax rate. Then comes the
/ question of where to place the knife
| This is the problem recurring every
| two years, and it comes forward again
in the shape of bills before this legis-
| lature carrying appropriations of about
| $4,5o0.OOO with only s2,000,0o0 of rev.
enue in sight to meet them. What can
be done?
The Globe is not sponsor to this
| legislature, and will not be held respon-
sible for its work. Nevertheless. we
are all partners in the business insti-
| tuition known as the state, and every
| man is entitled to his opinion upon
what concerns his own interest. Look
ing over the list of new demands upon
tota IL oil
| the ak should fall. Without the least
desire to dictate to the Legislature. but
! in an endeavor to apply such sound
business judgment to the states af-
| fairs as would be exercised in the con-
duct of any private undertaking. we
may run over the list.
The state university must have its
new building to take the place of the
| one destroyed by fire. 1t has been
| made pretty clear that the state agri-
cultural society ought to receive the
100000 asked for new stock amphi-
theater. If this is not given one of the
most useful and important features of
the exhibit will be impaired. We might
| well save the 100000 asked for pro-
posed home for wives and widows of
old soldiers at Minnehaha. Without re-
fiecting upon the merits of the propo-
sition, it is clear that this project could
| at least wait for a couple of years, un-
til other extraordinary and MOI e press
ing demands have been satisfied. Not
a moments consideration should be
given to the proposal to spend 100000
for the purchasing of a site for the in
auguration Of a new industry at the
already thrown some light upon the in
wardness of this claim, and 1t should
receive no mercy. The excess appro-
priations asked by the various state
institutions over the estimates of the
board of control should be carefully
| scanned. 1t Is natural and proper that
each institution should request the
maximum appropriation, knowing that
the same will be scaled down in any
case. But the committee and the leg
islature can probably put a knife in
here.
The girls Industrial school ought to
be built. That 100000 could not be
better spent We can very well wait
| before we put up any more monuments
at public expense. A modest appropri-
ton ought to be made for the Itasca
park and for reforesting, but the sums
assigned are excessive. The proposed
state home for the aged and infirm
would be the beginning of an incalcula-
BILE expenditure and should be deferred.
Almost all the deficiency appropria-
tions ought to be vetoed It is finan-
cially idiotic to spend lot of time cut
ting down appropriations and assign
ing to each interest its limit at one ses-
sion, If that interest is at liberty TO go
beyond the mark and have its unwar-
ranted expenditures made good at the
next session. A few years of refusal
to appropriate for deficiencies unless
occasioned by some unavoidable acci-
dent would put deficiency makers out
of business.
As general rule we may say that
multitude of bills providing for in
creased salaries and increased helm
everywhere should be put to death.
The state is paying pretty well for
services rendered, there is no lack of
applicants and the salary list should
stand as it is until the states finances
are easy. A whole flood Of new ex--
penses is suggested by bills craftily
taking the guise Of educational work.
All of them should be cut down. Rural
schools of agriculture. schools of do
mestic science and rural culture, pro-
posed new state institutions Of one
sort and another should all be gently
but firmly put to death. We have at
present an abundance Of such instru-
mentalities. and 1t is infinitely better
to build UP and increase their efficiency
than to multiply the number of starye-
ling concerns that are intended chiefly
to minister to local pride and local Gu
pidity; and that. once started, can be
l,.&o ,AI ~.