The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
THE STATE AUDITOR
ON STATE EXPENSES
Mr.. Carroll Tells the Facts Abort E~'
penditures and Defends the Rec
ord of the Republican Party.
State Auditor B. F. Carroll:

State Auditor B. F. Carroll:
The impression seems to prevail that
the executive council is responsible Tor
the amount of money raised and expended
for state purposes. The council simply
carries into effect the express will OF the
legislature.
The duty of the council is to see that
expenditures have been authorized and
are made in compliance with law II
should be borne in mind, however, that
large per cent of the states funds are no'
under control of the council either direct
Iy or indirectly.
The expenditures for the fiscal year end
ing June 30, 1906, were in round numbers
s.. 600. More than 6S per cent of this
entire amount or $2,6 600. was expended
for the benefit of the state institutions
no mart of which even requires the APP
proVaI of the council. or the last alii9u@Lls @
named about a,S90OO went TO s15o nSn y,
under the board of control and S'SS'Vo1 20
the three educational institutions. the
remaining 81, ,OS7, 900 was expended as as doI- aOd.
lows; For the general assembly, SlS"VOi
for the maintenance OF tne oS. VdFi0us gus tb.
partments of the state, $6l0,UO TOT tne
state militia, $4,000; for miscellaneous aP-
propriations, such as capitol improve
merts, historical building, monuments on
southern battlefields, etc, $3O9OvO' leaTihS
about S1OO 600 for the purchase of supplies
fuel, furniture and fixtures; postage eA-
press, etc. ,,.., nc main.
tenance for the various departments IN.
cIudes all of the salaries and expenses OF
all OFFICERS and employees of the state an
of the expenses connected WIN Ile Va
rious departments and also lnctuoes t nv
salaries of the district judges OF tne staIe' &C.
There has been a. considerable increase IN
this item during the last few years py
reason of the increase In salaries OF tne
to q
district judges; w Whicn IN M rhe neigg q ooS
each and for the further reason that the
bank examiners, insurance examiners
building and loan examiners, OIL inspect.
ors pharmacy commission, board OF
health board of dental examiners, poard
of medical examiners and veterinary med
ical examiners formerly collected ana re-
tained fees for their services and expenses a
and no account was kept of the same by
the state except as to fees In excess OK
the amounts that were allowed TO De re-
tanned and were turned into tne stata
treasury. Now all such fees are coHected
and turned into the state treasury and the
examiners commissions and boards ara
paid by warrants drawn upon the treas
ury in the same manner as all otner OH
GERS and employees OF the state. tnlnk
no one will question the wisdom exercised
bv the legislature in the enactment OF
the law providing for the change In sys-
tenn, but by reason of the change there
is an increase in the amount OF money eX-
pended under the above item, Whlch ms
crease for the last fiscal year amounted
to nearly S75,OOO
The increase however, is more than Of
set by the amount of fees turned into the
treasury, which for the last year was In
round numbers $4,000, so that, as a mat
ter of fact, the state realized profit OF
SAT, 900 from these sources.
Deducting the items of increase In the
salaries of the Judges and the amount
paid to the examiners, boards, et al, un-
der the changed provisions OF the law
from the item Of cost of maintenance OF
the various departments of state, and not
withstanding the vast Increase In the
states business 1t shows net increased
expenditure for the last year over that
of five years ago Of less than per cent.
which is much more than offset by the
profit to the state as above shown.
That there has been an Increase In tho
expenses Of the state in general need not
be denied but that the purposes for
which the expenses have been incurred
are generally commendable I think will
be conceded Very much Of the Increase
has been for the maintenance and sup
port of our educational, penal and char
liable or eleemosynary institutions. The
legislature may have been liberal in its
appropriations for these purposes but no
one I think, who Is familiar with the cir
cumstances, will say that II has been too
liberal. He who objects should make his
objection specific and say which tnstitu-
ton should not have received its aid.
Iowa,s pride is the richness of her soil.
her magnificent state Institutions and the
character Of her citizenship. Nature gave
us the soil, we build our own characters,
but our state institutions will flourish or
fall according to our Hberality IN pro-
vidlng for them.