The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-05-16
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Special Correspondence.

The General Appropriation Dill ab
sorbed the bulk of legislative attention
last week and we'll it might for it il
fearfully and wonderfully made. Th'
General Appropriation bill is tina
which provides for the expenses of the
Legislative, Judicial and Executive
Departments of the government. Ev
cry Senator and Representative is con
eerned in it for the reason that its pass
age Is essential to secure his salary anC
supplies. Besides most men are inter
ested in the schools and charitable anC
penal institutions and the provisions
for their maintenance are contained IN
that bill,
As Josh Billings once said, "compar.
isons are odorousn but have taken the
trouble to compare some of the items
in the bill of this year with those OF
other years in order to discover, if pos
sible, the causes for the constant in
crease i'm taxation. In this way | have
learned that the entire cost of the En-
ecutive Department in 1893, which was
Mt the close of Pa.tison's administra-
tion as shown in the General Appro-
priation bill of that Iyear amounted to
$50, POO while the appropriation this
year aggregates $4,000 There have
been no new offices created in that de-
partment in the interim and no in
crease of salaries, but the expenses have
been increased in some way to the eN-
tent of IS, 800. That is mere trifie,
however,.
For example in 1893 the expenses of
the State Department were S65,S00,
while this year they amounted to
Sll1.OOO, a difference of S46,0 900. The
Increase in two years, that since 1905,
Is SIS, 500 and if the political revolution
of 1905 had been postponed until now
tbe chances are that the increase would
have been much greater. The Auditor
Generals Department has done fairly
well in this respect also. In 1898 the
cost amounted to $66, 800 while this
year they are $l59, 700. The cost Of ad-
ministering the Treasury Department
IN 1898 was $3S, 400 which in 1905 had
&spanded to $72. 1850. The appropri-
alton this year is $40, 900 fiat, decrease
since 1905 of S766.60. 1t may be re-
marked parenthetically that it is the
only department that has been de-
creased at all.
SOME OTHER VAST INCREASES.
The greatest increase is lin the De-
oartment of Public Grounds and Build
jngs, but that in some others is ample
TO make one "sit up and take notice"
in 1898 the expense of the Attorney
ieneral's Office was $27 900, modest
'um for the important work performed
that Office. Two years ago it had
increased to $36, 20S.34, still reasonable
igure. But the appropriation for that
Department this year has been raised
0 the enormous total of SIG, 149. 80. |
Attorney General Carson was respon-
-ible for this tripling of expenses, of
curse, for the new Attorney General
las hardly got the bogus mahogany
;hair warmed and the estimates were
made on the expenses of last year.
The Department of Internal Affairs
las increased in cost of operation from
80, 200 in 1893 to $lS7, 900 this year. the
Judicial Department from 81, 1S5, 200 in
1893 to $l,9S9, 9,392.0S this year and if |
he machine managers of the Legisla-
ure had not been restrained by the |
ear of the veto axe good deal more
could have been added. The cost of |
he Legislative Department was $4lO,-
10 in 1908 and is $507, ,470 now. There
vas no such pretentious Forestry De-
lirtment in 1888 and two years ago it |
vas efficiently conducted by DR.. Roth
'ock for $23,00O. The appropriation
bis year for that department Is $751;
% and all things considered we are
,etting off pretty well at that.
The Department of Mines and those |
If Factory Inspector, State Police and |
fisheries have also been created since
a93, but they show the spirit of pro-
ress in the direction of expense, That
" Mines, for example cost 1889, ,SSl .03
two years ago and is set down for $780,
$500 tn year. The cost Of working
the Department of Factory Inspector
in 1905 was 1874, 800 and this year it is
ss1 ,56S, while the Department of Fish
cries cost $87, 700 last year and stands
toget $l44, 200 this year, an increase of
s56,500. The State Highway Depart
ment is another new one and promises
/, be the "crowning iniquityn of the
lot. In 1905 it used up $74 800 while
the appropriation this year amounts to
the enormous total of $277, 800 and as n
matter of fact it was trying to get fifty
millions.