The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-19
GOV. DAWSON TELLS WHY
HE CUT APPROPRIATION BILL
fore. i have requested a full invests
cation By the board Of regents VINO
arc tic proper parties TO Investigate
In Other Years.

il.
In Other Years.
According 70 Governor Whites veto
message, the total appropriations made
by the legislature Of 1903 for the bien.
nial period were about s3,142,00O. The
revenues were estimated at. $4,000.
600, so that the governor had to cut OF
nearly a quarter OF million. The
legislature of 1905 appropriated So
;Ss,967,04 for the blenniaI period, and
the estimated revenues we're $4,000.
600. or $125,OO0 less than the. appro.
Driations which amount Governor
White had to em out, For the pres.
ent pe:iod the revenues are s3.O75..
900, aud the appropriations 1924.
1G4. necessitating cut of nearly
$4,000.
No Deficiency.
1t is to be noted that there is at
the disposal of appropriations for the
biennial period Of 1907 and 1908 s175.
600 more revenue than ever before in
the history of the State. SO, the state.
ment, so often made, ana SO often re.
peated by those whose wish was faith
er to the thought, that there was c
deficiency in the revenues is not cor.
rect at all.
The Why Of the Cuts.
Some items in the appropriations
! would have had to cut out. because
they were wrong, no matter how much
revenue were available; but the most
Of the cutting is made necessary
(Which I hereafter call necessary cut
ting'), because the appropriations ex.
coed tie estimated revenues (thougi.
these revenues are larger than ever
before, as above stately. These rev.
enues to cover this necessary cut.
ting" could. in my opinion. have been
easily provided but the legislature re.
fused.
Abundant Resources.
Il the retail whiskey license had
been pat at $3.50, as was earnestly urr.
ed, instead of at 5000; or, II the bill
imposing the recordation tax; or II a
sligi tax had ben put on coal, oil and
gas; or If the new license law had TAX.
en- effect from its passage;-if any
one of these had been done, 1t would
not be necessary to cut out items
which have classed as necessary"
u must be admitted, think, that tho
legislature was liberal in expenditures
but tender when it came to providing
money. What is not put in cannot
co".c out.
Democratic Politics.
We are likely to lose over $780,.
600 of revenue for the biennial period
by the failure to take erect from its
passage OF the act Increasing the re.
tail liquor license from $500 to 5000.
aAd imposing some additional licens.
es. An attempt was made to cure
this by passing a bill to change the
beginning of the license year from
May list 10 July list. But this bill also
failed to take effect from its passage.
This fa,luie and this loss of revenue
Of over 100000 to the institution,
and other needs OF the State must be
charged up to the democratic minority
in the house Of delegates.
Handed It to sa,oonkeepers.
Despite all arguments aud appeals
this minority Tin pursuance of a dc.
termination arrived at in caucus, +.
is said repeatedly refused to allow
either OF these bills to take effect
from passage. Ut requires n two.
thirds vote of all the members OF the
hous", under the constitution, to eff.
feet this result, and the Republicans
we're Short two or three votes, on &C.
count OF some members being called
home Ly death and sickness in their
familiesJ This minority therefore
practically took over 100000 out of
the State treasury and handed it over
to the saloonkeepers. This is play.
Ing politics" to regre;tnble, unpn.
triotic and condemmable degree.
An Unpopular Job.
The task of pruning the approprla.
ton bills is an onerous and very
unpleasant one, as we'll as unpopn.
lar. may cut out some items G:
more Importance than some / leave
init would be remarkable If l did
not make some such errors: but I
simply do the best can in the brief
time given me. have tried SO to
prnno the bills as to cripple no in.
stitItion or necessary work or un.
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