Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-15
Lack of Funds in State Treas
ury Due to Making Appropri-
ations Too Large
SEEKING POLITICAL CAPITAL
standpatters Seize tho Opportunity to
Charge State Administration With
Extravaganza - Attacks Of the Des
Moines Capital Come With Poor
Grace-Youns Suits Pending.
Special to rimes-Repuplican.

Speclal TO eS-RepuONCaH.
Des Moines, Jan. 15.-The state
treasury of Iowa will be out of money
last of February, and if the bills due
January / were presented today. the
treasury would be emptied. The eN-
PLANTATION is that the legislature has
continued for some sessions back to
make appropriations that were great
er than the income of the state. While
the balances at the end of each quar-
ter in the state treasury have fiuctu-
ated somewhat, the tendency has been
to grow less. There was on Dec. 81,
1907, $169,O0O in the state treasury.
There was due the state university.
state normal and state agricultural
college on January l a total of $147,-
900, and the monthly salary list of the
port fund to the state institutions is
about $125,0OO. The total is $312,OO0.
state treasury, but not such that the
balance will hold out more than
month or two and the receipts from
state taxes will not begin to reach the
state treasury from the county treas
urers till some time in April and May.
For good many sessions the legis-
lature has been overdrawing it's ac-
,rsr t11n
Governor Cummins has been in the ex-
ecutive chair he has not at any time
recommended a direct expenditure OF
money for a specific purpose, but each
of the sessions he has called the atten-
ton of the legisture to the amount
that was available for special appro-
priations. The legislature has ignored
this almost always, and at the last
session OF the legislature, tho the gov
ernor called attention to the fact that
there was about $S0O,000 available for
appropriations, the legislature made
appropriations amounting to total OF
about s1.2OO,OOO For the session be-
fore. the amount available for special
appropriations was about 100000, but
the legislature appropriated about
100000.
Under the law in this state when q
warrant is presented and there is no
money to pay it it is stamped not pald
for lack of funds" and it draws in
terest from that date. The state treas
urer has nothing whatever to do with
preserving a balance in the treasury
and no other state official has any au-
thority in the matter. The legislature
makes the appropriations and is solely
responsible. 1t has had the information
on which to work but has dlsregarded
it, 1t is probable that the treasury
will be out of money only till the taxes
begin to come in in April and another
session of the legislature will convene
before the funds will run low again.
State officials have been aware OF
conditions all along.
Every effort is being made to make
political capital out of the condition
of the state treasury. Hon. John Her
riott, late lieutenant governor and one
time state treasurer, said in this city
a few days ago that when he left the
state treasury there was million dol
lars there. The records show only
$500, 900, but whether there was mil
lion dollars or only a million cents, the
state treasurer has little control over
the balances. He is custodian only OF
the funds and must pay out as war
rants are presented.
The most conspicuous attempt to
make political capital out of the con-
dition Of the treasury has been on the
part of the Des Moines Capital against
whose editor there is pending a suit
for the recovery Of several thousand
dollars which it is alleged that he over
charged the state while he was state
binder 1t is being suggested that i'll
the light of the condition of the state
treasury the attorney general should
now press this suit to an early trial so
that these funds can be restored as
soon as possible to the Golfers of the
state The amount would help to tide
the state over till the taxes are paid
in April.
At meeting held at the Savery ho-
tel club rooms last night, in which a
large number of friends of the COVER
nor participated, arrangements were
practically completed for the opening
meeting in the interests Of the sena-
torial campaign of Governor Cummins.
1t was decided to organize a Polk
county Cummins senatorial club also,
and details relating to the opening
meeting and the organization of the
club will be taken up at another meet
ing to be held Monday night
Probably the opening of the sena-
torial campaign will be at Fosters op-
era house Thursday night. Jan. %.
Governor William Larrabee. Judge S.
F.. Prouty and others will be invited to
speak.
While Judge Prouty probably will
deliver one of the chief addresses at
the opening meeting it is stated that
congressional politics will not be In
,ral,-ad in any Way Probably HulI