The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-07-01
Where Vermont Wastes Money.

Inc nrst expensive Jolly that the
Herald thinks of is the commission
evil. Vermont has over 40 commits
sions and special boards of one kind
and another, with something approx
imating $50 members. This is exclu-
siye OF county Jail commissioners,
county highway commissioners, JUS
ltices Of the peace, supervisors OF ed
ucational districts, fish and game COM
missioners and officers OF the Vermont
National Guard.
! Some of these commissions do not
cost the state anything and many of
them, such as the board of health,
board Of penal institutions, railroad
commission, cattle commissioner, ETC.,
could not be dispensed with as the
state Is al present organized, but the
large bulk OF them are expensive and
useless features of the state scheme OF
government and ought TO be abolished.
Other boards ought to consolidate.
The way Is already shown in the case
OF the board of penal institutions
which now oversees the business of
the state prison, house of correction,
and industrial school, and in case of
the cattle commissioner, who now
does the work formerly given to three
linen.
A commission should never be Gre
ated whose work can be done by one
man or by legislative committee.
In this relation, the court of claims
Is suggested. II any one can give a
good reason why bills against the state
lof Vermont, of whatever character,
cannot be passed upon by the auditor,
or II necessary, by comforting with
other state officers, the Herald is
ready to be convinced. And yet the
court Of claims sits solemnly in its
imposing court room at the capitol,
passes solemnly upon the trivial bills
against the state and In some cases
solemnly spends more money TO de-
eide claim. than the face of the doc
ument call for.
Undoubtedly money can be saved to
the state in the enormous biennial ex.
pense Of the legislature. BY paying
, the members a fixed sum for each SEES.
sion, with mileage, the utterly absurd
custom of adjourning on Friday morn.
ing and convening on Tuesday morn,
! ing would speedily fall into disfavor
The principle OF paying members by
the day, whether they work or not
cannot be justified on any business
foundation. In fact, its continuance
/ session by session, lies at the primary
basis Of much Of the petty graft thai
crops up In the bills of the little com
missions and which. until the expos
ures of 1906, received but little atten
2 ton by auditors and those responsible
7 for the peoples moneys.
IL the members OF the legislature
could receive only fixed sum for any
+ biennial session, Vermont would see
e the most summary slaughter of useles.
Y bills, the most admirable industry II
the dispatch of public business, tina
ever surprised and delighted the tax
D payers of the state.
1t makes q big difference whether
man is loafing on his own time or tn,
Estates.
A large amount Of money Is wasted
annually in tritiing litigation in thu
n county courts and in graft-fat cases be
fore justices of the peace. The reor
h lganized judiciary, which was to b,
= such a saver OF the public money, sucl
fastener of the process of justice
i has not made good"
The state is spending more none,
= than ever before and, so far, the i'm
!. provement is barely noticeable. Jus
how this may be remedied Is a ques
ton. The lawyers on the judiciar,
/, committee Of the present Legislature
l. did not agree on the present organize
ton; there weren't enough judgeship
II to go around The lawyers don
= agree on what is needed now.
The Herald does not know what 1
necessary; IL does know that, for tn
5. money expended, Vermont is not gel
s ting results. A few honest justices
7. honest officers and honest states al
;. toneys might help the situation tr
: iie here and there.
= In fact, the latter suggestion Is tn
keynote of the whole problem. Unit
thermometers agree to give the stat
d the same sort of service as they exac
h from their hired men and women, unit
l. the states affairs are organized upo
the same basis as any business hant
a ling over half million dollars eac
\ year, until public servants begin I
3 plan the saving of the peoples none!
. instead of deliberately setting out I
o acquire as much OF II as they car
there will be no reduction in state el
jpenses.
The coming legislature can saw
Vermont a great many thousand do
lars III IL sets out And N might h,
=" gin with agreeing to pay itself a fixe