Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-20

from all matters on which final action
has been taken by the two branches
wholly denying the proposed expendi-
ture. Said schedule shall classify the
expenditures as "State,' County"
municipal" private" or "miscella-
| neous," according to the fact and I'M
der each heading shall group the ex-
penditures for the same general object
under appropriate sub-titles. Said
schedule shall show the date to which
| it is revised and shall exhibit in tabu-
lar form the following facts:
Name of recipient Of the appropr1a-
ton; object, concisely stated; nature of
document calling for same; number OF
Senate> or House document, If any;
committee to whom referred; amount
called for in 1909; amount called for in
1910; total amount called for; amount
actually appropriated by action of the
Legislature for 1909: amount so appro-
priated for 1910; and total amount ac-
tuallY appropriated. When actual ap-
preparation has been made the Item
shall be eliminated from the other mon
ey columns. Each of the five classes OF
expenditures shall be footed and
summary showing the grand total shall
be added followed by statement OF
all matters wherein the amount or es-
innate is unspecified grouped under the
heading amount not specified" When
several petitions or papers call for the
same identical appropriation or expen-
diture. but one of them need be men
toned
And further
Ordered. That the chairman of said
appropriations committee is authorized
and directed to employ a competent
clerk for the sole purpose of preparing
and revising said schedule under the
supervision Of said chairman.
Ard further
Ordered, That the secretary of the
Senate, clerk of the House and chair
men and clerks and secretaries of the
several committees shall afford every
reasonable facility to said special clerk
for the daily examination of papers and
discharge of his duty.
Mr.. MOORE of Saco: Mr.. Speaker, I
move that the order be laid on the ia
bic for printing so we can get rea-
sonable idea of what it is
Mr.. BURLEIGH of Augusta: Mr.
Speaker, I will endeavor to give the
House an idea of what this order is
intended to cover. We are receiving
great many hundreds of petitions, re-
solves, bills, documents, reports and
messages, calling for the expenditure
IF money which will run i'll the aggre-
gate into millions Of dollars Those
papers as they come into the House are
referred to some 80 joint committees
Of the Legislature. not to speak of
some special committees which may be
created later on for the the considera-
ton of special subjects. Now there is
no man and no body of men who
know, or who can possibly know, what
all these appropriations amount to,
stated in dollars and cents, either
singly or in the aggregate; and it
seems to me, Mr.. Speaker and Gentle
men, that that is a most important
source of information which should be
placed before us. I think we should
know not only what we have actually
appropriated but also what is to come
before us, SO that in the distribution
and selection Of the subjects of distri-
button of these various appropriations
we can exercise an intelligent judgment
and use discrimination.
Now in my Judgment, Gentlemen, il
will be necessary to employ special
clerk to do this work. You will see
what there is involved in the PROPOSE
ton. He must make a daily eXamina-
ton Of every paper that comes into
either branch of this Legislature. That
examination must be a thorough one.
He must examine every paper. For
instance, bill containing many Sec
lions may have in the midst of it
some section or paragraph or even
sentence that calls for the expenditure
of money. That must not escape his
observation. He must be in commune
cation with the secretaries of each of
these SO committees. He must do more
than that. When committee to which
a certain matter is referred calling
for an appropriation has reported on
that matter, he must state in his
schedule the amount that the commit
tee has reported. Now took occasion
to consider that matter quite carefully
and the method by which it will be car
ried out by competent person, with
a suitable card index, putting his time
into it properly, a person of a proper
intelligence, and I think it can be
done, it seems to me that it should be
done. 1t looks to me- Gentlemen, as
II IL is Il business proposition; and Tor
that reason I ask that the order have
a passage.
Mr.. MOORE of saco: Mr.. Speaker, it
may be that the order is for good
purpose, have no doubt that it is, but
it is new order, and, as the gentle
man from Augusta has stated, it Gre
ates new office Now know that my
people, and think the constituents of
every member here, do not want any
new offices created without an oppor-
tunity to see in print what those offices
are: and my motion, Sir. Is to lay the
order on the table for printing so that
every member of this House may have
an opportunity to read it and examine
it. and then pass on it with reasonable
understanding; and I make that mo-
ton.
The question being, shall the order
lie on the table for printing.
The motion was agreed to.
Orders Of the Day.
On motion of Mr.. Joy of Eden, Bill,