The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-09-30

terhoff and ]. e. westphal of Whiting. |
they would run it so economically that
the people would be glad the legislature |
created the department. The law Great |
ing the public accounting department
was passed by Democratic legislature.
the bill was signed by a Democratic
governor, and another Democratic leg
isiature strengthened it and increased
the cost of running it. Both parties ad-
mitted that public accounting system
was desirable and that it ought to be
establihsed, but nobody ever figured on
the Democrats piling up the cost of its
maintenance to such an extent as is now
the case.
In the first place the accounting
board started out with two rooms In
the state house. and a few clerks. But
In short time another clerk was
added then another, then some more
and still more clerks. until the board
had to occupy four large rooms to ac-
comodate the army OF helpers. and now
it is expected that more room will be
needed in a short time to make room
for more clerks.
| But it is in the field examiners that
| the Democrats find the greatest item of
expense. True, these men do not get
their pay directly from the state treas
urv. but their pay comes out of the
pockets of the taxpayers just the same.
They get $40 a day. and the board has
had So of them at work all the time.
This makes the total cost for their
salaries $500 day, or $4,000 year
The clerks salaries amount to $4,000 a
month. making a total of more than
| $4,000 a month that this department
| is costing in salaries alone.
It is said. too,- that the board will
lshortiy increase the. number OF field
examiners to 100, thus adding 1850 a
day more to the expense. This viii
make total of more than 81 900 day
that this department will cost the tax
payers.
Then the department of inspection
was created by the last Democratic leg
islature, and 1t is costing $500 month
to run it. -Four new men have been
added to the office force in the Office of
the auditor of state. and each man
draws $500 a year salary. besides
their expenses. >,
One new man has been added to the
office Of the state superintendent of
public instruction.
The Democratic Legislature did not
increase the salaries of any of the state
| officials or employees. This would have
I
been too plain a case of going back on
promises. But they made up for it by
creating new clerkships and other
places.
When you ask any of the Democratic
politicians about this matter they car
only point out that the legislature cut
something like 100000 off the budget
for the maintenance of the state insti-
E tutions. But they do not like to be re
minded that while this is true the
superintendent OF the Boys School a
Plainfeld has had to nail up some o
the windows OF that Institution because
the appropriation for its maintenance,
was cut SO low that he could not pu
? REPAIRS to the place.
A good many people think it is
0 poor kind of economy for the Demo
n Gratis to reduce the appropriation 70
/ the maintenance of the state institu
5 tons to make it possible TO give port
Il ltical jobs to a large number of othe
: Democrats in the state house.
d There is no doubt that this conditio
: of affairs i'll become 5ae of the live is
sues in the coming campaign, for
there Is anything that will appeal to til
taxpayer it Is to have 1t pointed out t
him that expenses have been increase
Further evidence of the condition unde
"a the Democratic administration Is foun
in the fact thai the state board of f
nance has spent every available dolla
= of the states money. and that ii has o
II two or three occasions been pecessar
for the board to call on the count
n ,treasurers of the various counties
the state to send in advance payment
of money that will be due to the stat
from tax collections. 1t was only tn
month that a call of this kind was sci
out. and the county treasurers sent
something like $50, The state hs
to have the money If it had not RI
RI csived 1t in this way the reguls
- monthly bills of the state could n
have been paid. Not only that, but II
board found it necessary last year
III use up nearly 100000 of the sta
"A sinking fund All of these things a
FL being run down by the Republican
and it is said that they will have ever.
Fl thing in shape to attack the Democra
on the question of extravaganza at Il
opening of the coming campaign.