The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-07-26

government increased over 80 pen
cent, and when the two years OF
Gov. Hooper's administration ara
completed the increase in ex.
penses Of the state government
will, at the present rate, be over
100 per cent in ten years.
No greater revelry Of extrav-
agance was ever enacted at the
capital Of any state than in Ten
nessee at the last session of the
legislature. 1t is impossible ITO
tell its real cost to the people. The
fleeing Of some of the members to
Alabama cost directly over $685.
900, indirectly probably ten times
that amount, and almost caused
the credit Of this state to be Sc
riously impaired. Few who had
the opportunity did not dip deep
ly into the state treasury.
1t is impossible In any address
to call attention to but a few Of
The wild extravagances and un-
business-like methods Of our state
government.
The cost Of our "junketing COM
mittees'' and similar wasteful ex-
penditures Of money reached high
tide in 1911. The cost in this d.
rection is said to be the greatest
of any legislature that ever as
sembled ia this state, and repre-
SCENTS the squandering Of multi
piled thousands. This, with the
increase Of officers and salaries
and extravaganza appropriations, q
enough to make the Indifferent
stand in establishment.
It took sixteen men and cost
$4,557 for the legislative commit
tee to investigate the penitentiary
and the state mines and such an
investigationi One auditor ana
one engineer, which would have
cost but q few hundred dollarA
could have made a much thorough
investigation. II
Nine accountants and two meY |
bers of the legislature invsf
gated the offices Of the COZ
troller and treasurer, at cq =
$2,078. These books shout
audited and / daresay cou
audited at less than one-ha4
expense.
The joint committee on rel
ing the state debt cost So, 928
no doubt all they found out
have been ascertained by tht
Of a few cents in
age. If a personal investig}
by any one at that time was
necessary, one man could
done it at an expense of
5000. What great private busl
enterprise would have sent ter.
men junketing to Chicago, New
York and elsewhere on such mis-
sion7
Many other expenditures equal
ly as useless and uncalled for
could be cited.
No wonder this state cannot ref
deem any Of It's bonds. Nc wont
der our taxes are high and ,iRdu4
tries are fleeing to other statet
No wonder there is a demand fro
one end Of the state to the oth4
that we have more business ami
.ess politics.
If I am nominated and elected \
governor / will inaugurate some
'eforms in economy and erdeavor
TO put the departments pf this
state on a souA1, sane, common
sense business basis, or Twill In
he attempt exhaust my constitu-
tional authority to the fullest ex-
tent. =
Whether you nominate and elect
ne or not, this state must have
1ew men in the administration OF
is affairs. It is Of the utmost inn
oortance that we this year send
,ur very best men to the legis-
AZURE, men whose character and
in their respective com
nunities are a guarantee Of their
illness and fidelity, men who are
,road-gauged and patriotic, and
Who will do something for the pub
ic good, who will not sacrifice the
interests Of their constituency to
heir private ends or TO gain .
title political advantage, and win
lot sell their very souls for petty