The Harrison times., 1912-02-03
legislative Adjustment Of Finances.

LNklNluNNS NulholhNHN VI 'HuhNNo'
Editor Times;
Should the next legislature be COM
posed of men who have the general
interest Of the people at heart, and
true American patriotism, thous.
ands of dollars will be saved to our
taxpayers, instead Of crop Of cX-
trayagant appropriations
Economy, retrenchment and re-.
form will be the highest purpose and
we will get results that will give
us revenue for the building Of good
roads, increasing our school fund,
We all know very well that if an
individual suffers his expenditures to
exceed his income he continues to
get farther behind, 1t is Just the
same with our State government,
and as long as we continue under
the present system, we will continue
getting farther in debt and increas-
ing the burdens already so heavy on
our people
Instead Of having such q large num-
Der Of different committees to do the
work separately, | shall advocate
one general committee to pass on all
appropriations. The Hon, X, $,
Womack, of Columbia county in
the session of 1909, introduced q
resolution to this effect. The more
| see and hear in regard to our pres
cnt financial condition, the stronger
advocate am of such committee
which shall convene at an early date
of each session, ascertain the
amount Of funds available, the
amount actually necessary for the
maintenance of our state govern.
ment and our charitable institutions
and recommend the passage only
Of appropriations absolutely neees-
sary, amending them so ms 60 keep
the expenditure less than the public
income,
The present plan is to have a mum.
bcr Of different committees to do the
work, who know nothing about the
amount Of cash available, and who
do not keep tab of what they and
other committees haycrccommcndcd
to be spcnt-in other words going it
pell nell without any system what
ever, Now is it any wonder to any
one that our State finances should
be in bad condition. This budget
committee should lamilarize itself
with the finance of the State, being
able TO act intclligently and eeonom.
icaily on all appropriations,
Mr., Womock truthlully sOid
GLOW could it be possible for the
half dozen or more appropriation
committees, as appointed by each
legislature, working disiontedly as
they do, TO make a proper dstribu-
tion and at the same time to keep
within the limit of the States in
come? ltwould be an impossibility,'
For instance, the committee on
State charities will introduce n bill
appropriating so many thousand
dollars for the Deaf Mute Institute,
the House, perhaps, makes some
changes andIposses the bill, In like
manner other bills for the Blind
School, the Insane Asylum and the
Soldiers Home will be passed; and
in like manner the Educational
Committees will act, each indcpend.
emily and separately preparing its
own bills without any consideration
as 60 what other committees might
ask for So in the same unbusiness.
like manner the House will take
each Of these bills up, one at a time,
never knowing when one is passed
what the next will be- and with no
thought of the States ability to
pay, so that it is no wonder, when
there are so many of these appropri.
alton bills passed by such methods,
that the total always exceeds the
State revenue by half
B, NJ Estes,