The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-10-04
BOARD OF AFFAIRS
WRITE GOVERNOR
Would Make Appropriations For State
Institutions, Except Salaries, Di-
n rect to That Body.

Oklahoma City, Oct. 2. -- That the
financial interests of the state would
be better subseryed by making appro-
priations for maintenance of all state
institutions, save for salaries, direct
to the state board of public affairs
was suggested in a report by the board
made to Governor Cruce. Such apprO-
priations, the board assumes, would
be properly safeguarded. The report
also says that by taking advantage of
a technical defect of the last general
appropriation bill, wherein it requires
approval of the head of an institution
of all purchases made by the board,
officials SO disposed can thwart the
boards policy of buying all goods at
wholesale prices. By reason of the
acts wording, some institutional
heads have purchased goods at retail
for higher prices than the board
might have secured them had it had
a free hand, the report shows.
1t is suggested that the power of
the heads of each institution relative
to state supplies should be limited to
a statement of the receipt of the goods
at the prices set out The report con-
tinues
I'VE believe that in the makeup Of
the bin covering the appropriations
for the different institutions there
should be division Of the appropria-
tions as between salaries and other
expenditures, and believe that the
money appropriated for the mainten-
ance and equipment and all other ex-
penses. except those of salaries, should
be made direct to the state board of
public affairs, with the provision that
the board should not spend for these
items in any one department or insti-
tuition more than the sum which the
legislature specifies"
The board believes this system
would better prevent deficits in the
running expenses of departments and
institutions. BY having the appropria-
tions directly at its disposal, the board
says it could accomplish a large saw
ing, as it would be able to go into the
market when most favorable and buy
supplies for future use.
The reports says the present sys-
TEN of handling the state printing is
unsatisfactory and recommends that,
if continued as at present, it should be
taken out of the supervision of the
board of public affairs, thus relieving
the board of the necessity of assum-
ing, in a measure, the responsibility
of the acts of others.
In view of the fact that practically
all Insurance on state property ex-
pires January ] and June !, 1913, the
board suggests that the legislature
make an appropriation sufficient to
cover any loss by fire, hail or cyclone,
or should make an appropriation to
pay lHC plCiiiAuuiS AONCIAl6 etli ololC
insurance for five years. to be made
to the board with limitations as to the
amount that should be placed with
any one agent or company.
More stringent laws requiring heads
Of institutions to keep some kind of
records and report to some one in au-
thority relative to the consumption of
all supplies should be adopted. in the
opinion of the board The report also
suggests that in view of the large
amount of business handled by the
board for eleenosynary institutions
they could be more economically oper-
ated were they under the control of
the state board of public affairs.