The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-22

It is mantle. ~ impossible for any
governor to scale down the a%ppropria-
tons provided for BY the legislature
in such a manner as to give satisfac-
ton to everyone. Every person who
proposes a bill carrying an appropria-
ton feels quite sure that whatever
may be the situation with reference
to other bills. the amount asked for
in his bill is the very least that will
serve the interests Of the state through
the cause or institution in favor Of
which his bill is introduced. Tho
present situation. of course, Is no ex-
cepticn to the rule. Appropriations
have heen hacked right and left. and
for a while there will be weeping and
waiting and crashing Of teeth. and. We
will be assured that black ruin stares
us in the face. Presently. however.
We will int that the situation is not
quite az had us it might be. and a
good many people will be %consoling
themselves with the thought that
while the appropriations in which
they took special interes. suffered to
some extent. other appropriations for
purposes or institutions in other parts
Of the state also were given a taste
Of the pruning knife.
After the first soreness has worn of
there will be very general agreement
with the governor in his determine.
ton to pay attention first Of all to the
appropriations for those institutions
which are maintained for the care Of
the i'll and the unfortunate, and for
the control OF criminals. 1t is assumed
that the report Of the committee which
investigated the condition at the
jamestown hospital vas accurate. If
so conditions existed and still exist
there which should not be permitted
to exist for a day longer than Is alb
solutely necessary. II the appropria-
tions provided for that institution for
the remedying of these conditions are
needed for that purpose, by all means
let them be made. Great as the need
may be for improvements Of various
kinds at educational and other ineti-
tutions. considerations OF humanity
and ordinary decency demand that
the conditions at institutions where
human beings are confined against
their will under authority of the state
shall be sanitary aud wholesome.
In the handling Of appropriations
for educational purposes the governor
has taken the position hat the edu-
cation Of the state should work from
the bottom, that is. from the element
airy grades up. There is often MAIN
tanned another theory. to the effect
that In the education of a people the
influence must come from above. that
is. that the demand that a people shall
be educated comes. not from those
who have no education, and hence
have the greater need Of it, but from
those who are already educated, and
who. having learned something Of the
benefits of education. and anxious that
these benefits shall be shared by 9th.
ers. Without going into a discussion
Of these conflicting theories 1t may
be said that while during the past
several years high schools and col.
leges have made tremendous strides
in attendance and quality and guam.
tity Of Mork done, it is the unanimous
verdict OF educators that the rural
schools Of the country have lagKed
far behind the procession, and the
governor has apparently acted on the
belief that where the greatest need
exists there should the greatest effort
be put forth.
One bill affecting a certain class Of
educational work has been vetoed AZ
whole. namely. that providing for
the distribution Of $4,000 among the
high schools Of the state. 1t appears
to be a fact that state funds received
by at least some Of the high schools
have been used for purposes of ordi.
nary maintenance. thus relieving the
communities Of just that much taxa.
ton, something certainly not contem-
plated in any scheme for state aid.
So'"e NoA1ouS uptICdtlOu Will 0x.
list because Of the failure Of the bill
appropriating funds for the salaries
and expenses of the tax commission.
The members Of the tax commission
are legally qualified and appointed
ofice<s Of the state with duties pre-
scribed and salaries fixed by Law. The
law creating the board. prescribing
their duties and fixing their salaries
remains unchanged. The situation ere.
ated by the veto is that while the state
will be Indebted to the commissioners
for salary during the time which they
serve. there will be no fund available
from which payments can be made,
and no means that We are war of.
short Of an act Of the legislature.
which will make possible their pay
ment. The public officer with a posi-
ton and a salary. but nothing to do.
is not uncommon in political history,
but an official with plenty to do and
nothing to get IL much more rare.
CONVIC1S FOR ROADMAKING.
Both houses Of the Kansas lekisla.
tnvo hA,n nnssAA ls,s