The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-08-26
Many Topics of Importance
Will Be Brought Up for
Consideration.
DEBATE GOOD ROADS
Departments for Efficiency
and Economy is Popular
Subject.
(National News Association


Governors of nearly two score OF
states were present here today when
the five days session of the governors
conference, what was originally an in
formal meeting and now has become
a valuable institution, opened at the
Antlers Hotel. While discussions OF
many interesting and vital subjects
are scheduled. it is expected that con,
servation, although not on the pro-
gram, will be one of the principal
topics. Governor Ammon of Colorado
who in a sense is acting as host
to his colleagues, is deeply interested
in the subject, and will bring it up
before the conference ends. The
western governors hope to interest the
eastern chief executives in the sub
ject
Good Roads Feature.
Good roads will be gone into thor
oughly. 1t is said that Governor Foss
of Massachusetts will present a reso-
luton asking the conference to in
dorse the plan of the National High
ways association, which urges as a
first step to insure federal aid for road
building, the passage of bill by con-
gress creating a national commission
to study the question, unite on a plan
for road building by the federal gov
ernment, and make such recommends
tions to congress as it may deem best
Other subjects on the program for
discussion are:
"A State Department for Efficiency
and Economy" to be presented by
Governors Cruce of Oklahoma and
Lister Of Washington.
''Distrust of States Legislatures. The
Cause. The Remedy" to be discussed
by Governors O'Neal of Alabama, Hunt
of Arizona, and Hodges of Kansas.
The Growth of Administrative Com
to be presented by Governor
Dunno of Illinois.
"State Assumption of Nomination and
Election Expenses" to be presented
by Governors Baldwin of Connecticut,
and Carey of Wyoming.
Report on a Bill.
In addition to the subjects assigned
for discussion there will be presented
to the Conference a report by the
Conference committee on cooperation
created at Richmond, Virginia, last
year. The resolution creating this
committee reads as follows: ~
"Resolved, That a committee of nine
members of this Conference be ap-
pointed by the Conference to prepare
a bill to be submitted, after it's ap-
proval by two-thirds of the Governors,
to the legislatures of the several
states by the Governors thereof, to pro-
vide for the establishment of rural
credit banks, and land mortgage and
associations for the pur-
pose of both buying the articles re-
quired by the farmer and selling his
crops, with provisions sufficiently
elastic to meet the conditions of every
section and to meet the needs of the
people of the United States engaged in
agriculture" The members of this
are Governors O'Neal, of
ALBANIA (Chairman); Mann, of Vir-
ginia; Ex-Governor Harmon, of Ohio;
Hadley, of Missouri;
Governors McGovern, of Wisconsin;
Foss, of Massachusetts; Carey, of Wy
oming; Johnson, of California; and
Plaisted, of Maine
The papers on the subject "a State
of Efficiency and Econ
omy' will be watched with interest
The governors assigned this topic are
students of the subject. The states
nf ro1ifnrnia yTo in
Illinois, and Wiscon-
sin, have departments of efficiency
and economy, and much beneficial dis
cussion and many beneficial views and
will be forthcoming: The
department has done won
derful work and Governor Listers &C
count of it will be attentively received.
Will Furnish Material.
Information with respect to what
these departments have done in the
other states will gice the governors
Of states in which no such institution
mas been esta blished a mass of ma
-erial and authority for future recon-
1t is expected that a
great field will be covered under this
title. These departments of efficiency
an deconomy generally act in an ad-
sory capacity to the heads of depart
nents, to the Governors and to the
The governors participating in the
and discussion of the sub
ect will advocate many reforms along
ines of efficiency and economy in the
of state affairs, such as
he coordination of state work, the
of commissions, the
more effective apportionment of
school funds, a state budget, legisla-
i've procedure. merit system, a CEN
raj state purchasing department,
prison labor, a wage scale for state
etc
Discuss Legislatures
The subject, "Distrust of States
the Cause, the Remedy"