Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-09

we shall merit the respect and con-
| fidence Of the people of this common
wealth. Il. Is.
GOVERNOR BURkE'S MESSAGE.
Gentlemen Of the Thirteenth Legislative
Assembly of the State Of North IA
see among your number many VINO
have been members of one or the other
! branch of this body for the last three
sessions, and some who served with me
us members eighteen. twenty ana wen
ty-twx years ago; men OF large eApeli-
cNcc in legislative work who rave Tor
many sessions Loyalty cooperated with
the executive department and to whom |
am under great Obligations Tor their
loyalty and support. You nave not al
WAYS agreed with or followed my rec
concentrations, but when YOU have failed
IL was. | believe, on account Of an hon
est difference Of opinion. The relations
growing out Of our Legislative work are
about to end. ! am here to bid YOU
adicu and give you my parting message.
am truly grateful to you one and all,
and to the people of this great state who
have 50 frequently rcpOScd confidence
in me. | am sure that you will give to
my successor in office the same kline
consideration that you have given to
me.
Let me remind you at the outset of
your labors that yours is the most I'M
portant coordinate branch Of the state
government. It is here that the bust
ness of the state is initiated: it is here
that the expense Is incurred: 1t is here
that business methods should be inausu-
rated; it is here tina the laws are con-
stlucted and enacted that will bring
veal or woe: and it is for this reason
that the constitution commands the gov
crllOr to communicate to this assembly
at the beginning of each session by mes
sage Information of the condition Of the
state and recommend such measures as
he shall deem eXpedient. 1t imposes
this duty upon tie governor. He is in
a position to know the condition OF the
tate, the condition of the state finances,
ana it is information that the Legislative
assembly must have from some source.
Ytu must know how much money has
been provided for the maintenance of
the state government Cor the ensuing
two years in order to maxi your appro-
pr'aticns and keep within the revenues
of the state. There Is no legal obliga-
tiCn to follow the recommendations OF
the governor, or to keep within the rev.
enueS of the state. even in making APP
preparations, but there is a moral Obliga-
titn and there is a business obligation.
for surely it is not good business nor
good morals to appropriate more money
than the revenues of the state warrant:
and if it IL done it throws upon the
governor the responsibility Of cutting
appropriations and bringing them within
the revenues. The governor being ham
percd by the constitutional provision,
permitting him to only veto items in ap-
proUriation bills or the entire bill, has 4
difficult task to get the appropriations
within the revenues when there Is an
excess. 1t is air neither to the COVER
ncr nor the institutions, for the COVER
nor being forced to act. and having the
as YOU have, in order to get WITHIN the
revenues of the state may be forced TO
innocently and without any such mteI-
titn injurc some institution. thus SUD
jecting him to unjust criticism. Such
action is shifting the responsibility
which belongs here, onto the shouluI.o
of the governor, who has no power TO
vote in this assembly. but only the pow
or to recommend, approve and disap-
prove. If you are going to throw TINS
responsibility nto the governor then II
is q great waste of time and q treulcn-
deus expense for this body to spend the
greater part of two months IN consld-
cring appropriation bills which are H.
nally determined in amount by the gov
| cruor. We had better amend the consul
| tuition and give the power to the COVER
Nor in law. as we'll as in fact, II save
| all this expense; or follow the spirit OF
| the constitution by assuming the respon-
| s,bility in this body in fact as it Is IN
! tended in law.
In my messages to the Eleventh ant
| Twelfth Legislative Assemblies gave
an tented statement W the eH-
DC nses of the state for the two years
nrcvious, and included an official estimate
of the revenues Of the state for the en-.
suing two years: and in my message tt
the Twelfth Legislative Assembly mad'
n direct appeal to keep within the rev
enues of the state. I called attention tt
the fact that the Eleventh Legislative
Assembly mad by appropriation exceeded
the revenues in large amounts. ana ina
! was forced to veto many items III ,n'
~arpropriation bills and in many cases U
determine the amount of the appropr1a'
| tiun, But in spite of the furnished state
mentS, and in spite of my appeal, I'M
Twelfth Legislative Assembly. following
what seems to have become a custom
appropriated large sums In excess or th'
revenues OF the STATE, anu SeIll VIC az
preparation bills to my office on the las
night of the session when there was III
time left to veto and return to this bod!
for further consideration. What ! said II
my message to the Eleventh Legislative
Assembly j believe to- be true OF the
| Twelfth Legislative Assembly, namely:
~ do not believe that the Lcgisia'
turc intended to appropriate more
money than there was revenue. Many
of the appropriation bills were pass
ed at a late hour on the last night
of the session and in the confusion
and hurry always incident to the
closing hours Of the Legislature 1t
IS doubtful If n mer1ber knew
that they had exceeded the revenues
of the state
The result, however, is just the same
as though it were Intentional, and the
ros,,If yrou-s n,1t Of another custom,