The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-10-26
MADE
TO MR.. HOWE
Other Side of State Expense
Question Shown in Off
cial Statement
GREAT INCREASE
IN STATE REVENUE
when Compared with Receipts
Show Greatest Economy of Any
State in the Union-Howe' s Speeches
Misleading.

State in the Union-Howe' Speeches
Misleading.
In his speech making about the state |
Harland b. Howe, Democratic candi- |
date for the governorship, has referred |
to increased state expenses and made |
insinuationS that might lead to a
thought Of dishonesty on the part of
state officials. In the following letter
state Treasurer Edward H. Dcavitt
makes answer TO Mr.. Howe's state
ments:
| -. Rolf Searles, Secretary.
= Republican State Committee.
- Montpelier, Vermont.
- Dear Sir:-My attention has been
called to certain statements about
state finances which have been made
by Harland Il. Howe. the Democratic
| candidate for governor. In this con
necton | desire to call your attention
| TO certain facts. For the bare state
| mentS Of MIR. Howe when unexplained
! have tendency to mislead the voters
! For instance when it is stated that
| the combined expenses of the offices
| of auditor of accounts and state
| treasurer have increased from ~ ,S53. 80
| in 1901 to $l4,29l.&3 in 1914 with lit
| tie change in population, no attention
| is paid to the amount of business
| transacted by the two offices in the
| respective wears. Auditor Graham in
| his 1914 report has called attention to
| the fact that the cost OF handling the
| business for the last fiscal wear
| through the offices mentioned was ONLY
| two tenths of one per cent of the re
| ceIptS and disbursements Of that wear.
which showing probably cannot he sur
passed for economy in any state in
| the Union. The percentage is pYac-
| tIeally the same rs in 1901 hut the
showing is more favorable than ap-
| pears for 1914, for in 1901 the state
| treasurer in addition to the sum paid
| by the state for the support OF his of
| Ice was compelled to pay several hun
dred dollars out Of his own pocket for
clerk hire, while in 1914 the state had
made provision for such expense. Ii
may he of interest in this connection
to know that for the first two wears
held the office of state treasurer from
1906 10 1905 | paid out OF my own
pocket for clerk hire nearly ! 800 for
which | have never asked or received
| any reimbursement from the state. In
| 1908 when ! represented the situation
to the legislature the office was
promptly provided with clerk hire and
10y the state for the support of his of
fee Of secretary of state which had
been in a similar situation. and | am
unaware that Harland b. Howe as a
member of that Legislature made any
; objection to such provision.
''If | may be pardoned another per
sonal reference Mr.. Howe carries the
: idea that the state treasurer and other
state officers devote only a small part
of their stime to the performance Of of
: fetal duties, and that such offices are
conducted as a side line to law prac-
/. tice. l closed my law office during my
first term as state treasurer and since
that time have devoted practically my
entire time to the duties of the state
Z Office which | hold. And | know that
Secretary of State Bailey and Auditor
. Graham have devoted practically all of
their time to the performance of their
official duties, and the records which
b. these two men have made in their re-
spective offices render any statement |
might make in this connection super
tluous.
- 1t is true that there has been a
= large increase in state expenses in the
| iaSI tHlIletH wears, OUT iHeIe mas alSu
been corresponding increase in rev
enues, the corporation taxes alone III
1914 exceeding those of 1901 by more
a than 81 100000.
: In 1901 s.. 800 was turned into the
state treasury by the secretary OF
Y state. In 1914 such amount was $164
. 65979. This latter sum represents AZ
: aggregation of a large. number Of small
\ | fees, the automobile fees alone
d amounting to $l40,0SS.33. 1t requires
# some office expense to maintain such
department. Criticism has been made
of the increase of expense in the of
fee of the secretary of state but no.
word is said in commendation of the
work of Guy w. Bailey. who almos
g single handed has worked out the an
- tomobile laws. These laws are model
which are being followed in othe
- states, and are a source of revenue in
e stead Of an expense to the people o
Sc this state.
n "'Attention is called to the $1,000
"a expense of conducting the office o
a secretary of state, but attention is no
ne called to the further fact that $1,000
of the amount repl esents the sam tn
legislature has ordered the seeretar
to spend for promoting state develop
IN ment. If this is not wanted don
rk blame Mr.. Bailey but let the legisla
He ture discontinue the work.
n 1" 1t may be of interest to kno'