The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-05-20
100000 CLIMB
in APPROPRIATIONS.
Increase That Amount in Ten Years
Too Much To Spend Blindly Says
State Efficiency Commission.
BUDGET SHOULD BE USED
Legislature Could Then Pass Laws
Handling Money 1ntelligently-
Place Responsibility.

St. Paul. May 2O.-(Special to
The Pioneer Appropriations have
in little more than ten years climb
ed from five millions to twelve mil
lions. That isn't the worst of it.
The sad part of it is that the state
has doubled it's expenditures without
knowing what it is doing. Legis-
latures have adopted their ever in
creasing budgets without knowing
whether the money was really needed
or would be spent to the best advan-
tage. Twelve millions may not be
too much but it is altogether too
much to spend blindly.
Before the legislature can appro-
pirate intelligently it must have a
budget to act on, prepared in ad-
vance, ready to critical study the
first day of the session.
Before such budget can be pre-
pared so it will throw any light on
the needs of the state, the govern
ment must be organized. When
Minnesota has a single government
in place of something like sixty in
dependent governments it will be
possible to prepare such budget.
Could You Tell?
Take it in your own business. If
your bOokkeeper was appointed by
board and you never saw him but
once in two years, If your salesman
were appointed by another board
and you only saw them once in two
years, If your delivery boy was ap-
pointed by another board protected
with equal care from your interfer-
ence, what sort of a budget could you
make? And when they told you
how much they needed to carry on
their jobs, how could you tell
whether they were exercising the
best Judgment?
For these reasons the efficiency
comWissiOn proposes first of all a
single government for the state, all
the officers whose duties lie in the
same field tied up with the director
Of department and these directors
constituting the governors cabinet.
This is designed to prevent lost
motion and insure cooperation be-
tween officials who are performing
similar duties. The amount to be
saved in that way may not be large.
The payrolls of the executive depart
ments are not the big items in state
expenses. But it should result in
some saving and it ought to result
in getting a great deal more service
for the money.
Caused By Logrolling.
Unnecessary expense now comes
not very much from padding the pay
rolls, but very much from logroll-
ing. The budget cannot forbid log
rolling. The legislature is free
agent. But when an intelligent
statement is before the legislature,
it will be easier for those members
to make stand against that sort
of thing who are disposed to do it.
1t will be much easier for the pub
lie to Judge whether appropriations
are justified.
This plan fixes responsibility for
the conduct of the government in
the executive departments where it
is now scattered beyond recognition.
At the same time it goes a long way
toward fixing responsibility in the
legislature where it is now hopeless
ly dissipated.
Adopt this plan and if the people
want an economical legislature, they
can make sure of having one. Now
the legislature is guessing. And so
are the people.