The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-05-07
Deficiency Claims.

~ .
Dairy commissioner ......... 10000
Bank examiner ........,.,.. 1866 50
Deficiency Claims.
The statement is made in the Dwight
document that a total Of $1Ss, 493. II
has been submitted to the present ses-
sion OF the legislature as deficiency
claims. These figures are Inaccurate.
The total deficiency claims submitted
to the legislature by the state board
of examiners mount to but $175.-
442.05. OF these deficiency claims, a
total Of $4,000 is for the state peni-
tertiary. and $4,000 is for the state
asylum for the insane. These def
ciencies were unavoidable by reason Of
the increased growth Of these institu-
tons. and also by reason of the ne
cessity for the construction Of addi-
tional buildings. New buildings and
improvements at the penitentiary were
made at a cost Of $4,000. while Inn
provements at the insane asylum
amounted to $6s.o07.70. It will thus
be seen that the total deficiency asked
for the insane asylum Is $2s, 007. 20,
less than the value of the permanent
improvements constructed at that in
%stitution during the last biennial
period.
Agriculture and Publicity.
1t is gratifying to learn from the
report submitted by Senator Dwight
and his colleagues that at least one
department Of h state government
was found to be conducted in an eff
Gent and satisfactory manner. The
department of agriculture and public
ity is credited with doing well a big
and valuable work. That is about the
only entirely rank and honest state
ment contained In the entire docu-
ment. Yet the department Of agri-
culture and publicity, relatively, Is
rendering nc more efficient service
than are many Of the other depart
ments Of the state government. They
are all doing good work.
Expenditures Must Increase.
With the rapid Increase in tho
wealth and population Of Montana
must inevitably come increased public
expenditures. Two and four years
ago the appropriations for the Incl
dental expenses Of the legislature
amounted to $4,000. This year the
legislature appropriated $751; 900 for the
same purpose-an increase Of 50 per
cent. The legislature is larger, nat
urally it's expenditures for stamps.
supplies and incidental expenses are
larger. It will cost several thousand
dollars more to pay the expenses Of
the Fourteenth legislative assembly
han any previous legislature ever re-
quired. Will Senator Dwight return
to his constituents and tell them that
the governor or the state officers were
responsible for those expenditures?
The Railroad Commission.
Referring to the item relating to
the cost and expense Of the railroad
commission; The 1}ata%sat Il 1872,
Notwithstanding that the undisputed
records Of the railroad commissioners
office show an increase of more than
100 per cent in the work Of the COM
mission in 1915 over 1912. The COM
mission is doing more efficient work;
doing it much more economically, and
doing more than twice as much as It
did three years & That is the rec
ord. And that should be a sufficient
answer.
The Electors Did Not Demand It.
In connection with the recent crea-
ton OF new and additional offices.
your committee desires to call atten-
ton to the fact that these depart
ments were created by the Thirteenth
Legislative assembly in redemption Of
platform pledges which had been made
by the democratic party. and which
had been approved by the people at the
general election Of 1912. It vas the
general belief Of the democratic party
that the activities Of the state govern
ment should be increased. to the end
that Montana might be enabled to rem
der to its citizens the same efficient
service which other state governments
provide. Despite the fact that there Is
unquestionably some difference OF
opinion as to the wisdom Of the Gre
alton Of some Of these departments.
there is nothing to indicate that the
people Of the state Of Montana have
changed their minds Or that they &C.
cupy q different position now thar
they did in 1912. Your committee
knows Of no member Of this legisla.
ture who was elected to this body upo1
a frank, specific pledge to labor fol
the abolition Of any existing depart
ment Of the state government; it doe.
know that a number Of legislative
candidates who made such pledge,
failed to secure nomination or cleo
. ton.
State Land Office.
A mis-statement of facts. aggregat
ing $12.17o.44. is made in the item Q
one years cost and expense OF tn
state land office, q mistake whicl
} could not have been made had an!
! effort whatever been devoted towar'
, a~scertaining the actual cost and ex
pense Of this department Of the stat
government.
: The Dwight report charges that tn
cost and expense Of the state land Of
flee from December l, 1912. to Novem
Der 80, 1913. was $65.435.54. OF thi
: total, $12,l74.44 is covered by the iten
of refunds made to purchasers and les
sees Of state land. to whom h actua
! acreage delivered was less than tn
actual acreage shown by the old gov
eminent surveys. In other words. tn
{ state land office yearly collects fror
o purchasers and lessees Of state LAM
r money in excess Of which it is entitled
= and as promptly returns these money
to the citizens who nave purchased q
leased state lands. That such an ttel
should be charged as an administrativ
expense IL too preposterous to justif
serious consideration.