West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-02-04

No Efforts Being Made to Cut Down
Expenses-Last Legislature Created
Many New Offices Which Are sim
In Existence.
,From Jas. w. Weir,

Notwitnstanding the fact that the
State was plunged heavily in debt
through the extravaganza of the last
legislature which spent about 81, $780,
900 more than the income OF the state
and that II will not only be necessary
to raise more revenue but to cut down
expenses as well, yet not single step
has been made. SO far as is notice
able. toward cutting off a single
source of expensec reated by the legis-
lature of 1913. New Offices were Great
ed then and the legislature then en-
tered upon an era OF reckless extrava<
gance which the present Legislature
has not shown any disposition 10 curb
or remedy insofar as an eE6rt is he
ing made to lop OF useless expenses.
For instance in the HosIng hours OF
the 1913 legislaturSthe office of hotel
inspector was created, the position
paying si.59S a year and expenses.
Not bill has been introduced to dis
conunYe or abolish that Office. There
are three assistant banking commits
sioners. The Office OF the last one by
the legislature OF 1913. That Office
an added and useless expense to the
State, will not be abolished, although
there Is no necessity for such a use
less appendage. There are three as
sistant attorney generals. The Office
OF the third one was created at the
last session, but his office will also
very likely be continued The crea-
ton OF the public service commission
cost the state about 100000 year
and the first appointments have been
disappointment to the people of the
state because though the office of each
commissioners costs $4,000 a year six
thousand dollar men have not been
secured for the position. 1t is be-
lieved that men just as good as those
who hold the positions now could be
secured for $4,000 but no effort has
been made to curtail the expenses OF
the commission as 1t could be done
On the other hand the governor re-
commends the creation of an office of
counsel to the commission. although
one OF the commissioners is a good
lawyer, but to give the commission a
high-priced attorney will only serve
to increase the expense to the state
AS those who are familiar with the
legislature predicted the number OF
attaches on the pay roll OF the state
placed there during the present SEES
sion of the Legislature, grows larger
day by day New appointments are
being made every day. Twice within
the last week senators on the Repub-
lican side have risen in their seats To
ask for an attache for their county
Senator McClung OF Nicholas county
only few days ago offered a resoh
ton reciting that Nicholas had been
given no representation and the reso-
luton was passed and Nicholas given
Its attache, it is quite needless to add
The same thing happened with refer
ence to Raleigh and another attache
was added. They have in both the
House and Senate supervisor of
stenographers who knows nothing i'm
the world about stenography or for
that matter about the stenographers
who work under him or her. In eff
feet 1t Is just like calling in some one
on the street and saying Here is four
dollars day for the session Take
IL; IT is yours; what do we care? The
taxpayers have to foot the bill. II
does not come out OF our pocket"
Over in the House they have a librar-
ian whose duties are exceedingly ex-
acting and combining because there is
no library. The man does not have a
thlng To do. There is also a committee
clerk to the committee on Arts.
Science and General improvements of
the House-the committee never
meets. So IL will be observed that
there Is just as much extravaganza.
Just as much wanton waste as there
ever was, If not more. Carefulness in
There is absolutely no regard for ex-
penses. No effort is made to admins
ter the affairs of the House or the
Senate on business-like basis. This
state OF affairs cannot be charged to
the Democrats for in the Senate the
Republican party declined to allow a
single attache to the minority. not
even stenographer to handle the
correspondence of Democratic Sena-
tors. The pressure was so heavy that
the Rpubliecans found IL necessary TO
reserve all appointments for them
selves. This reckless extravaganza Is
due in part to the fight for the presi-
dency of the Senate when IL became
necessary for the Governor and the
candidate to make all
Kinds Of promises which the people
have to pay for. AS showing the real
condition of affairs il is only neces-
sary to refer to the auditors report
he states "The last legisla-
tnre was very LIBERAL in appropria-
ting money. and the state treasury
would long have been empty had not
The State administration advised.
wherever possible. retrenchment i'm
The expenditure Of the appropriation
Tor new buildings, repairs, etc"
"A NUMBER OF NEW OFFICES
WERE CREATED BY THE LEGIs-
LATURE AND PROVISION WAS
ALSO MADE FOR AN INCREASE IN
SOME or THE EXISTING DEPART
MENTS BOTH AS TO SALARIES