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

this exchange having had previous
legislative authorization.
Expense Of Administration.
AS a matter Of fact, the cost Of adj
ministering the state land office from
December /. 1912. to November 80. 1915,
excluding refunds and excluding
money expended in the forestry ex-
change. amounted to $41. 437.03. In the
ear from December 1, 1918, to No.
vember 30. 1914. this expense was $780,
47S.75. During the same year the
moneys received from interest and
leases. which become the income ex-
pended for the support of the common
schools of the state, increased from
$345.4O4.5O for the year ending No
vember 30. 1912, to $419. 096.00 for the
year ending November 80, 1918. and to
$4,000 f1r the year ending Novem-
Der 30, 1914. In other words, the per
capita sum derived from this source
n distributed to the school districts
Of the state amounted to 81 for the
ending November 80, 1912; $3.50
for h ear ending November 80, 1913,
and IS for the year ending November
80. 1914.
The Total Increase.
The increased expense for the year
ending November 30, 1914, over the
year ending November 80, 1918,
to about $1,000, was solely
due to field work, the state land de-
partment selecting 142,353 acres Of a
value of $1.423.530 for the
public land grants Of this state.
State Board Of Examlners.
An annual appropriation of $1,000
has been made for the contingent ex-
pense Of the state board Of examiners.
This appropriation embraced the sum
Of $4,000 for the years 1911 and 1912.
and $4,000 for the years 1913 and
1914. and is purely an emergency &C.
count. the funds Of which are de-
signed to be used as may be deemed
best by the board In meeting expenses
otherwise provided for. Transfer
are made from this account to the
credit Of any account that needs as
sistance to prevent a deficiency which
would unavoidably occur.
For instance, the legislature made an
Of $500 for the year
1911. and $500 for the year 1912. I'M
der the title. Estate board Of exam
iners' travelling expenses" This ap.
was overlooked for the
years 1913 and 1914, when the trav-
cling expenses were partly met from
the contingent account. A portion Of
this account, amounting to $1,1S6.4o.
the past biennial period. was
expended for wrappers and postage in
cidental to the carrying out Of tho
submitted under the initia-
tive and referendum clauses Of the
constitution. In other words, this con-
tingency account is merely an emer-
gency fund designed to meet unusual
and unprovided-for expenses, ana the
expenditures from this account have
been handled in the same conserva-
tive, economical way a. has marked
the operation Of other branches Of the
government.
Senate Committee Recommendations.
If the figures contained in the re-
port are SO unreliable as to form no
basis tfor the contention that they
lions 81 the senate committee. IN
stead Of specifying particulars IN
which extravaganza could be lesseneo
or efficiency increased, we ind tnat
the recommendations are Of the most
insisnidcant and inconsequent1al
character. The first Recommendation
is as follows:
"1n conclusion your committee here-
nv recommend the adjustment OF tne
present tax commission, the authority
of which can only be duplicated IN
the same authority granted by law
to the clerk Of the board OF eQuaA-
ization, and a completion OF ene
formation Of this department Will q
1913 employees to the present payroii.
Every one who is familiar WIN
the legislation knows that the 40
deputies referred t. by the senate
committee are the persons who were
to he appointed county appraisers
The executive department has not at
tempted to put this appraisemene
plan into operation. and no one mas
come forward to propose Its con-
tinuance. All seem to agree pom
the repeal Of this feature OF the tax
commission law, although 1t might IN
fairness be submitted that q correct
advertisement Of the property OF the
state is the foundation OF all tax
LEGISLATION. The abolition OF the OF
fice Of tax commissioner. about which
so much has been said, results In the
net saving to the state Of $4,000 pei
year.
Nothing to BE Saved Here.
The second recommendation Is a.
follows:
THE adjustment Of the present
system in the employment OF deputy
sealers OF weights and measures"
Putting into effect this recon-
mendation would not be a saving te
the state because these deputies are
paid by the counties. To carry Int
effect this recommendation would b
to reduce the efficiency Of h worl
Of the department, and play Into tn
hands Of short-weight merchants ant
others who have felt the strong han'
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