The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-08-06

THE attempt to load up the present
administration with excessive apprO-
printiOns, the same trick that ham,
strung Gov. McGOvern two years ago,
is meeting with a vigorous protest.
Speaker Whittet took the floor last
week and showed where cuts could be
made without embarrassment to the
departments of state. In offering the
amendment, Speaker Whittet disavow
ed any intention to in any way discredit
the work of the finance committee. He
commended that body for its faithful
ness and for the results it has accom-
plished. He pointed out, however, that
a special investigation which Governor
Philip had made, shows that still
further reduction of the amount neces-
sarv to meet the requirements of the
state board of control may be made,
and it was for the purpose of accom-
plishing this reduction that he offered
the amendment which cuts from the
total of the appropriation as recon-
mended by the finance committee near
w 1890, OO0 He explained that these
reductions had been agreed to by the
board of control, and that they placed
the appropriations for that organiza-
ton upon the same basis as OF the last
biennial period He told the assembly
that Governor Philip had made an in
vestigatiOn upon his own account and
that the governor had expended out of
his own pocket, without expectation of
repayment, some SIS, 900 for the pur-
pose of securing the information which
he desired upon which to base his &C
ton when considering the appropriation
bill. In proposing further reductions
in appropriations, Speaker Whittet
does not n1ince words or leave chance
for installing what his purposes are.
He calls attention to the fact that this
administration had pledged itself to
economy in expenditures, and says that
the people have right to lower eX-
penses in state government. He be-
lieves that appropriations have been
mounting year after year, largely be-.
cause of extravaganza standards that
have been adopted for comparisons.
The question asked is, ''what was ap-
prOpriated last session." not what
should have been appropriated. Upon
the theory that if an appropriation has
been made carrying fixed amount 1t
should be continued constantly at an
ever-growing amount, hundreds OF
thousands of dollars have been wasted.
The fact that Speaker Whittet took
the floor on Thursday and asked for a
reduction in the appropriations for the
board of control aggregating $3.50, 900,
shows something of the value of the
work of the special committee. The
data upon which this reduction was
asked was secured by the special COM
mittee, and augmented by further in
vestigations conducted by Governor
Phillip and Speaker Whittet. The
whole structure of state government,
it may be said, is built upon the theory
that there must be costly expansion IN
order to show progress. The universe
tv buys land-which, by the way, has
been described as having been measur-
ed by quarts instead of feet-because
some time in the future it may find use
for it. What use is undetermined.
Some senator wants a normal school
or, to be more in line with the situa-
ton, the normal school wants some SEN
and instantly, almost, there is q
plan for an added building expense fol-
quarter of million dollars, not tC
reckon on the yearly cost of mainten-
ance. Some man connected with the
boards and commissions, who has little
to do except dream out theories to try
on the taxpayers of Wisconsin, con
ceives a plan The plan finds its way
into bill. The bill carries an appro
priation, and the taxpayers pay. Thi:
has been going on for so many years
each year showing so abnormal an In
crease over the preceding year, thai
no one now stops to make comparison:
time WhQI
Wisconsin had not reached a mania fol
expansion. Gil Vandercook in Evening
Wisconsin.