The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-05-12

jefferson City, Mo-, May An a
statement on the financial condition
of Missouri Governor Major said to-
day that, come what may, there will
be no expenditures by the State adj
ministration during the biennial peri
cd ending December 81, 1916, in ex-
cess of the revenues for two years.
The total revenue for the two years
will be very close to $11,500,000, as
the Governor advised the Forty
eighth General Assembly in his mes
sage in January, 1915, and that body
overappropriated the estimate by $4,-
100000.
The Governor says the appropria-
tons are not an indebtedness, but
merely an authorized line of credit.
This line of credit cannot be extended
beyond the actual revenue. The State
officers, he declares, are doing their
duty by restricting the disbursements
with that end in view.
Distribution to be Equitable
Virtually one-half of the overap-
propriation was vetoed by him, the
Governor adds, and held up when the
bills of the appropriation budget were
approved and signed, with the under
standing that the other half would be
held up unless the revenue grew to
such an extent as to be sufficient to
absorb it, which was not likely.
The Governor says emphatically
that each department and institution
will get its proper part of the revenue
but no more.
There was no discrimination, he
declares, against any institution IN
the adjustment and holding up of the
difference between the revenue and
i The total appropriations.
The balance in the general revenue
fund at the close Of April was $685.
540.05, and the general balance in the
Treasury was $6,132, 653.21. The rev
,nue balance will remain virtually
| 100000 until the close of the year
as the State pays out on acquisitions
as fast as the revenue comes in.
Dead" Fund of $1,OOO,OOO
A great Improvement could be made
in the Constitution and laws CONTROL
ing the various funds. For instance
there is a "dead" fund of $1,000OO(
in the Treasury in the estate Interest
fund.-" against which all demands FOL
the biennial period have been met
vet this money cannot be used fol
any other purpose. This fund Il
} growing, while the revenue fund Il
constantly touching the bottom.
The Governor attributes much los
in the general revenue to the ddecrea,s'
in the number of saloons and to thu
abolition of the contract system IL
the penitentiary.
! He concludes by saying that HI
will take up fully the amendment O
the revenue laws in his message t.
the next Legislature and will sugges
needed changes.
Governors Statement in Full
When on January 20, 1916, l CAV
! instructions to the Auditor and tn
: various institutions and departments
} and held up the balance of the ever
appropriations, l suppose the discus
sions of appropriations, revenue, etc
= was at an end. Again, however, TO
: benefit of the public, will say tn
, revenue for biennial period of 191
! and 1916 is approximately $11, 500,00C
! which said sum is the exact amour
| stated in my message to the Legls
e lature, would be the total revenue
The estimate was accurate, and pro
e vided for net increases in practicall
E every department, which increase
materialized.
e The total revenue of the State be
r ing approximately $11 100000, o
: course the State can and will pay n
0 more than that sum. The total ap
: preparations made by the last Legia
!, lature was considerably more tina
n $4,000, 900, or, in other words, NOR
n than $4,000,000 in excess to the rev
enue. These appropriations, 0
course, were not indebtednesses, Blu
Y were merely an authorized line 0
: credit 1t was and is the business Q
+ the State to see to it that the credi
0 is not extended beyond the actut
revenue, and that is what the Stat
e has done, is doing, and is going t
It continue to do. Practically one-hal
= the amount overappropriated was ve
toed and held up at the time the bill
were signed, with the distinct under
standing at that time that the othe
half would be held up unless the reN
n enue grew sufficiently to absorb i
$ which was not likely.
i Appropriation Balances Revenue
s On January 25 of the present yea
: the other half was held up and tn
e Auditing and Treasury department
y and each and every institution and d
partment was so notified. When tf
IS remaining half was held up, of cours
" each institution must bear its propt
p part of the amount. The various il
L situations and departments, of cours
} will not get any part, and need not e.
= pect to get any part of the more tha
| $4,00O.O00 overappropriated becau.
that money has been vetoed or he
4 up. In other words, each departmel
and institution will get its proper pa
of the approximately S11,500,0O0 a
II tual revenue, and no more. Som
perhaps, have tried to get more, but
q apprehend the Auditing and Treasul
q departments will not permit it.
q To male a long story short, Il
Il total revenue will be approximate
4 S11 500 600, and the total appropri