The Butler weekly times., 1916-02-03
THE STATE FINANCES.
Governor Major Informs State
Department Heads Of Condi-
tion Of Funds. d

CepC the Deer lu6Q0CLlOu 0eR6Lk-
ment and the Penitentiary, has
given a greater net return than
ever before in the history Of the
Commonwealth, yet the increase
has not been sufficient. to absorb
the over-appropriation made by
the last Legislature. amounting to
something like $4,000,QO0. By
reason Of the voting Of additional
dry territory and the decrease in
the number Of saloons in the state
the revenue from the Beer Inspec-
tion Department and from sa-
looms for last year and this has
decreased and will decrease $780,
600. BY virtue Of the abolishing
Of the contract system at the Pen
,itentiary by the Legislature at its
last session, and which was done
in response to public demand
from every political party, the
earnings from that institution for
last year and this have decreased
and will decrease 100000.
Among the new and added bur-
dens placed upon the state dur
ing this biennial period and con-
tributing in part to the over-ap-
preparation, the three following
items alone total 100000, to-wit:
Bills created during the admins
tration of Governors Folk, and
Hadley, amounting to $150,000,
and which were paid last year;
pensions to the ex-Confederates,
amounting to 100000, all Of
which sum has been. paid; and for
the rebuilding Of the Normal
School at Warrensburg, $250,000
the buildings having been de-
stroyed by fire, and part Of which
has been paid.
In these three instances, say
ing nothing about other new bud
dens, 100000 new burdens have
been placed upon the state with
a decrease in the revenue in two
instances, as above stated, in the
sum Of 100000. No provisions
were made by tht Legislature to
take care of these new burdens, al.
though it's attention was called to
the necessity, and nothing has
been given the State to take care
Of the loss of revenue from the
Beer Inspection Department, sa-
looms and the Penitentiary.
More than 100000 of the
amount over-appropriated by the
Legislature was vetoed and held
up by me at the time, with the
understanding that if at the be-
ginning Of this year the revenue
had not increased sufficiently
then the balance of the unpaid
over-appropriation made by the
Legislature would be held up. /
now advise you that the entire un-
paid balance of the amount over
appropriated by the Legislature
is held up, to the end the appro-
priations, as they now stand, will
not be in exces of the revenue of
the state for the biennial period.
Section 43, of Article 4, of the
Constitution provides for appro-
priations, as follows:
First, for the payment Of all in
terest upon the bonded debt Of
the State that may become due
during the term for which each
General Assembly is elected.
Second, fer the the benefit Of the
sinking fund, which shall not be
less annually than two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars.
Third, for free public school
purposes.
Fourth. for the payment Of the
cost of assessing and collecting
the revenue.
Fifth, Tor the payment OF the
civil list.
Sixth, for the support of the ell
eemosynary institutions of the
state.
Seventh, for the pay of the Gen.
eral Assembly, etc.
The General Assembly has no
power to make any appropriation
of money for any purpose whatso-
ever until the respective sums
necessary for the purposes above
enumerated have been set apart,
appropriated, etc. These seven
constitutional items stand on q
common footing, and no one item
has priority over another. The
first and second items are now
obsolete, as We have no bonded
debt, and the sinking fund is no
longer necessary.