Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1916-08-17
DISCUSSES FINANCES
OF The STATE
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Continued from first page)
investigation and accounting depart
ment established by the preceding ad-
ministration. A simple description OF
this document would be that it merely
was book setting forth the demands
of the departments, aggregating sum
millions of dollars in excess of the &C
tual requirements, and of no practical
use to the legislature
"It was with this budget, therefore,
that the senatorial opposition hoped
to defeat my plans and those CT the
members Of the legislature who were
working with me to make good our
promises of economy. It was expect
ed that the budget would be accepted,
and that after the legislature had
passed and I had signed the excessive
appropriation bills which it called for,
my political opponents could go before
the people with the statement that
we had been even more extravagant
than had been our predecessors in Of
fee. My predecessor as governor had
been caught in this trap, but did not
propose to have the same experience.
"The law gives governor six days
to sign bills. After the expiration Of
that time they become laws without
the governors signature. Two years
before the legislature had passed an
omnibus appropriation bill, carrying
appropriations for all departments, at
the close of long session, and after
the vote had been postponed until
many departments were without
funds. Two propositions then we're
put up to my predecessor, to sign the
bill or veto it within six days. He
signed the bill, and then was attacked
for extravaganza by the very men who
had voted for the excessive appropri-
atoms.
II determined that I would know
something about appropriations be-
fore they came to me with a six day
limit, and accordingly I asked the fl
nance committee to submit their work
to me so that I would have an oppor-
tunity to study it. "A short time con-
WINGED me that this information was
not to be given me, and [ decided to
do some figuring on my own account.
with members of my administra-
ton, went over the budget and soon
was of the opinion that it had no prac
tical value. 1t gave estimates Of de-
partments for needs during the ensu-
ing two years; but we wanted to know
the obligations of the state, and the
information concerning appropriations
outstandingTheref | requested the
services of a member Of the railroad
commission, and he prepared a fnan-
cial statement from which work could
be done.
II announced, also, that I would
sign no omnibus appropriation bill,
and instructed the finance committee
to send the appropriations to the leg
islature in separate bills. My purpose
was to be able to introduce amend
ments where it was necessary to cut
down appropriation bills, and to have
the bills come to me singly, so that |
would have an opportunity to study
them. If l decided to veto a bill, want
ed the legislature to have as much
time to consider my position as had
demanded for myself.
at was perfectly apparent that I
was to get little or no information
from the finance committee. My next
step, therefore, was the employment,
at my own expense of $4,000, of DR.. w.
H. Allen, an expert accountant.
Through his work and with the CO.
operation of some heads Of depart
ments, when the finance committee
sent the appropriation bills to the leg.
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