Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-09-01
Editor of North Yakima Republic Makes A Strong
Argument Before the State Bar
Association
FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Institutions of Government Formed y Years
Are Pitiful Failure. Waste of Money
Shameful

as dsgraceful to the people who per-
NIT them to exist.
A constitutional convention should
be called to see if we can't find a
rational way to handle the public busi-
ness of our state and counties. l think
We can, and that all we need to do
is to profit by the experience of other
self-governing communities which
failed
The trouble with the systems in
this state is fundamental trouble in
all our states and in the federal sys-
tenn itself.
In safeguarding our rights and
liberties we have made assurance so
sure that none of our agents of gov
ernment has the authority to go and
do the business for which we choose
him.
What this state and every state in
the Union is suffering from is the lack
of responsive and responsible gov
ernment.
The first undertaking of consti-
tutional convention in Washington de-
sirous Of honestly serving it's people
would be to reorganize the executive
department, and center the powers of
the executive in governor, who
should be held responsible first by the
representatives of the people and
then by the people themselves. To-
day we have a dozen or more excel
lent gentlemen going up and down
the state telling the people that II
they are made governor they will give
the state an economical and business
like administration. They are mis-
taken. They won't do it. No COVER
nor can do it. The governor of this
state is, so far as his actual author
ity goes, hardly more than a figure
head. He may veto acts of the legis-
lature, and that is his most important
that, be it noted, is of q
negative character. Besides that, he
is commander-in-chief of the rmy, he
may remit fines and forfeitures, and
it is his solemn duty to sign the
of notaries public. He
may appoint certain state officers,
but he can do that only with the con-
sent of one part of the legislative
branch. He is the supreme exec
utive of the state" but his executive
authority is divided with a secretary
Of state, an auditor, an attorney-gen-
eral, land commissioner, a treas.
lrer and superintendent of public
elective officers, all
of him, and all clothed
with more or less authority to make
public policies and spend public
.. 49,
The executive department of the
state should consist of the governor.
he lieutenant governor, and possibly
In independent elective auditor. All
officers should be an
pointed by the governor, and he should
oe responsible for them. He should
De the states business manager, re-
'ponsible to the legislature, but with
Ill necessary authority to make plans
or carrying on it's business, subject
o approval.
In this connection. and as a part
II the reorganization of the execu-
i've branch, constitutional conven-
ion intent on providing for respon.
'ible management of state affairs
would establish a scientific budget
ystem as a part Of the framework
# state, county and city government.
n this connection I will remark that
he so-called budget scheme enacted
~ the last legislature and now re-
erred to the people to be voted on
his fall is fake and spurious af-
air. This proposed law does not pro-
Tide for budget, nor for anything
,ut the publication of an estimate
'eyond which public officers cannot
% in making expenditures for the
'Aiouih6 pei IL CduuOJ Dluu Ln0
legislature, of course, and I know of
10 good reason why the people should
'ote for it. A budget is not an esti-
nate. 1t is financial plan, relating
o both expenditures and revenues,
etting forth what has been done
n the period that is past as well as
What it is proposed to do, prepared
" responsible executive and sub
nitted to the representatives Of the
'eople for approval or rejection. Un-
Ter proper budget plan all appropria-
ions for all the usual purposes would
ave to be initiated or proposed by
he executive and they could not be
increased by the legislature. With
uch budget system as that in op-
'ration the public business OF thia