The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-01-11


some particular individual, but be
cause Of the united efforts Of a mum
bcr Of persons. each Of whom Is hel,
responsible for some phase Of the cor
poration's activities. An individual
not a group Of employees, must rendel
account and pay the penalty if hi
stewardship is not satisfactory. ThC
modern state is business corporation
and should be run as such. lndividu
ais, not boards or commissions, SHOULD
be held to account by the taxpayers.
By imposing upon one officer duties
now being performed by one or more
boards or commissions, such an officer
will require assistance, but each officer
must be held responsible for the acts
Of the states employees under him.
"As the heads Of the numerous de-
partments Of private corporation are
advised by its president and director
ate, the heads Of state departments
should be under the executive and a
board to advise and act with him.
Recommendation
II am of the opinion that in addi-
ton to the six elective state officers,
constitutional and statutory, the cen
trail executive authority should be
vested in board of state control,
composed of the governor, the com
missioner Of agriculture and forestry,
the director of state institutions, the
purchasing agent and the state engin-
Ger. the governor acting as chairman
of the board and his secretary Of civil
and military affairs as its secretary
and recording officer. Appointments
made by the governor should be sub
ject to the approval of the board Of
control, except appointments of men,
bers Of the public service commission,
the commissioner of taxes, the bank
commissioner and the members of this
board, and these officers should be
nominated by the governor and con-
firmed by the Senate. This board
with the chairmen of the finance COM
mittee of the Senate, the ways and
means and appropriation committees
of the House should perform the
duties now imposed on the budget
committee. The board should also
assume the duties of the board of pub
lie printing. The governor should
have the power to remove any execu
tive officer appointed by him and con-
firmed by the Senate or approved by
the board, who in his judgment is not
properly performing the duties of his
Office. This board of control should
meet at least once each month, assume
the duties now performed by the board
of visitors to state institutions, and
also have the powers of visitation and
investigation over all institutions re-
ceiying state aid, directly or indirectly,
and if in the opinion of the board mon
eys derived from the state are not be-
ing properly expended, suspend fur
ther payment thereof until satisfied
that the fault has been corrected. The
of this board should receive
no further emolument than their Of
fetal salaries but should be allowed
their actual and necessary expenses. |
The salaries of the chiefs of the diff
ferent departments should be fixed by
statute but the number of employees
allowed to each department, the pur-
pose of their employment and their
should in all cases be de-
termined by the board Of control. Each
department or Office should
receive fixed appropriation for its
support and out of this fixed appro-
priation should be paid every expense
incident to the conduct of the institu-
ion, board or Office, including even
.he printing of its biennial report.
The board should require monthly re-
ports of all work done and the sub
stance Of these reports should be given
monthly to the public.
State Treasurer.-The salary of this
,fficial should be 100000. His duties
Is treasurer should be the same as at
present; and in addition thereto, if it
S thought best to continue the depart
nent of weights and measures, he
hould act as chief of the bureau of
Weights and measures and, subject TO
he approval CT the board Of control
ppoint such inspectors as may seem
'est.
Secretary Of State.--The salary of
his official should be 100000 as sec
etary of state; 100000 as chief of
he bureau for licensing motor We
icles, and $4,000 as chief of the +,
ureau of publicity, and he should also 6
ct as member of the board of cor
oration tax appeals.
Attorney Gencral.-The salary Of
his official should be 100000. His I
uties should be the same as at pres a
q