The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-04
H, F. GRAHAM
INAUGURATED
AS GOVERNOR

isfactory. The modern state is bust
ness corporation and should be run al
such. Individuals, not boards or com
missions, 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 depart
ments of private corporation are adj
vised and directed by its president and
directorate, the heads of state depart
| ments should be under the executive and
a board to advise and act with him.
Recommendations.
/ II am of the opinion that in addition
to the six elective state officers, consti-
tutional and statutory, the central ex-
ecutiye authority should be vested in a
board of state control, composed of the
governor, the commissioner of agrieul-
ture and forestry, the director of state
institutions, the purchasing agent and
the state engineer the governor acting
as chairman of the board and his secre-
tary of civil and military affairs as its
secretary and recording officer. Appoint
ments made by the governor should be
subject to the approval of the board Of
control, except appointments of members
of the public service commission, the
commissioner of taxes, the bank commits
sioner and the members of this board,
and these officers should be nominated by
the governor and confirmed by the Sem
ate. This board with the chairmen of
the finance committee of the Senate, the
ways and means and appropriation com
mittees of the House should perform the
duties now imposed on the budget com
mittee. The board should also assume
the duties of the board of public print
ing The governor should have the pow
er to remove any executive officer APP
pointed by him and confirmed 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 institu-
tions, and also have the powers of vista
tion and investigation over all institu-
tions receiving state aid, directly or in
directly, and if in the opinion OF the
board moneys derived from the state are
not being properly expended, suspend
further payment thereof until satisfied
that the fault has been corrected. The
of this board should receive no
further emolument than their official sal |
aries but should be allowed their actual
and necessary expenses. The salaries of
the chiefs Of the different departments
should be fixed by statute but the num-
Der of employees allowed to each depart |
ment, the purpose of their employment |
and their compensation should in all |
cases be determined by the board of con
troll. Each institution, department or OF
fee should receive fixed appropriation |
for its support and out of this fixed ap- /
should be paid every expense |
incident to the conduct of the institution,
board or office, including even the print.
ing of its biennial report. The board /
should require monthly reports of all /
work done and the substance OF these re-
ports should be given monthly to the
public.
State Treasurer-The salary OF this
,fficial should be 100000. His duties as
treasurer should be the same as at press
mt; and in addition thereto, if it is
,hought best to continue the department
If weights and measures, he should act
Is chief of the bureau of weights and
measures and, subject to the approval Of
he board Of control, appoint such inspec-
5ors as may seem best.
Secretary Of State-The salary of
his official should be 100000 as secre-
AIRY of state; 100000 as chief of the
,ureau for licensing motor vehicles, and
$4,000 as chief of the bureau OF public
ty, and he should also act as a member
# the board of corporation tax appeals.
Auditor of Accountable salary of
his official should be 100000. His du-
les should be confined to auditing the
ills presented against the state and fur
her he should act as a member of the +,
'oard of corporation tax appeals.
Attorney General-The salary of this
'fficial should be 100000. His duties .
hould be the same as at present. He :
hould not have the right to contract for :
ssistance, legal or otherwise, within or ,
Without his Office, in behalf of the state, :,
Without the approval of the board of
ontrol, or for detective service in an =
mount in excess of $4,000 in any case
Without the approval of said board.
Bank Commissioner-The salary of Il
his official should be 100000. His du- 5
les should be the same as at present. e
III fees received from investment COM \
anies should be paid into the state !
reasury without being charged with the !
Expense of supervision. The savings I
anks and trust companies should no
,nger be assessed with the expense of
uperyision.
Commissioner of Taxes-The salary
this official should be 100000. His n
uties should be the same as at present.
Ie should also look after the licensing of =.
auctioneers, foreign corpora
ions and fourth-clsss liquor licenses. In
act he should be. the sole licensing au-
hority except for the licensing of motor
ehicles.
Purchasing Agent-The results of the 4
Dnduct of this office show conclusively \
nat it has worked a considerable saving !
D the state. When the bill establishing =
his office was originally introduced. it =
as proposed that the purchasing agent :,
pprove all the bills for material bought /;
nd forward them to the auditor for :
ldit and payment. As it was uncertain 7
lst how the plan would work. it was
lought the best in the final analyses to
ermit the purchasing agent to draw on
Ie treasury, pay the bills direct and re- :
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