The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-04
Vermont's Retiring Govern
or Submits Report of
Stewardship
SOME IMPORTANT
SUGGESTIONS
Expresses Apprec ION of
Cooperation send
ed to 7 Sl

In formally tur s over the executive
office to his sue : to-day. Charles w.
Gates of FrankL- addressed a valedic
tory message to the people of Vermont,
and directly to the legislature in which
he outlined the work accomplished dur
ing the two years and also the proposals
which he deemed wise after studying the
conditions. The message, very com
plete report of stewardship is here pre-
sented in full:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House
of Representatives
Complying with a provision of our
constitution, and following the custom
established by my predecessors in the ex-
ecutire office, present to you an account
Iof conditions and developments in the
several departments of the state govern
ment, and submit for your consideration
such recommendations as my experience
prompts me to make.
| Executive Department.
"The departments of the state gov
lernment have so increased in number, and
the business in those departments has
so increased in volume during the past
ten years or more, that the responsible
ties and detail work OF the executive
| department have outgrown the provision
formerly made for handling the work.
Considering the work at hand, and the
desirability and economy of an office
centrally located, it seemed to me upon
taking office that the interests OF the
state would be best served by making
the executive Office at the State House
lat Montpelier, the permanent Office for
the biennial term rather than take the
office with me, as has been the usual
practice. The last legislature made this
possible by providing stenographer for
the secretary OF civil ard military af-
fairs and the Office at the State House
has been kept open continuously for the
transaction of official business, meeting
of committees, and heads of the various
departments, and for the benefit and
accommodation OF all those who had bus
mess with this department. 1t has not
been so convenient for the executive, bun
has, / believe, been very much more
convenient and satisfactory to all who
have had occasion to visit the Office.
State Building.
''By an act of the general assembly of
1915. the construction of building for
the state library, supreme court, histori-
cal society, and other state purposes was
authorized. An appropriation of one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars was
made to carry out the provisions of the
act.
81 appointed a committee consisting
of Horace f. Graham of Craftsbury, Z.
P. Smith OF Burlington, W. w. Stick
ney of Ludlow, and Harvey w. Varnum
Of Cambridge. These gentlemen and my
self were able to let the contract for
sum slightly within the appropriation.
The building has now reached such
stage OF construction that you can judge
Of its essential features. If the building
is completed according to the contract
and to keep within the appropriation,
the inside finish will, of necessity, be
very plain, and the front will be left
practically as it now appears. In adopt
ng the present plans your committee
las made II possible to substitute, II
he legislature cares to do so, better
Iualitv of finish for the interior, and TO
ldd to the front suitable porch or
,alustrade, which will give the building
much more finished appearance, and
'haracter more nearly in accord with
his class of modern structures in other
tates, and in keeping with the dignity of
he state. We are building for all time,
md should not neglect to perfect and
,eautify what we. build.
"An ample space has also been pro-
ided in the new building for installing
central heating plant that would serve
10Th buildings more economically than
would the two plants now in operation.
81 recommend that you carefully con-
ider this subject in connection with GER
ain necessary changes in the present
brary wing of the State House, and
hat you provide for such expenditures
5 seem advisable to you.
State Insurance.
at the present time the state is
npposed TO be insuring its various prop
rites at ninety per cent of their value.
he total amount of insurance carried is
5 follows;
uildings .................... 81, l,ooo
ersonal property ....-...... dl4,fuV
otal ................... S2,lS5,1po
nnual premium S7.4Sl.3s; number OF
SKIS. las; number of policies, 100; num-
sr of companies. 46.
"It is contended by those who have
udied the situation that the expert
ice of the state during the past forty
,ars has been extremely favorable. and
lat the amount paid in in premiums
Is exceeded considerably the losses sus-
lined bv the companies. The losses at
-aterburv and at Vergennes are the