The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-01-05


assume the duties of the board OF
public printing. The governor should
have the power to remove any execu
tive officer appointed by him and con
tirmed 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, as.
sumo the duties now performed by
the board of visitors to state institu-
tions, and also have the powers of
visitation and investigation over all
institutions receiving state aid, dir
ectly or indirectly, and If in the opin-
ion of the board moneys derived from
the state are not being properly ex-
pended, suspend further payment
thereof until satisfied that the fault
has been corrected. The members of
this board should receive no further
emolument than their official salaries
but should be allowed their actual
and necessary expenses The salar-
les of the chiefs of the different de-
partments should be fixed by statute
but the number Of employees allowed
to each department, the purpose of
their employment and their compen-
sation should in all cases be deter
mined by the board OF control. Each
institution, department or office
should receive "a fixed appropriation
for its support and out OF this fixed
appropriation should be paid every
expense incident to the conduct OF
the situation. board or office, includ-
ing even the printing of its biennial
report. The board should require
monthly reports of all work done and
the substance of these reports should
be given monthly to the public.
State Treasurer.-The salary of
this official should be 100000. His
duties as treasurer should be the
same as at present; and in addition
thereto. If It is thought best to con
tinue the department of weights and
measures, he should act as chief of
the bureau OF weights and measures
and. subject to the approval of the
board of control. appoint such in
spectors as may seem lost
Secretary of State.-The salary of
this official should be 100000 as sec
retary of state; 100000 as chief of
the bureau for licensing motor We
hicles, and s5000O as chief of the
bureau of publicity. and he should al
% act as a member of the board nf
corporation tax appeals.
Auditor of Accounts.--The salary of
this official should be 100000. His
duties should be confined to auditing.
The bills presented against tie state
and further he should act as a men,
ber of the board of corporation tax
Attorney General.-The salary of
this official should 100000 His dut.
es should be the same as at present.
He should not have the right to con
tract for assistance. legal or other
wise. within or without his office, in
behalf of the state. without the ap-
proyal Of the board OF control, or for
detective service in an amount in ex-
cess of $4,000 in any case without
the approval of said board.
Bank ommissioner.-The salary
of this official should be 100000.
His duties should be the same as at
present. All fees received from in
sestment companies should be paid
into the state treasury without being
charged with the expense of supervis
on. The savings banks and trust
companies should no longer be
assessed with the expense of super
vision.
Con missioner OF Taxes-The sal
lry of this official should be SO 5000. 90.
His duties should be the same as at
present He should also look after
the licensing of peddlers, auctioneers,
'oreign corporations and fourth class
liquor licenses. In fact he should be
he sole licensing authority except for
the licensing of motor vehicles.
Purchasing Agent-The result of
The conduct of this Office show con-
clusively that it has worked a con.
siderable saving to the state When
the bill establishing this Office was
originally introduced, 1t was proposed
that the purchasing agent approve
Ill bills for material bought and for
ward them to the auditor for audit
and payment. AS it was uncertain
'ust how the plan would work. it was
thought best in the final analysis to
permit the purchasing agent to draw
IN the treasury, pay the bills direct
md return the receipted bills as
vouchers for the money drawn. | now
recommend that this practice be dis
continued and that the purchasing
agent approve all bills for material
purchased and forward them to the
alditor of accounts for audit and
9ayment.
Director of State Institutions
This officer should exercise all the
functions of the board of penal in
stitutions, trustees of the state hospi-
tai trustees of the state school for
feeble minded children and act as a
member of the board of control.
Commissioner of Agriculture and
Forestry-This officer should per-
'orm by the board of agriculture and
forestry, the commissioner of agricul.
ture the state forester, the live stock
commissioner and the state ornitho-
logist, and he should be director of
the state schools of agriculture and
should be member of the board OF
control.
State Highway Commissioner
The duties of this official should be
,