El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-12

can't escape the conviction that the
peoples money has been poured out
as freely as branch water.
'I advocate the consolidation OF a
number Of the departments OF the
government whose activities are
closely related; the elimination of
Implications in the public service,
which unquestionably exist: the in
stalation of modern bookkeeping
methods, which will dispense with a
large number OF employees: the re-
duction Of the force Of employees who
travel over the state on first one
mission or another at the public ex-
pense; and the correlation of all the
departments and Institutions Of the
government under one comprehensive
auditing system.
These reforms. IN my opinion. will
not only eliminate hundreds of
thousands of dollars OF useless ex-
pense each year. but will insure that
public funds will reach the treasury.
More Leaks.
The 18th legislature approved de-
ficiencies allowed by the governor in
ture. the sum OF $4,000; the SIND leg
islature, the sum OF S171.540; the 33d
legislature. the sum Of S3s5.140; the
oath legislature. the sum of ?243 900,
and the 35th. the sum Of s260.S5O.
Closely allied to the deficiency
abuse, is the emergency appropriation
leak A deficiency can only be al
lowed for an amount sufficient until
the legislature meets and then the de-
partment heads and managers OF in
situations INN ediately rush the leg
islature for emergency appropriations
TO fill out The fiscal year That this
abuse is steadily growing is revealed
by the folio wing:
The 30th legislature made no
emergency appropriations. the 31st
the modest sum Of S27.770: the SIND
priated $4,000; the saith the sum Of
s554.250. and the 35th the sum OF
S775,174.
The above were in addition to
emergency appropriations made for
the penitentiary system by the 34th
legislature in the sum Of S465,0OO,
and for the same purpose by the 25th
escape the conviction that this money
was largely unnecessary and that
this extravaganza resulted from the
loose practice OF allowing deficiency
and supplementary appropriations
These practices are vicious and en-
courage extravaganza in many ways.
Whether the legislature is willing to
pass Laws on the subject or not. 1
promise the people II elected to call a
halt in the issuance Of deficiencies and
TO use the power OF the governors Of
flee to discourage emergency appro-
priations
1T is my opinion that the appro-
priRtions for the departments and in
situations can be made at least Is per-
cent less in 1919 than the appropria-
tons made for the same purposes in
1917, without lowering but rather in
creasing the efficiency OF the depart
ment.
The Land Tenant Problem.
The increasing number of people
who do not own homes Is a pathetic
situation. and presents one Of our
most serious problems, not only eco
nomic, but spiritual as well. The farm
loan bank act enacted by congress, IL
a valuable aid, but il really begins at
the halfway house; it provides for so
percent loan on the value of the lands,
whilst The real problem is to assist
the man to reach the halfway house.
Ny opinion is that cheap money Is
a prime necessity. My plan is to eX-
empt from taxation all homestead
purchase money obligations that bear
not exceeding five percent interest
per annum, and that mature not less
than Is years. This would induce
a low rate Of interest and long time
payments, two essential factors.
would also change the laws and only
tax the equity in homestead property;
to illustrate. where one-fourth the
purchase money Is paid It should be
taxed on the basis of one-fourth of its
value. Very few tenant farmers are
able to make much of a cash payment
upon the purchase of a home, and q
very few are able to build and improve
an unimproved place. 1 am in favor
Of granting charters to homestead