The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-27
Governor In Signing Appro-
priation Bill Adds to Execu-
tive's Own Expense
ONE OFFICIALS
PAY Is REDUCED
JUST SIT A YEAR
Highway Commissioner Makes
Ne, Gain of $500 Annually
Though Assembly bought
He Should Have 81 900

Governor Davis yesterday signed the
much discussed appropriation bill. to
change which In compliance with
portion OF the governor $ recommends
fians the general assembly was hetd
3n extended session Tor several days
The bill creates one pew siIAriea
effice, under the title of second as =
sistant secretary To the governor, AZ
a salary of $1,000 a year,
The increase in the appropriation
for the governors Office over the ap~
preparation bin OF 1915. is s4,s+0. In
addition 10 the 81, 400 for the new OF
fee OF second assistant secretary TO
the governor is an item OF $l.s&o Tor
an additional stenographer.
The bill Also carries increases Tor
three state officials whose present sal
aries exceed the }llhit OF 81 500 above
which the governor stated TO the gen
eYa{ assembly he could not permit any
Increases and which he stated TO the
me- hers o. the Assem- hly conference
committee he was obliged to oppose
and would veto, because 1T was a mat
ter OF principle With aim.
The three officials who have been
so fortunate as 10 receive these IN
creascs which the assembly trled so
hard TO extend to other deserving state
officials are the commissioner OF state
highways. the secretary or the board
~ charities and corrections, and the
tax expert in the Office of the corpo-
ration commission.
One Reduced SIT.
ore other attache OF the state cor
rorat.nn commissions ONCE has had
the com pessatioa he will receive from
fie state reduced slightly over what
IL was in the previous year Vie IA
The CLERK OF the commission, HIS sal
arv and fees for the year 1$l1 to-
failed sSef1 As the fee system had
been abolished the assembly voted HIM
"A salary of s3r0A The governor IN
his first rcccmmendat.o to the eX-
tended session reduced this 10 sS,500.
The assembly subcommittee succeeded
sn obtaining his consent 10 make II
Il SIS 500 or Just ST. less than his pre-
Minus years compensation.
The assembly originally provided
for m increase OF $500 for the tax eS-
pert n the corporation commission s
ofice. The railroads have for long
tir4e been endeavoring TO obtain the
services OF the gentleman because of
hiv efficiency. However. the governor
dations bat after persistent effort on
the part OF those who did not wish TO
sse the state lose the services of this
official, the governor consented 10 the
increase OF $500.
Gets Net Increase,
the appropriation bill 1t provided for
an Increase OF $500 IN the salary OF
the state highway commissioner. The
senate Increased this by another $500.
making the total increase $1,000, and
the new salary $4,000. 1t was stated
nv the members OF the senate finance
committee that in view OF the enor-
nous responsibilities of directing the
expenditures OF the millions appro-
prieted for new road construction, a
s4009-year man was required. and
that Commissioner Coleman measured
up to the requirements. They there
fore dxed his salary at that figure
When the governor was eliminating
the increases in salaries voted by the
general mbiy, ne included in his
recommendation cut OF $500 in the
sum the assembly proposed to give
the commission, thus allowing net
increase of $500.
The language OF the appropriation
4 bill Just signed by the governor APP
propriate2 n lump sum for the run
ming expenses OF the state board OF
charities and corrections and for the
salary of the secretary. which shall
not exceed $4,000" The present GAL
srv OF the incumbent is $4,000.
The biif as signed, carries the appro-
Il priation for additional stenographic
service as requested by the supreme
h court OF appeals. The request was
Il made because the business OF the
court has Increased to an extent max
u ing Il Impossible to conduct its bust
ness within the previous appropria-
tons for that purpose, The governor
In his recommendation to the as
sembiy had eliminated this appropri-
alton When the subcommittee II
the Joint finance committees Of the
house aud senate sought a compro-
mise agreement with the governor
the latter consented to restore this
item in the bill.
The request OF the state corpora
tion commission for an appropria-
ton OF s2.500 for new rate expert
was conceded to only in part. The
assembly appropriated the $4,000, oul
the governor insisted on having it cut
to $4,000.
Right Man Hard to Find.
IT Is claimed by authorities on thi.
subject that 1t is impossible to Oh
tain the services of a competent
man for this sum. and 1t is expected
that the comm sssion will have to add
to the amount authorized by draw
Ing on itE contingent fund.
The position is of the utmost ira
rortance ut this time for the reason
I'D ffSr~&sr.,nA - fxnrnnA paSn IN