The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-01-16

0 hat IN connection with such pla
be same rigid system OF audit shoul
! prevail As in all other departments O
state government, and expenditure
, should be authorized BY a responsible
state board, either the proposed high
way board, or the existing Board o
Control, and no money should be OK
pended except to pay for work actual
ly done, material actually purchase,
and only upon properly approve,
vouchers TO be paid by the stat,
treasurer, the same as in other stat,
expense.
The federal government will un
doubtedly increase the amount of it.
appropriations available for road con.
struction, and the State Of Vernon,
should take advantage Of all moneys
apportioned to this state for such
work.
OF course any plan which Is adopt
ed for permanent road construction
will not obviate continued effort TO
improve the town roads, which work
is quite as necessary and important ms
the building Of permanent road, So
called.
E~n~c-.
Elsewhere have called your atten-
tion to the remarkable growth of state
institutions, list of which indicates
that we have machinery for conduct
ing a state as large as Massachusetts
or New York, although we have
population less than the city of Buff
falo. A list comparing Vermont with
the cities of about the same popua-
ton in the country is as follows.
Vermont, population 364 1922; assess
ed valuation of property, $233,479,647.
Buffalo population 472,l69; assessed
valuation of property $59O,2l3,1S3.
Minneapolis, population 363,454
assessed valuation of property $685. |
152,603.
Washington, d. c., population $685.
631; assessed valuation of property,
$44O,415,S99.
New Orleans, population 37l,747;
assessed valuation of property S244,-
O73,O13.
You see, although we have popu-
lation less than Buffalo by 100000
people, Buffalo has two and q half
times as much grand list as we have.
The State of Vermont is about on n
par in population with Washington,
but Washington has grand list near
y twice as large as that Of Vermont.
| call these facts to your attention.
,nly by way of caution. There are
very many activities which are good in
and in the adoption of
which we might all of US concur, pro-
,ided we had the money to pay for
hem. But the same proposition meets
is in handling business of the state
hat confronts us every day of our
ives. We in our private affairs are
orced to choose what things we will
AVE and what we will deny ourselves;
Iot because we do not want and would I
lot enjoy all Of the good things Of I
ife, but because we have not the ,
money to pay for them.
1t is plain that in planning all that ,
an be done in the way of consolidat-
ng and condenGing the state activ- /
lies and the business of state institu-
ions, should also try to make them 8
elf supporting so far as possible. /,
| am informed that the State Of ,
'ermont owns 1,700 acres of land in 7
with these institutions, and !
1000 acres Of woodland. This acre {
ge should produce large part Of the t
BOD, provender ard at least a part Of 7
ne fuel used in such institutions. A /
eginning has already been made in t
lis direction and it should be the d
lsiness Of your officers and em- +
oyees in such Institutions to make v
lis policy a fixed and important part t
the solution Of our financial prob 4
ms. Il
Board of Control &
Your predecessors in the legislature
1917 passed law placing the con-
ol Of the principal state activities &
ID most Of the financial transactions p
the state under the supervision Of a c
oard Of Control, consisting Of the /.
1vernor, the Auditor Of Accounts, the ~
'easurer, the Director Of State In II
itutions, and one other member In d
Y opinion, this Board has done some RI
Iportant work in the way Of concen, dt
ating authority and responsibility, iu
t the upward progress Of state ex- ca
nses has not beer checked, due per 81
ps largely to the war. On the CON BE-
Try, il shows net increase for the co
.nnium Of sl,57l ,390.G5 and judging IA
I'm the statement Of the budget com ST
ttee. you will be faced by the ne Tx