The St. Joseph observer. [volume] (St. Joseph, Mo.) 1906-1932, 1919-02-01

Money JnDcc ,ssarily.
JrFFnRsON CITY, Jan. 2o.---Tul-
some praise Of Governor Gardner,
who appointed them, a warning to
the state Legislators that they must
go to the people with "clean hands"
/ q recommendation that several state
departments be abolished or combined
with some other branch Of state gov
ernmont, and a general plea for econ
omy in the administration Of Mis-
souri's affairs, are the outstanding
features Of the tax commissions first
biennial report made public tonight.
/ The members of the tax commits
sioncrs are Cornelius Roach and J
ii. Galoencr, Democrats, and Jame'
Z. Player, Republican.
The budget is issued under a pro-
vision OF the tax commission act
which says that within the first thirty
days of each session of the legislature
the commission shall make such rec
ommcndations "as it believes will best
make for efficiency ana economy"
Take jaJ AZ ynn ,c-ssary Clerks
"The fact that legislators per
diem wage is admittedly too small to
compcnsate him for his time and tai
cut does not Justify his adding to the
payroll unnecessary employees" is
J one of the jdbs the tax commission
takes at the legislature. That plain
language is the more interesting be-
cause the house and senate already
have placed on the payrolls more
than twice as many clerks, stcnogra-
! pliers, cuspidurians, sweepers, ush-
era pages and the like as are nee
cssary according to the tax commis-
sion, and because there is strong
sentiment in the legislature in favor
of abolishing the tax commission it.
Isclf
Rural schools that are no credit
to the state. roads that do not COM
pare favorably with those of other
states, poorly financed eleemosynary
institutions and state owned buildings
decaying for the lack of repair funds,
argue eloquently for no more expen-
diture, anywhere than is actually nee
esaary" concludes the tax commission
in its appeal to the state assembly to
keep down the cost of law making.
The commission recommends that
the department Of hotel inspection be
consolidated with the bureau of labor
and industry. and says the labor COM
missioner could take over large part
of the work Of factory inspection
with the organization he now has.
These changes would save the state
thousands of dollars annually
No Need for Bureau of Mines
Among all the activities of the
state, the bureau of mines comes
nearer to having nothing to do and
doing nothing than any other bureau,
office or department." states the COM
mission in arguing the bureau be
, abolished. The head Of the bureau,
the commission goes on to say, can
take care Of all his official duties by
working "a few hours each month" ="
? while the stenOgrapher in that office
can not only take care Of all the cor
respondence ana clerical work per-
] formed by the department, but hav-
, ing completed such official duties,
, finds ample time to give attention to
private affairs"
The commission, speaking of the
! salaries paid clerks in the state of.
( fices and departments, recommends a
joint legislative committee be named
% to investigate the clerical work done
. in each office and department and
/ prepare a bill amending the present
salary law SO that salaries shall b,
fixed proportioned to the value Of tn,
r service rendered.
i Make the punishment fit tn,
a crime" urges the commission.
o For he convenience OF the tax
payers and in behalf Of simplicity
= Missouri laws should be amended 81
z as to enable a taxpayer in any count.
to walk into the office of the count,
= collector ana there pay his state
o county, city, road and school taxes,
h ia another of the recommendations t
Z" the legislature.
A PRACTICAL COMPARISON