Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-23
DISCUSSES
.vERM0NT'S FINANCES
Says That Appropriations Should
Be Limited and Absolutely
Prescribed, and That an Elk.
ecutive Budget Would Rem.
edy Present Troubles


should be held responsible under the law
Tor keeping the expenditures Of the vari.
Gus departments within their proper
bounds, using the Board of Control as an
ADVISORY agency In this matter. was the
belief expressed by Benjamin Gates of
montpelier. State auditor, in his talk at
the Chamber OF Commerce luncheon at
the Hotel Vermont Thursday noon. Mr.
Gates, was introduced by F. E. McIn-
tosh. president Of the Chamber of Com
merce.
Tho speaker took up State finances
quite extensively. He passed out to tho
men assembled copies of the State finan-
cial report for the year ending June 20,
1920, and took up the various items In this
report In seine detail, explaining the
income and expenditures or the State de-
nartments. lie also gave some interesting
information about the outes Of the Board
OF Control. He gave an inventory of the
states property. and closed with some
OF the financial affairs Of the State.
I'VE do not have a responsible form Of
government In tho STATE of Vermont, -
said Mr. Gates IN speaking OF the handling
or finances. He declared that he believed
In the budget system. and that the de-
partment heads should make up their bud
get and then live within it. He said that
e.
There are too many loose and tag ends.
( The appropriations should be limited and
absolutely prescribed. This is not the case
, now.
| The present law does not nut the OBJ
| legation upon the governor or upon tho
! budget committee to look after these mat
ters The law should be made definite
said Mr. Gates. The executive should
/ be made responsible.
II pity the man who becomes governor
Of the State of Vermont" continued Mr.
| Gates. II pity him because he has only
two years to founder around In this mud
hole of State finance. I don't care how
good business man he is. he cannot do
much in two years.
! The speaker went on to say that the
| governors job Is a hard one as tho laws
are to-day. The new governor comes In
! to office, following a campaign in which
he has promised many things for the good
of the State. The Legislature stares him
in the face and expects great things Of
him. Usually the new governor has had
little time to get acquainted with the
real conditions and methods in the State
departments and he has not time to get
his program fully outlined before the
| Legislature meets Then he is whired
into social atmosphere for some weeks
ficult place to get his business methods
| Into action, and the average governor
! has not paid much attention to getting
these methods In operation during the
session of the Legislature, when they are
most needed.
! But when the real man comes along
and sits right down to the table and gets
down to business. and insists that other
officers do the same" said Mr.. Gates
then you will get a buiness admnistra-
ton. and not until then.
! Make the governor responsible for the
budget and hold him to 1t. An executive
budget is the solution of our troubles.
Have the responsibility conferred whore
1t belongs. Make the budget committee
an advisory committee to the governor"
! In this connection. Mr.. Gates paid a
tribute to the business ability of Percival
| w. Clement. the present governor. He
| said that many people do not like Mr..
| Clement, bat that in many ways. he had
/ been of valuable service to the State. Mr..
Gates declared that Mr.. Clement had
! ''one of the snappiest business minds"
he had ever seen and that the governor
had rendered service to the State which
will be recognized in days to come
! Mr.. Gates said. among other things. that
the main reason that the affairs of the
! 'olate are not nHnuleu Detter tNan tney are
is the lack of interest on the part of the
people of the State and the failure to ap-
ply the same business principles in
handling State affairs that are used in
private affairs
The ordinary business man has to IL
nance his business before he starts out
But tho State official has the money
which he uses raised for him and his
problem is to spend !. wisely The bust
ness man Is at his desk practically every
day IN the year looking after his affairs
closely, because his business requires It.
In the State department. from the gov
ernor down, in Vermont and other States.
men have not given close enough atten-
ton TO the business OF the State. In this
connection, Mr.. Gates stopped to pay
IA compliment to Guy w. Bailey. president
OF the University Of Vermont. who. he
said as secretary OF State. had paid the
closest attention to tho affairs of his Of
fioesfrom which close attention the State
is now prospering.
! In taking up the financial statement for
the last year, Mr. Gates pointed out that
! tho city courts and probate courts OF
! FERN ont had cost tho State hardly a
Ct.t, being self-supportins. Neither has
tie fish and game department been Of
any expense to the State.
| Ine speaker SHiU tnnt ABOUT Sl,oUU,ND
was In the State :rasury and available
for the use of the highway department
on July l. but that some 100000 Of this
was federal Appropriation and could not
be put into use until the approval of the
government WA received.
Speaking Of the Vail Agricultural School
at Lyndonville. Mr.. Gates told OF the
recent action Of the Board Of Education
in voting to recommend to the next Cen
eral Assembly that the school be turned
over to the Lyndon Institute. He ex-
planned that the school was given to the
State with the understanding that it
would be used for >an agricultural school
and that, when 1t ceased to be used,
1t was to be turned over to the Lyndon
| Institute.
! When Mr. Vail died he left nothing to
! endow either one OF these schools. The
Vail School has cost the State great
deal of money during the last few years.
1t is a $4,000 piece of property, not at all
fitted for an agricultural school. and Mr..
Gates declared he believed that II should
| be given up and the support of the State
given to the State School of Agriculture
at Randolph, which Is in good condition.
The Vail School has been discontinued by
the Board of Education for the remain
der of the year, with the understanding
that the Lyndon Institute does not take
advantage of the closing to claim the
property under the terms of the grant to
the State.
| Mr.. Gates explained in some detail how
the budget bill is made up at each ses-
sion of the Legislature by the budget
COMMITTEES, including the members Of