The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-02-10
GOVERNOR URGES
STRICT ECONOMY


bearing on the financial condition of
the state In the first message the
governor called the attention Of the
legislators to the present financial
condition Of the state and urged
action. He pleaded for strict econ
omy in government and urged that
all useless offices be abolished and
that no salaries be raised
In his second message, the gov
ernor advised the legislature Of his
veto of the resolution providing for
$4,000 additional pay to former
adjutant-General Baxter Sweeney
for services rendered as head Of the
state police.
The finapcial message follows in
full:
"To the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatives Of the Sixty-second Cen
eral Assembly: ] desire to call your
attention to the deplorabIe condition
Of the state treasury and urge upon
each Of you to investigate the fl
nancial condition of same before you
pass any measures calling for the
appropriation of monies that are not
absolutely necessary to conduct the
states affairs.
"The deficit in the treasury on
January Is was S1,444,729 In
addition, short-time notes in local
banks due February IL, amounting
100000. Also a short-time note for
100000 due March /. In addition
to this is the interest on the bonded
indebtedness of the state due July
/, amounting to 1858 ,422.50, or a
grand total S2,208,151.59 that must
be cared for in addition to the neces-
sary operation expenses Of the state
of every character.
Il am filing herewith a copy Of
the state auditors report, which is
made part Of this message. 1t was
hurridlv made at nv instance in
order that the members Of the gen.
eral assembly may be advised that
thew will not rush blindlv into con-
dition that will incur a greater In
debtedness upon the state than the
present rate Of taxation can meet
and thereby cause an additional
deficit.
eve can not be blind to the fact
that the farmers are struggling UNI
der burden Of increased taxation
caused by assessment of their prop
ertv when prices were inflated at
their highest peak. They are COM
PEELED to meet their increased tax
alton at time when their products
are not in the majority Of cases
bringing cost Of production.
"Many of the departments now
have deficits that must be met, and
even though only little more than
one-third of the present session has
passed, many bills have been passed
and sent to my desk for approval
that call for in the aggregate many
thousands of dollars.
II call your attention to these mat
ters because you are the guardians
Of the treasury. Economy should be
the one watchword in administering
the affairs of the state. All useless
offices should be abolished and no
new ones created in these trying
days of reconstruction, unless abso-
lutely necessary to the growth and
prosperity of the state. The raising
of salaries and increasing of ex-
penses of officials should not be toll
Grated, and especially is this true of
officials who have been elected or
appointed to offices at stated and
fixed salarv who now seek to have
same raised"
The veto message follows:
ITO the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatives of the Sixtv-second Cen
eral Assembly, herewith return
senate joint resolution No. Is with
out my approval, for the following
reasons:
"The duty of the Acknowledgement
is to perform any service pertaining
to his office which the chief ex-
ecutive may direct in any emergency
that may arise. In fact, he is an
emergency officer. Every man who
accepts the office knows what his
compensation will be before he as
sumes his duties. This duty was per-
formed under former administra-
ton. The legislature was in session
for Is days after this special service
was performed and if additional COM
pensation was just, it should have
been provided for by the administra-
ton under which the service was
performed.
"a further reason for economy at
this time is the financial condition
of the state. On January Is there
was a deficit of 81 ,444,729.O9. In
addition to this there is a short term
note for 100000 to local bank due
on the 18th of this month and an
other for 100000 due on the same
date, and still another for 100000
due on March /.
"The interest on the bonded in
debtedness due and payable on July
I, amounting to 1858 ,422.50 must be
met. Also outstanding comptrol-
ler's warrants amounting to $780,
479.7S.
"With these facts before me, I
feel that I would be disloyal to the
trust reposed in me if / approved
expenditures not justified bv the fl
nancial condition Of our state or
justifiable from principles Of justice
and economic government"