Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-28
STATE EXPENSES
SHOULD Be PRUNED
Suggestions, Criticism and
Warning from Ex-AuditOr
Callahan, Who Opposes
Large Contingent Fund

In a statement filled with informa-
ton of interest to every taxpayer in
Maine, Hon. T. +. Callahan of Lew
iston, former state auditor and wide
ly known authority upon financial
problems, sounds q note of warming.
He believes that huge expenditures
OF the past few years were never
contemplated by trainers of the laws
under which these expenditures were
made, and he makes many state
ments of unusual significance--state-
ments calling for the most careful
consideration by taxpayers and leg
islators III this critical period of the
legislative session.
Mr.. Callahan's statement, as made
to the Lewiston journal Wednesday
morning, is as follows:-
"One of the great questions of the
tpresent time is high taxation. Enor-
nous sums taken from the people
for cost CT government is one OF the
leading factors in the high cost Of
living. The newspapers are full of
demands that these terrific burdens
be lightened. Congress appears to
be giving attention to this subject in
all Of it's branches. What efforts are
being made in our Maine cities, towns
and the State to reduce the cost of
administration and of expenses Of
other sort, which have mounted 50 by
leaps and bounds within the past few
years?
II think the time has come when
we should call q halt: examine close
ly into the cause of this increase and
see if our money has been and is
being wisely expended. 1 believe shat
we have been following too many
| isms' and have been accepting too
much quackery under the name of e.
ficiency. We have also been discard
Ing too many old-fashioned safe
guards.
The State Contingent Fund
ga few years ago. the Legislature
passed an act. creating q State Con-
tingcnt Fund I have no doubt that
this law was urged with the best Of
intentions, although. very few mem-
bers really understood its purport.
One of tho strong arguments used tor
! 1t was that we should henceforCh
know just what the State debt was.
We used to know something about
the amount of the State debt at the
end of each administration. But
times have changed. Nowadays we
know very little about the Stare debt,
except that it is as said 1eaping' and
| founding Perhaps 1t is leaping and
bounding about so much that we
can't see 1t. Nowadays it ceases 10
be a question OF State debt. Today
, the question Is How much is there
in the Contingent FUND.-
"a few years ago" continued Mr.
Callahan, the budget system was in
nugurated. This was urged on the
grounds that the State might be put
on n business basis. All appropria-
items were to be made for the lust
needs Of government. and all deoart-
ments were to be made to live within
the appropriations. The State was to
lie levied to meet the difference be-
tween the indirect taxes and receipts,
and the total expenses Of the admin
istration.
"Has the budget been used rs 1t
should be? Has 1t been used in the
interests Of economy or extravi.-
gnnce: Was the budget of the 1919
Legislature drawn with a full knowl-
edge of the receipts and expense for
the years 1919 and 1920? If that in
forma ton were known, then ii was
USED TO DRAW OVER TWO
MILLS UNNECESSARY TAXATION
OUT OF EVERY CITY, TOWN AND
PLANTATION IN MAINE FOR
THE YEAR 1920"
Having said this, Mr.. Callaghan
paused and remarked: There is
some meat in that sentence, isn't
there! But feel it to be the.abso-
lutte truth. The appropriations for
the year 1920. made by the Legisla-
ture, were $7.927,904.94. In addition
TO this, the Governor and Council
have drawn orders and appropria-
tons for $1.556,445.41 This makes a
total of 1891 .334.36
"Of this s1,556,445.41 was expend-
ed by order of the Governor and
Council. s1.1s5,5S63o came from the
Contingent Fund and $3.50. s59.11
came from any moneys in the treas
ury, not otherwise appropriated
Never before in the history of Maine
has there been such a wholesale
-