Arizona republican., 1921-08-04
GOVERNOR STILL. \ AWAITING VIEWS. IF LEGISLATORS.
Department Heads Against Calling Special Session. Replies To Queries Lack Specific Information

Replies To Queries Lack Specific Information
 Governor Campbell was at his desk yesterday, having returned from Flagstaff, where he went to attend the funeral of E. H. Crabb, late chairman of the live stock sanitary commission. Speaking of the matter uppermost l. the Arizona mind, special session of the legislature for the purpose of reducing the appro- priations made by the legislature in regular. session, the governor said that he was still awaiting the infor- nation he sought in his letters to the heads of the various state depart ments and to members of the legis- lature.
 In these letters were enclosed copies of the lists of the reductions pro posed by the taxpayers committee. The state officials were asked what
 in their opinions, would be the effect of the reductions upon efficiency in | their respective departments. Inquiry was made of the legislators as to their attitude in the first place to- ward holding d special session and as to the recommendations of the committee.
 Replies have been received from all the department heads except the state engineer, who has been absent from the city on an inspection tour of the state highways. All the department heads heard from except two. de- clare that their departments would be crippled by the proposed reduc- tions. The state veterinarian, who has been cut $500 by the committee. says that his affairs are in such a shape that he could probably stand the reduction; that there is no con- tagion among the live stock of the state If ti,ere should be none within the ensuing two years. that is. no dourine among horses or tuberculosis among cattle; in short, if there should be nothing for his department to do. he would not need the money.
 Special Information Lacking Letters, telegrams and personal views of members of the legislature and of individuals and bodies throughout the state, apart from the tax committee, are generally of too broad a character to give the gov ernor needed information. A sample opinion was received from the cham Der of commerce of Stafford, which favored a reduction of expenditures and appropriations if it could be made without interference with the schools or the material progress of the state.
 The views as they have come in may be set out in a composite letter, in substance as follows: "Yes, I am in favor of a special session and a reduction of the appropriations of the regular session of the legislature. I believe that the departments might get along with less money and am in favor of making any reductions that will not detract anything from the provisions made for the schools. But think that the people have gone hog wild about roads and l would favor cutting out or greatly reducing the appropriations made for them. do not believe that it is wise to cur tail our road-making activities The development of the state depends in a great measure upon the construc- tion of modern highways. I would. therefore, oppose the lessening of the appropriations for roads, but l think that we have gone hog wild on the subject of schools and I would vote to reduce the appropriation for educa- tion Cutil we should be tn better financial fix than we are now. I am opposed to cutting down the state appropriation for the public schools but think that we have gone crazy making appropriations for the univer- sity and the normal schools and would favor the recommendations of the committee as to them. The com mittee is all wrong in its recommend ! ation to hold or reduce the public school appropriations but I would re- main in session all summer before | I would consent to cut cent from | the normal schools and the univer- | sity."
 | And SC 1t goes. What is poor
 governor to do, guided only by such
 composite acvics.
 Highway Funds Tied Up | The committee proposed the greater part of its savings of million ana a half dollars to come from the road
 appropriations of sS50,000 and from a reduction of the state school fund i of about the same amount. But the road fund is supposed in the absence | of the state engineer from the city to have been put beyond the reach of reduction. It is believed that all of
 it with the exception of the amount
 conditionally appropriated for the | Apache trail, s75.000, and the s1Oo,ooo | loaned to the Maricopa county pro
 gram, to be paid next October has
 either been expended or included ID 1 contracts.
 The on.y saving possible would be
 in the appropriations for the depart | ments and the most sanguine cannot
 see enough there to cover the or | dinary expenses of special session
 Among the questions the governor
 asked in his address to the members
 of the legislature was whether they were patriotic enough to serve in
 special session without pay. The re- | plies to that are varied and vague 1 A few of them without enthusiasm
 say that they would so serve. Others | definitely say they will not; others | will do so if all the rest will. And | still others make the condition that all the clerks and attaches of the state
 shall serve without pay during the
 special legislative session.
 That is the way the thing stands
 at this writing. at the hour of gong
 to press"