Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1923-02-08

iiltIouuCSQ ny OeHdCOr Harris OF
Wake County which calls for an in
vestigation by the finance committee
of the house and senate of the con-
dition of the states finances.
The resolution empowers the COM
mittee to call witnesses, examine
books and report it's findings to the
general assembly.
Vigorously denouncing Corpor-
tion Commissioner, A. J. Maxwell for
publication Of "a treatise on the fnan-
cial condition of the state which he
characterized as untrue" and as
serting that its publication was mo-
tivated by a vindictive attitude to-
ward the administration and it's con-
structive program, Governor Nor
risan in half-hour address to
joint session of the general assembly
at noon today demanded a complete
investigation of the states finances
by the legislature.
"a situation has arisen concern
ing the fiscal affairs of the state
which in my opinion makes it my
duty to come before you and submit
the remarks l am about to address
to you," the governor began, and
after discussing the figures that were
Incorporated in the Maxwell article
to which he referred and giving the
source of his authority for the state
ment he made in his biennial address
on the state of finances, he closed
with denial of the Maxwell figures.
at isn't true" the governor de-
Glazed in his impassioned conclusion,
"and l demand of this general assem-
bly, that this matter be investigated
and this man exposed in that slander
of the state whose bread he eats"
Opening his remarks upon Mr.. Max
wells treatise, Governor Morrison
said IAN official of the state of North
Carolina, holding position of honor
whia hs1has held FOR a 1onr time,
has made an assault on the s:.tc's
fiscal system and attempts to show
the ,reasL1er's report unt"u,."
He continued saying, "that part
of the press so hostile to the present
administration could not be except
ed to do otherwise had sought to have
the general assembly believe | have
given false and misleading informa-
ton" about thap Ne states financial
affairs and this he had ignored, he
stated, adG.Ag shat the statements
coming from Mr. Maxwell, an officer
of the state, must receive consider
alton.
''lf Mr.. Maxwell's statements are
true, the governor said, 1.-The treas
urer of the state has made an untrue
report. If the treasurer's report is
true" ne added, "then Maxwell's
,rticle is false"
"Make prompt and fearless in
vestigation and wherever the wrong
lies, place it," Governor Morrison ur-
ged, and proceed to discuss the fig
ures involved, telling the general as
sembly that Treasurer Lacy in his
biennial report showed deficit of
$1,S53,895.41 and stated that the re-
port was made of June so, 1922, the
closing date of the states fiscal year.
"That is the only'deficit the treas
urer," the governor stated, and he
added that Mr.. Moody of the treas
urer's office said today that those
were the facts.
"Mr. Maxwell says there are other
deficits" the governor concluded,
stating that there is one back of
that deficit. Of what character would
be the treasurer's report which gave
rhe actual condition of the fiscal
year if back of that deficit would be
one not brought forward?
eve deal with the fiscal year," the
governor declared. "This is SER
ious matter, because the recomme n
dations have made to you, because
all of the recommendations of the
budget commission were made on a
basis of that report"
He added that there were those
inspired by malice and venom seek
ing to injure the governor of this
state by trying to make statements
that were not true.
Maxwell alone I dignity with COM
plaint," he continued, and he call
ed attention to the fact that the bud
get commission was legislative COM
mittee and not an administrative one,
and asserted that this body had found
the figures as to the, states finan-
cial affairs upon which an ultimate
surplus was base sufficient for the
commission to make them the basis
, for its recommendations"
! Here Is MaxwelPs View of the State
| Finances
The article to which the governor
excepted in his address before a joint
session of the general assembly was
published in the mornings today un-
der the Signature Of A. j. Maxwell,
| lCnntinuad ON naQa tWnl