Milford chronicle., 1931-07-03

hn0hCAeAA OEGA eANAOAO anu NOA0ASAO%Ns
"As a further operation of the
time element, it is interesting to
know that practically without Oppo-
sition the 1881 Legislature took sew
eral important steps for the further
consolidation of administrative funds
for placing the custody of these
funds with the state treasurer, for
establishing a uniform fiscal year,
and for the improvement of the ac-
counting procedure in State institu-
tions. 1t is no exaggeration to say
that the improVementsmade by the
administration and the legislative
mark an epoch in the effort to put
! the fiscal affairs of the State on a
business-like basis, and that the
leagues opportunity to be of service
in this effort has fully justified its
existence"
Here is included the chapter on
the reduction of the States bonded
Indebtedness.
The brochure continues:
1.-TWO years ago, with the approval
of the governor, the league recon-
mended to the Legislature number
of substantial improvements in the
budget system of the State. At that
time, these recommendations were
rejected in toto. In the 1881 Legisla-
ture, however, substantial part of
them was adopted without opposi-
tion, with the result that the pro-
cedure for the preparation of future
budgets assures a more cOmprehen-
siVe consideration and equitable ad-
justment of the budget estimates. 1t
does not require prophetic ability,
but merely an understanding of how
human nature works, to forecast
that in all probability as future Leg
islatures adjust themselves to
changing conditions, further i'm
provements in the budget system of
the State will secure approval.
Following the legislature of 1927,
there was widespread dissatisfaction
with the share of State school funds
allotted to the City of Wilmington.
At that time, at the instance of one
of the league trustees, we made a
study of the situation and reached
the conclusion that the viewpoints
of both the State and City Boards of
Education were justifiable and ir-
reconcilable, the difficulty being that
the legislative appropriation for
schools was insufficient. In prepara-
tion for the 1929 Legislature, the
league, in cooperation with public
officials, made careful forecast of
the probable revenues of the school
fund for the following two years.
This forecast was approved by the
State Tax Department and submit
ted to the State Board of Education
and to other State officials and mem
bers of the Legislature. On the basis
of this forecast, the 1929 Legislature
gave the State Board of Education
an additional $1,000,000 in its bud
get, thus providing substantial re-
lief to urgent needs of the public
schools throughout the State.
"It is gratifying to know that the
forecast of the school-fund revenues
proved to be not only sound, but
conservative, and that the actual
revenues collected more than justi-
fed the increased appropriation.
1.-THE league participated in sug-
gesting that the revenue-collecting
agencies of the State make daily
(instead of monthly deposits with
the state treasurer as the constitu-
tional custodian of the States funds.
The State Tax Department and the
secretary of state promptly adopted
this practice, and subsequently such
a requirement was voluntarily writ
ten into the amended income tax
law at the instance of the State Tax
Department.
Last August, at the request of the
State Board of Charities, and with
the approval Of the governor, we un-
dertook a comprehensive study of
the State welfare institutions and
agencies, for which purpose we re-
tanned the services of several spe-
cialists in fields of research inVolV-
ed in this study. The initial report
of this study was unanimously ap-
proved and adopted by the State J
Board of Charities as basis for de-
veloping improved methods of well
fare administration. At the further
request of the board, we prepared !!
legislative bill for the creation of a
State Department of Public Welfare.
In the preparation of this bill we had
the able assistance of four outstan4- !
ing attorneys. Messrs. Robert H.
Richards, Henry Ridgely and Frank
M. Jones served as an advisory COM !
mittee, with the drafting of the bill
in charge of Mr.. Christopher L. !
Ward, Jr. Subsequently, the league
participated in many formal and in
formal conferences on the subject
with State officials, representatives
of welfare Institutions and agencies,
and other interested citizens, and did
work in the revision of ,
the legislative bill as a consequence :
of the numerous suggestions that
were developed by these conferences.
The bill passed the House of Repre- +
but was defeated in the
Senate.
% Underlying the rejection of the
bill was, of course, the fact that
some institutions and agencies
whose inclusion was contemplated
in the Welfare Department opposed
it because they had not yet recon-
ciIed their viewpoint to the new or
der of things. The time element has
yet to operate. Continued study of
the subject, and an effort to recon-
cile the objections of various agen-
cies, is likely, in the judgment of
many who are deeply interested in
the States welfare, to lay the ground
.H..N