Evening star., 1934-01-10
POLLARD SUGGESTS.
RUM PLAN CHANGE.
Governor, Opening Legisla.
ture, Proposes Broad Pow
ers for Board Chairman.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP,
stan CORES pondent Of The Star.

per diem basis, the elimination of the
section of the control bill which would
permit elections on local option only
after a period of six months from the
time the bill becomes effective, and the
curbing of what he described as efforts
on the part of many localities to shoul-
DER their school obligations on the
State were among the recommendations
made to the General Assembly by Gov.
John Garland Pollard today.
In opening the session the Governor
delivered message which left no doubt
in the minds Of his hearers as to his
stand on important State questions. A
new Governor takes Office one week
from today.
O. ks LIQUOR Control Plan.
The general liquor-control plan draft
ed by the commission was lndorSeo py
the retiring Governor, who stated tnat
while whatever is done at this time
will be in the nature OF an expert
ment. I think the plan suggested oy
the commission deserves to be tried.
While agreeing that there should De
a board to decide questions OF policy
Gov. Pollard expressed belief that 1t
would be wholly unnecessary" for more
than one member to be paid on full
time basis, and expressed particular oo-
lection to the divided administrative re-
sponsibility in having three men ap-
point the officers. agents and employees
for the State diSpensary system pro-
posed in the bill.
Emphasizing the necessity for the
careful selection of the employees for the
proposed dispensary system, Gov. Pol
lard expressed the opinion that II the
LIQUOR plan fails, it will be wrecked on
the rock of incompetent and corrupt
employees
In his objection to the provision,
which would prohibit elections on local
option until the control plan has had
q six-month trial, the Governor pointed
to the fact that 81 counties and
cities voted for continuation OF pro-
hibition in the election last Fall. These
he said. should not have liquor stores
forced upon them against their will.
Instead of this provision, he sug-
gested that the bill prohibit the estab-
lishment of State liquor stores in any
locality where, within 80 days from the
passage of the bill, IS per cent of the
qualified voters petition for an election.
Points to Evasion.
Referring to the school situation. Gov.
Pollard asserted that "as the matter
now stands, some counties fully able
are in part evading their responsibility
and thus subjecting the people of other
parts of the State to undue burdens,
and to the extent they have failed in
shifting their burden. they have allowed
their children to go without proper
education facilities"
In the last four years, he declared,
the State has actually contributed 81
466,834 more for schools than In any
other similar period in the history OF
the State yet during the same period
the localities have contributed S2,26Z,-
65l less. This is due. he said, to the
fact that many localities are not DONG
their share in proportion to their
wealth.
Suggestions that road revenues be
diverted to schools were described as a
penny wise and pound foolish" policy,
"since such a reduction in our road
revenues would make it impossible for
us to protect our vast investment in our
roads"
The Governor pointed to the fact that
the State has received a total OF $l4,-
355,S33 in Federal emergency appropri-
ations for roads because the State has
used the highway department. as an
EMPLOYMENT means. thereby doing its
share in relief work. He also pointed
to the large loans and grants received
in the State in public and civil works
funds as an accomplishment of the
administration.
Makes Salary Plea,
In the interest of economy, he rec.
of statute THStlnD
IL the incoming governor the right to
reduce the number Of State employees,
To consolidate or abolish bureaus and
agencies not specifically provided for
bV statute, and to equalize salaries.
"The latter power he said. would
give him the right to correct many in
Justices which appear in the salary
scales within and as between the olt-
ferent departments"
Claiming that the prevention OF war
Is of interest to every State IN the
Union, as well as to the United states
he recommended the passage OF res
olution favorlng American adherence
to the World Court.
In conclusion he declared that my
administration has not been marked by
any forward movement. for the ship OF
state struck a severe storm as soon as
I stepped into the pilot house and It
took my every effort to keep 1t OF the
rocks" Nevertheless, he asserted, L
am proud to feel that unfortunate peo-
pie have been cared for and that the
good name and credit of the State has
been maintained.
Budget Asks S82, 2,1Is,54S.
Gov. Pollard submitted a budget for
The biennium ending June 80, 1896, OF
Sa2. 2.119,548. -.
The general fund appropriations OF
SS2.143, ,706 are under plan which ab-
serbs the prospective deficit OF ap-
proximately 50, 500, 900 and leaves sur
plus of $2l7,4l7.
School officials throughout the state
received distinct shock when the Gov.
ernor not only refused to recommend
which the former claim will be neceS-
sary to guarantee a full 8-month
school term for every county in the
State, but declared that the school stu
alton is not nearly as bad as 1t has
been painted and charged that the
shortage of school funds is largely due
to the failure of the localities to DO
their share
Are we going to let the localities
stand from under in the support OF
schools?" he asked. We either have
to require them to do their part or
give them the keys to the treasury"
Provides Increase.
He nevertheless provides for an in
crease of Sl,0l7,665 for schools over
what they got last year. which is the
same as the 1882 budget, less Is per
cent. The cuts made during the past
biennium amounted to 80 per cent.
The general fund appropriation for
the State Board Of Education is Sll,-
S44,l25, or a yearly average Of S5,922,-
OS2. Including capitalization taxes and
interest on the literary fund, the annual
appropriation for the State Board OF
Education is $6,722,062.
1t is directed that the board appor-
ton $500, 900 in accordance with plan
which shall be adopted by the board,