Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1911 — THE STATE FIANACES. [ARTICLE]

THE STATE FIANACES.

If the republican senate of 1909 had followed the advice of Governor Marshall, as did the democratic house of representatives, and had consented to cut the appropriations in order to keep them within the estimated revenues of the state, lots of worry would have been saved the present state officials and the financial condition of the state, with the gains that have been made under tremendous odds, would now be splendid. The Governor sent four special messages on the subject of finance to the Legislature of 1909, explaining the strained situation resulting from the extravagant building era that the state had passed through under the Hanley administration, begging the law-makers to economize in every possible way and finally threatening a veto of the appropriation act if cuts in it were not made. The Governor’s strenuous efforts in behalf of economy resulted in numerous reductions but the republican senate remained obdurate and the bill, as passed and signed, carried appropriations in excess of $1,099,886.35 of the estimated revenues for the next two years. The Governor was strongly inclined to veto the bill but he realized that a veto would mean a special session of the legislature at great cost to the people and an unsettled condition of affairs as other matters than finance would be bound to enter into the considerations.

Part of the savings that should have been made in 1909 was made up in, 1911 when the legislature appropriated $1,534,438.85 less than the legislature of two years before. Governor Marshall’s apprehension over the attitude of the 1909 legislature toward finances is revealed throughout his four messages. Once he told the legislators, “To contract a debt is one thing, to pay it is another. 3To wise and prudent business •manager ever permits the conIracting of a debt without also making some provisions for its payment.” He then proceeded to urge them not to appropriate unless money for the payment thereof was in sight. Again he admonished the legislature as follows:.“I had hoped you would

be so conservative in your appropriations that the tax levy could be reduced. I am how concerned lest you should make appropriations which cannot be met.” Then followed a thorough explanation of state finances with a strong plea for economy. Later in the session the Governor sent a red-hot message which ended as follows: “Either increase the taxes upon the people of Indiana or dimish your appropriations so that we need not anticipate our revenues.” Still again the Governor said: ““You will pardon me- if I again sharply call your attention to the condition of our state finances,” and ended by demanding that $600,000 be cut out of the appropriation bill then pending. The democratic house made all reductions desired by the Governor and the republican senate I promptly reinserted all that had been cut and added more. The house refused to concur in the senate’s amendments to the bill, I whereupon it went to conference and for sixteen hours the confer- 1 ence committee worked and fought without any tangible results. Finally the Governor called the* conference committee before him and talked to the members like a “Dutch father” with the result that concessions were immediately made. The bill was reported back to the _two houses something after two o’clock in the morning and the legislature confirmed the report of the jconference committee as its last official act and adjourned sine die.