Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1917 — WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXECUTIVE MACHINE [ARTICLE]

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXECUTIVE MACHINE

The state legislature got down to actual work -Monday, when Governor Goodrich delivered his. message to the assembly and the assignment of committees was made. The governor urged economy in the administration of state affairs —to which the taxpayers will say amen, and may he advice be heeded: The abolishment of the oil inspection department, which would throw sixty inspectors out of office, and that this work be assigned to the food and drug departmentwhich would, no doubt, mean lots more deputies there and probably effect ho real saving: he recommends that ” the responsibility for the expenditure of public money be taken from the various boards and commissions and be centralized in the governor; That the attorney general be appointed by the .governor; Suggested the discontinuance of the statistician s office and the collection of statistics be done by departments; abolishment of the office of legal clerk to the governor: A reduction of SI,OOO per year in the salary of the Quartermaster general because of the federal grant of this sum; - A non-partisan / commission of four, to serve without pay, to replace the fish and game .commission, the state board of forestry and state geologist and etomologist; Repeal of the three-mile road law; y.-'AJ non-partisan commission, without "salary, to be given authoti’.y to establish main roads; eligible, to state and federal aid; A separate department from the office of auditor of state to handle the banking and insurance; to be headed by a non-partisan executive appointee; s " State regulation of rate making for fire insurance: A reduction from fourteen to seven days of the “waiting period’’ in the workmen’s compensation law; • A law :o permit voting bv mail; A law to require vocational schooling for a part of the time up to sixteen years; ■_;■■■

In favor of an enabling act permitting cities to adopt commission and managerial form's of government; A survey of offices, bureaus and institutions to permit further economies and efficiencies to be reported to next general Constitutional amendments to permit the budget system to more centralize and control the finances of the state; for classification of property for taxation and fixing limitations upon tax rate; prohibiting any increase in salary during the term of any officer; a chance in registration law to relieve all but ten or twelve counties in the state of the operation of regisration; to make office of superinendent of public instruction a non-partisan office and appointive; For a constitutional convention in January, 1918. In conclusion ' the new governor declared it unjust that .the assembly should defer important matters until late in the session when “few know what is going on,” and asks that unnecessary adjournments be avoided in the interest of expediting business early in the sessions.