GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR announced the consideration of the bill [H. R. 422] making appropriations for the years 1882 and 1883--the question being on a motion pending at the adjournment yesterday to strike out the clause creating a messenger for the Governor's office.
Mr. HEFRON favored supplying all public officers with pay suitable to their surroundings, but it seems this place is unnecessary and causes additional expense. The only assistance provided for Governor Williams by the last General Assembly was a private clerk, while this bill gives to that office not only a private Secretary, but a clerk and a messenger also. There is not so much difference as to create two new places as assistants to the Governor's private Secretary. One additional ought to be enough. He didn't think we should surround that office with outriders and footmen, the principal duties of the office being to sign Justice's commissions and make after-dinner speeches.
Mr. WILSON said this item was in the act of 1877, but under a different name. Under the name of janitor a man was provided to keep up fires, carry confidential messages, etc. The bill does not increase the number of employe in the Governor's office in this particular case of messenger or janitor.
Mr. FOSTER believing a mistake was made in reducing the Governor's salary, and believing it proper and right that official should have a messenger for his own use, opposed the motion to strike out.
Mr. MARVIN at first thought he would vote to strike this employe from the list, inasmuch as the last Governor got along with but one Private Secretary, but this is the appropriation bill framed by the majority of this Assembly, and it they want this extra office, he should vote to let it stand.
Mr. OWN said it was proposed in this bill to vote openly what pay each officer shall have, and not go around the stump in order to increase the pay of any one. He opposed the motion to strike out.
The motion was rejected--yeas, 10; nays, 27.
Mr. GRUBBS believed $1,200 not sufficient salary for the Adjutant General. The law provides no fees, so that this salary is substantially all the compensation for this office. There is no appropriation made for a deputy. The office is an important one. It has charge of all the records of Indiana during the War. Two years of hard work ought to be done in that office. Many rolls are almost beyond deciphering, and in a few years many of them will be utterly so. He moved to make the salary $1,500.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. BENZ moved to increase the salary of the Secretary of State's Clerk from $700 to $1,000. He said the Governor's Private Secretary got that salary, and the Secretary's Clerk ought to have the same.
Mr. OWEN saw no necessity for the increase.
The motion was rejected by yeas, 10; nays, 27.
The Committee report proposing to reduce the pay of Clerk of the Printing Bureau from $1,200 to $900 being read--
Mr. CHAPMAN opposed this reduction. A sufficient salary should be paid to keep a perfect expert in the art of printing and bookbinding in this place. If he has insufficient salary, there are page: 97[View Page 97] constant temptations to cause inattention to the duties of the position. This officer's duties are twice, if not ten-fold, more important than the duties of clerk to the Secretary of State.
Mr. OWEN said there was but $800 appropriated to this official two years ago.
Mr. HEFRON insisted the office of an appropriation bill is not to fix salaries, but as long as the fee and salary bill fixes a definite sum, this appropriation bill should name that definite sum--no more and no less.
Mr. WILSON remembered but once since the creation of this office has the salary exceeded $900. The late incumbent of the office told the Committee he had never detected errors that saved the State any money.
Mr. VAN VORHIS called attention to the fact that the act creating this office states expressly the salary shall not exceed $900.
Mr. GRUBBS regarded this office as an important one, and inasmuch as the act passed two years ago makes it his duty to index and superintend the printing of the Senate and House journals, moved to make the salary $1,200.
Mr. OWEN said the indexing of the Senate and House Journals was not done the last time satisfactorily, and as there is a bill now before the Senate making it the duty of the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House to perform that duty, the Committee thought $900 was sufficient.
Mr. CHAPMAN referred to the clerk of the Printing Bureau to index the Senate and House journals, and superintend the proof-reading and the printing of the same, under a law passed by the last General Assemby. This is the existing statute which prescribes a part of his duties; $1,200 is under the average of the salaries.
Mr. OWEN said it is a question whether this Assembly desire the Clerk of the Printing Bureau to index the journals, or whether the clerks of the two Houses shall perform that work. He thought the clerks were the proper persons to attend to that duty.
Mr. FOSTER asserted that the last journals are the most unsatisfactory books ever bound as far as the indexing is concerned. He thought the officers of the two Houses were the proper parties to make the indexes and superintend the printing of the journals.
Mr. LANGDON thought the salary of his clerk was fixed by the act of 1875, and if that officer is to do the indexing $1,200 is a small compensation. If the same person is to perform this work that did it last he should decidedly object. He favored giving $1,200 to this official aside from the indexing.
The $1,200 motion was agreed to by the casting vote of the Lieutenant Governor--yeas, 21; nays, 20.
The report of the Committee as amended--by inserting $1,200 instead of $900--was concurred in.
On motion by Mr. GRUBBS, the appropriation for the Auditor's clerk was increased from $700 to $1,000.
Mr. COMPTON moved to amend the Committee report by appropriating $3,000 salary for the State Treasurer instead of $10,000.
Mr. BELL--It is a solemn act that the State Treasurer shall not use a dollar of the public moneys. This law ought to be repealed, or we should proceed on the theory that this officer be paid as though he would not disobey the law.
Mr. FOSTER was surprised to see a bill brought in here to strike a blow at the only man in office in this State with a limb off, reducing the salary of that official from $3,000 to $1,000.
Mr. WILSON regarded this as only a question of right and propriety and of law--not as to whether the official is maimed or not. The present official is an honest man, and did not attempt to conceal anything from the Committee with regard to the fees of the office. He understood the minimum sum usually on hand was from $500,000 to $600,000, and was loaned out among the banks of the city at from 4 to 5 per cent., which is done under a decision of the Supreme Court that this officer is responsible on his bond for the money. Senators can determine for themselves what the emoluments of this office are--$2,000, and if it were the only compensation would be but a bagatelle for the responsibilities of this office.
The came a recess for dinner.
