Says He's Whimsical

SAYS HE'S WHIMSICAL

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Senator Ward on Michigan's 

Own and Only Governor.

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THE APPROPRIATION BILLS

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Are Made For Two and a Half

Years This Time.

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The Governor is the Last Man to Talk About Extravagance in State Institutions---The Senator Talks from the Shoulder.

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Senator Charles A. Ward was at home over Sunday from Lansing. When seen by the Daily Argos concerning the quarter mill university bill. the senator talked freely on the whole subject of the legislative appropriations and said: "One thing that Gov. Pingree and the newspapers that are criticizing the large appropriations made by the present legislature carefully refrain from noticing is the fact that all of the specific appropriations for public institutions made at this session cover two and one-half years instead of two years as heretofore. This is an increase of one-fourth in the time covered and consequently necessitates an increase of 25 per cent in the size of the appropriations. This increase amounts to $500,000 but does not mean any greater burden upon the people because it simply covers a period of time one fourth longer. "Then in the matter of repairs and new buildings the total increase will be about a half million more. Of this sum $127,000 is for repairs which the legislative committees consider necessary to preserve valuable state property. So long as the state maintains its charitable, penal and reformatory institutions it must make them adequate to the demands made upon them by his policy. The natural increase of population coupled with the fact that for 10 years past very meager provisions have been made for the natural increase m the number of inmates at these institutions makes larger appropriations than usual necessary at this time. However the aggregate increase or the state institutions including the one-fourth longer period of time is only 1,095,692 or $600,000 less than was recommended to the legislature by the state board of charities and corrections whose duty it is to advise upon this subject. These appropriations represent the careful, sober judgment of 132 men and 1 don't think they will allow that judgment to be overturned by the whimsical occupant of the executive office who is notoriously not only the most extravagant governor Michigan has been afflicted with in many years, but one whose wholesale distribution of public funds to his political henchmen has brought nothing more substantial in return then political bou-combe. "If the appropriations this year exceed those of two years ago more than 1,095,000 it will be because of the beet sugar bounty which most well informed men seem to consider unconstitutional, the soldiers' bounty which is he governors' pet hobby and which will cost the state nearly $800,000, the numerous new judges and new boards which have been created this winter and are already filled with Pingree appointees, and the unprecedented drain which has been made upon the state treasury by state departments which are filled by the governor's appointees and are directly under his control. "When it comes down to a matter of economy the legislature can give this self appointed friend of the common people cards and spades and beat him out every time. "I don't think the governor cares a rap whether the appropriations are passed over his veto or not. He has had an opportunity to vary his policy by shouting economy for once when it seemed to be the popular thing to do ind he will be just as well satisfied with that as though he saved the state some of those imaginary millions he talks of in his message. "The only reason the governor alleges for not singing appropriation bills is that the legislature has not passed any of his pet railroad legislation yet he knows as well, as, every one else who knows anything about the subject that no tax measure yet proposed by the Pingree regime would make a single dollar available for any of the appropriations which he proposes to veto. "Another thing that the governor loses sight of is the fact that the people of the state are better prepared to pay taxes this year than they have been for several years past. State taxes at the most form but a small part of the burden of taxation and the increase necessary to take care of the state institutions this year will not fall as heavily upon the taxpayer as any tax that has been levied in several years. "