A Comparison

To those who are Interested in the expenses of the several departments of the state government and how those expenses are mounting up, the following figures compiled by E. A. Scutt of Lansing will be of interest. They show that in order to take care of the faithful the republican administrations are piling on the expenses out of all proportion to increase of population and business. The table shows total number employed, average number drawing a full year's pay, and total sums paid in wages in the several departments during the fiscal years ending June 30, 1891 and 1901: 

Department             T't'l Av.    W'g's pd.      T't'l Av.      W'g's pd.

Auditor General ...   88  53    $40,376.59   176  120    $114,014.24

Secretary of Sate...   50  34    32,205.19    63  33     32,301.86

Land Office...   9  4     4,581.17   23  12     10,985.24

Supt. Public Instruction...   6  4    3,010.60    10  6     6,108.69

Insurance...    4  1     884.98    8  5    4,125.88

Board of Health...     12  11    9,788.79    21  19     16,726.41

Railroad Commissioner...   3  2    1,720.00    11  6    5,746.57

The year 1891 was during the administration of Governor Winans, a democratic administration. Of course it is to be expected that the expenses will increase, but there seems not to be proper reason for the increase indicated by the above figures. It will be observed that under the democratic administration the total number of extra clerks and janitors was 172, while under the present republican administration the number has increased to 312. The average number under the democratic administration was 108 and the average under the Bliss administration for 1901 is 201. The totals paid for wages to these extra clerks and janitors during the democratic year of 1891 was $92,566.42, while the total for the first year of the Bliss administration had mounted to the sum of $190,008.89 Here is a lesson for the people of the state to study. Of course this abnormal increase will go on just so long as the people will stand for it. But they have the remedy in their own hands. Will they apply it?