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Show THE APPROPRIATIONS. The appropriation bill as passed by tho Leglslaturo which has just adjourned ad-journed has been enrolled, and Is now in the hands of tho Governor. It presents pre-sents a deficit of 5179,125.17 on Its face; that Is, It appropriates that much moro than there Is any reasonable expectation expecta-tion that the State will receive by way of revenue. Tho estimated revenue Is ?1,G70,000, and the appropriations carried car-ried amount In tho aggregate to $1,749,125.47. Tho1 Governor Is now considering what .to do about tho matter. It Is of course impossible that the Stato should enter upon the biennial period with such nn adverse balance In sight. Accordingly, Ac-cordingly, the Governor will no doubt exercise his Constitutional authority of striking out needless or superfluous Items; and It Is a pity that he Is not authorized also to reduce the amounts of somo excessive appropriations. But as he cannot do tho latter, the next best thing is to cut out the items bodily which can best bo spared. Thcro are some that present easy marks in this respect, as being both unnecessary and positively wasteful. Tako tho road and bridge appropriation items, for Instance, running all the way from a thousand dollars to two thousand thou-sand dollars, to tho several counties. These sums arc clear gratuities; nothing noth-ing valuable ever results from them; the roads are not permanently bettered, but on tho contrary In many places they grow constantly worse: nobody over seems to know what has been dono with the money; the only thing positive is that tho money has been taken out 'of the State Treasury, and that somebody some-body has got it; but no real public benefit ben-efit has been conferred. The totals of these road and bridge appropriations amount to 54G.S25.SO. That would be a good starter for tho pruning-knlfe. Another substantial item that could well be eliminated is tho $30,000 for the Portland Exposition. Utah s experi ences in this matter of" expositions have been so exceedingly painful that It may well bo spared another episode of like character. The only difference between tho case at St. Louis, whose developments develop-ments were so disreputable, and some of tho former cases, was that the St. Louis proceedings were investigated and the others were not. The Senate's idea that a scandal is not a scandal If it can bo kept well "covered ub, has hitherto prevailed. The elimination of this Item-would forestall any possible criticism and would save to the State this much-needed money. Another good reason for keeping away from Portland Is the labor troubles that have broken out there, some of the laborers apparently appar-ently desiring to make tons of hay whllo this sun shines, out of but a few blades of grass; while other laborers, In their union, denounce that hold-up policy. pol-icy. It is the sort of quarrel for every one who can, to keep out of, and thereby there-by lie will save his self-respect and his money. Probably the cottages for guards at tho State Prison (to cost $6000) could be got along without for two years more; perhaps a few thousands could be saved in tho Stato administration offices; of-fices; thcro aro doubtless overestimates in the schedule of school land purchase refusals; the St. Louis deficit of $7500 can wait; and In several places the pruning-knlfe can do excellent work, let us say to the amount of $20,000. That would represent a total clipping of $110,325.80, which would leavo tho deficit at but $69,099.67, a sum which, It is reasonable rea-sonable to suppose, there might bo Increase In-crease enough In the State's revenue to meet. But it must be kept in mind all the tlmo that deficits in various accounts ac-counts aro pretty sure to develop, tho necessity for which the Stato Board of Examiners will hold to be Imperative. So that tho absolute need of getting tho total of appropriation and the total of expected revenue as near together as possible, is so clear as to need no special spe-cial demonstration. And as the means to do this aro so easily in sight, the work of the Governor In bringing the two together should present no very ; great task. Wo trust that he will have the nerve to perform his task in this respect re-spect fearlessly, and 'with an eye single to the needs and interests of tho State. |