PROCLAMATION.

To the Secretary of State:

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, STATE OF TEXAS, AUSTIN.

May 28, 1909.

I herewith transmit for file in the office of the Secretary of State, House bill No. 18, with my objections hereinafter enumerated, being "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State government for the two years beginning September 1, 1909, and ending August 31, 1911, and for other purposes; prescribing certain regulations and restrictions in respect thereto; to make additional appropriations for the State government for the year ending August 31, 1909, and to pay various miscellaneous claims against the State; and authorizing the payment of certain miscellaneous items upon the taking effect thereof, and declaring an emergency." The said bill is signed on this date and the items thereof not objected to are approved. I append to the said bill at the time of signing same this statement of the items to which I object, viz.:

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.

The following items, where no reason is given for veto, are objected to as unnecessary appropriations and as not essential for the efficient administration of the State government: "Expenses of Board of Pardon Advisers in visiting penitentiaries, reformatory and camps, for the year ending August 31, 1911, $300.00." This item appears on page 2 of the bill. (P. 458.)

DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

The item of "Furniture, files and typewriter, for the year ending August 31, 1911, $300.00," on page 3 of the bill, is objected to and disapproved. (P. 459.)

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.

Items on page 4 of the bill: "Salary of Superintendent for looking after the State's property outside of Austin, $300.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$300.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911, are objected to, as the salary of the Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds is fixed by law at $1,500.00 per annum, and the salary of this officer and expenses in performing certain outside duties have been provided for by another item in this bill.

Item on pages 4 and 5 of the bill: "To purchase linoleum or carpets in the several departments of the State Capitol Building and for cleaning and renovating carpets in said departments, to be expended in two years, $2,000.00.”

Item on page 5: "Repairing and painting Capitol Building and furniture in House and Senate, $3,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," is objected to. This bill provides for $3,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910, and $3,000.00 for the year ending August 31,

1911, and the item of $3,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911, is objected to as unnecessary.

Items on page 5 of the bill: "For the improvement, maintenance and care of the San Jacinto battlefield, $15,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$15,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to and vetoed. The unexpended balance appropriated for this purpose by the Thirtieth Legislature, amounting at this time to something over $23,000.00, is revived and extended by a provision in this appropriation bill, and that amount judiciously expended is believed to be ample for the period covered by this appropriation bill.

The item on page 5 of the bill: "For bitulithic paving of the driveways within the State Capitol grounds, commencing at the south gates of such grounds and running to the terrace of the South Capitol Building, or as near thereto as possible, aggregating 4412 square yards, at not exceeding $2.25 per square yard, or so much thereof as may be necessary, and to be used within the next two years, $9,927.00." On account of the unusually heavy increase in appropriations, this is an improvement that can be and should be postponed for the present. (Pp. 460. 461, 462.)

STATE TAX BOARD.

The items of "Salary of bookkeeper, accountant and stenographer, $1,200.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$1.200.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to as unnecessary appropriations. These items appear on page 9 of the bill. (P. 465.)

PUBLIC PRINTING.

The items of "Salary of one assistant and bookkeeper, $1,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$1,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to and vetoed as unnecessary. These items appear on page 11 of the bill. (P. 466.)

TEXAS STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.

The following items appropriated for the Health Department are unnecessary for the efficient administration of the department and are objected to and vetoed, viz.:

Items of "Salary of Assistant Health Officer, $2,400.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$2,400.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911." These items appear on page 15 of the bill.

Page 15 of bill: Items of "Salary of Chemist, $1,800.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$1.800.00 for the year ending August 31. 1911."

Page 15 of the bill: Items of "Salary of filing and index clerk and general clerk, $600.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$600.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911."

Page 15 of the bill: Items of "Salary of assistant quarantine officer at Galveston, $1.500.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$1,500.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911."

Page 16 of the bill: Item of For erecting house at Aransas Pass for quarantine officer, $2,000.00."

Item on last line of page 16: "Miscellaneous, $2,000,00 for the year ending August 31, 1910,” and “$2,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911."

The item on page 17 and contained in the last paragraph on said page reads as follows: "Provided, the State Board of Health is hereby authorized to use not exceeding thirty thousand dollars of the funds collected as fees at Galveston Quarantine Station, now to the credit of the quarantine fee fund, for the purpose of erecting and equipping a hospital for the isolation of contagious and infectious diseases, such hospital to be located on State property at Galveston," is also objected to and vetoed. (Pp. 468, 469, 470, 471.)

PURE FOOD COMMISSION.

On page 19 of the bill: The items of "Salary of Deputy Commissioner, $1,200.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$1,200.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to.

On page 19 of the bill: The items of "Cost of Samples, $500.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$500.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to. Such expenses as may be incurred for this purpose can be paid from the item of $1,800.00 appropriated for traveling and other expenses, which last mentioned amount is believed to be sufficient for traveling and all other necessary miscellaneous expenses. (P. 472.)

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

On page 22: The items of "Salary of General Assistant Clerk, $1,200.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910." and "$1,200.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911,” are objected to, as it is believed that this additional clerk is unnecessary. (P. 474.)

COMPTROLLER'S DEPARTMENT.

The bill provides on pages 27 and 28 that, "Provided further, that the appropriations made for the Comptroller's Department as above set out, are subject to Chapter XXXI of the Acts of the Thirtieth Legislature." and this enactment of the Thirtieth Legislature has for its object the reorganization of the Comptroller's Department, with the view of needed economy in this department, and in view of the duties imposed upon by board created by Chapter XXXI of the said Acts of the Thirtieth Legislature, and the recommendations of the accountants employed by the board to check and audit this department and recommend necessary reforms, and in anticipation of the action of the board with respect to said recommendations, the following items appropriated for this department are objected to and eliminated:

On page 27: "Salary of clerk to assist Comptroller in carrying out the provisions of the law regulating the sale of intoxicating liquors and to perform such other duties as may be required of him, $1,500.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$1.500.00 for the year ending

August 31, 1911." The present force in the Comptroller's Department is believed to be sufficient to discharge the additional duties imposed by recent legislation.

On page 27: The item of "Salaries of 12 Assistant Clerks at $1,100 each, $13,200.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911." (P. 477.)

The other items of appropriation for this department are approved subject to the further readjustment and reduction in the interest of efficiency and economy as may result from the further action of the Board of State Accounting, created by said Chapter XXXI of the Acts of the Thirtieth Legislature.

GENERAL LAND OFFICE.

The following items on page 28 of the bill appropriated for the General Land Office are objected to and vetoed:

"Salary of Chief Bookkeeper, $1,400 for the year ending August 31, 1911."

"Salaries of three general clerks at $1,200 each, $3,600.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$3,600 for the year ending August 31, 1911."

On page 29: "Salaries of three assistant bookkeepers at $1,300 each, $3,900.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to and vetoed.

The item "To employ additional clerical help to be used in two years, $7,500.00," on page 29 of the bill, is objected to and vetoed. (P. 479.) Further material reduction can be made in the administration of this department when the system contemplated by recent legislation is efficiently installed. The other items of appropriation for this department are approved subject to the further readjustment and reduction in the interest of efficiency and economy as may result from the further action of the Board of State Accounting, created by said Chapter XXXI of the Acts of the Thirtieth Legislature.

RAILROAD COMMISSION.

On page 31: The items of "Salary of Stenographer, $900.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$900.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are vetoed, as I am advised by the Railroad Commission, through its Chairman, that this is an unnecessary appropriation. (P. 480.)

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

"For the maintenance, support and direction of the University of Texas, including repairs," etc., the Legislature appropriated for the two years ending August 31, 1909, $105,000.00 per year and to enable the University authorities to use a sufficient amount of the available funds of the University derived from sources other than the general revenue, for the purpose of building a heating plant and library building, the Legislature by this bill increased the appropriation to $240,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910, and $240,000.00 for the year ending

August 31, 1911. However, the Board of Regents of the University, concur in the view that it is necessary to reduce this appropriation bill generally, and believing that the necessities of the University for the appropriation period covered by this bill can be met by a reduction of this appropriation, and believing that the University should share in such reduction, the proper University authorities have advised that of the appropriation for the year ending August 31, 1910, of $240,000.00, that the University requirements can be met with the expenditure of $200,000.00, and that of the $240,000 appropriated for the year ending August 31, 1911, $180,000.00 will meet the necessities of the University, and at the same time enable the Board of Regents to proceed with the needed buildings and improvements. This action on the part of the Board of Regents of the University has the effect of reducing the appropriation for the University for the period covered by this bill $100,000.00. (P. 482.)

AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE.

Page 35 of the bill: Item of "Horticultural department and equipment, $1,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," is objected to as the item appropriated for this purpose for the year 1910, of $1,000.00, is sufficient to cover both years.

Item on pages 35 and 36, viz.: "For the purpose of employing by the State Entomologist, local assistants in different parts of the State whose duties shall be to inspect apiaries and to treat foul brood and all other contagious diseases of honey bees; provided, that in case the State Entomologist can not secure a local assistant he may act in person and in such case his actual traveling expenses shall be paid out of this appropriation, $2,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," is objected to and disapproved. The item of $3,000.00 appropriated for the year ending August 31, 1910 is believed to be sufficient to meet the necessities for both the years 1910 and 1911.

On page 36 of the bill: Items of "Civil engineering department, $1,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$1,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to, as this department is provided for by an appropriation of $2,000.00 for each of the two years covered by the period of this bill.

On page 36 of the bill: Items of "Agricultural engineering department, $500.00 for the year ending August 31, 1910," and "$500.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," are objected to and disapproved on account of error in the enrollment of the bill, as the intention was to appropriate these sums for the architectural engineering department.

On page 36 of the bill: Item of "Hog cholera, serum experiments, $1,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," is objected to and disapproved, as a similar amount is appropriated for the year ending August 31, 1910, which is believed to be ample for these experiments during both years.

On page 36 of the bill: Item of "Electrical Engineering Department, $2,000.00 for the year ending August 31, 1911," is objected to, as the necessities of this department are provided for by the item of