Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-25
The ComptroIIer,s Report.

We learn from the Report that the receipts
in the Treasury for 1859, amounted to the
sum of SI,l7S.953 81, an increase over
those of 1858 of $780, l2 06. THIS heavy
increase is more accidental than the result
of any fixed law briging about such pro-
erosion. In 1858, the Bank Of Tennessee
maid no profits into the Treasury. In 1859
1t paid s42O.4O3 80. This sum divided be-
tween the two years would make the receipts
for 1858. ss79, 34l OF, and those for 1853.
$685. 5I Si-a difference of but SS9.4l0 "a.
This balance will be further reduced when
the increased receipts for the present year
from the Sinking Fund is taken from it, an
increase of s24,2s9 60. which would leave
in favor of 1853 only s65.12l l4-about the
State tax upon the $57 100000 more of tax
able property this year than lastp
Inarelation to the disbursements, DC, the
Report says
The disbursements for 1859 exceed those
of 1858 s292.760 90. The payment of one
single item in 1859, without reference to the
temporary and special disbursements for the
same year. will account fer this. There
were paid for the present $320,643 81 more
interest upon the State than was paid last
wear: sll6,529 OF which were for arrear-
ages of interest due in 1857. II the interest
due in 1857 bad been paid in '5S, the expen-
ditures in that year would have been great
er than Tor 80; but il half the excess paid
for this year had been paid last, the disburse
r ments would have been for '5S S945, lS5 81
to S789 ,l02 10 for '59-thc former years ex-
penditures usually aud naturally being the
greater, as the legislative expenses are inclu-
ded in it, But ii is not important in which
of the two years the greater payments were
made, il they were proper Of themselves and
make in conformity to law.
.sThe aggregate expenditures for the two
years ending the lst October, 1859, were
, Sol. 76s 81 more than those for the two pre-
ceding years. The receipts aud expenditures
almost necessarily grow with the increase of
population-there more producers of
wealth to be taxed to bring in revenue, there
is more necessity for government to pay it
out, more crimes to be punished. and more
misfortunes to be alleviated by State chart
ties. But If the debt due for 1857 1.-THE Sll6,-
$40 AREA ages OF interest due in the year,
had then been paid, the expenditures for the
last two wears would have been S3l 289 43
less than for the two years preceding. In add
diton to this there are many items OF a tenn
porary accidental or special character, not
included, except $4,000 OF them, in the pre-
ceding two years, and but small portion of
them to remain us permanent expenditures,
which ought to be credited To the last two
years. This list of special and mostly Tempo
rary expenditures runs up 10 S342, 1871.
Nor is the Legislature of 1878 responsible
for most of them. There were paid in the
last two wears S25S, 306,6S, while the Legis-
lature neither appropriated or contracted the
debts for which that amount was paid--the
Sll6,529 of interest due for the year 1857
SS3 O96.60 of Sinking Fund which goes into
and out of the Treasury under the control Of
the Governor. Comptroller, aud President of
the Bank of Tennessee, without affecting il in
anywse, except TO swell the receipts and ex-
penditures, which it will continue to do to
larger extent each succeeding year-S42,-
900 Of Capitol Bonds that fell due and were
paid the present year--the Sl3, 6Sl 0S, bonus
of the Union Rank that was paid into the
Treasury by mistake and paid out again,
being subject under the act of 1854 alone to
tho check of the Governor and Comptroller
in payment for State Bonds--and the So, 800
interest on As Capitol Bonds appropriated by a
preceding Legislature, but issued since the LIST
of October, 1857. Exc luding these items
making up the S257 1906 6S, as having acci-
dentaiiy fallen in the last two years, it will
be seen that the ordinary expenditures OF
1858 and 1859, including all the appropria-
tions of the last Legislature, are lees than
those for the years 1856 and 1857"
The estimated receipts of the next two
years are placed at 81 ,5S0,lS7 49,; the expcn-
ditures at 81, 56O,4Ss 80. The expenditures
include S66.666 &C of the public debt which
falls due in 1861. No estimate is made for
the Penitentiary, the Comptroller presuming
that Institution would be made sclfsustan-
ing. In view of the excess of receipts, (Which
may be increased) it is considered safe by the
Comptroller to reduce the State tax from Is
l-l6 cents to 5 cents upon the 500 of taxable
property. Upon this subject it is added
The cents are intended to include the
present specific taxes OF q cents for Common
Schools, ! cent for Lunatic Asylum, and
}1-l6 of one cent for State Library. If these
he continued, as i think il not polite To do
in that shape, then the State tax proper might
be reduced to i 1915 cents. But to be- more
easily comprehended, will speak of the
cents State tax npon the 800 of taxable
property rs including all taxes upon pro-
perry collectable by tax collectors. Upon
$500, 900 600 Of taxable property us an aver
age for the next two years. IA much SIT allcr
advance in value than has been made since
IS4s. a tax OF 8 cents upon that and the pre-
sent poll tax would yield Sll0.2l5 more than
is estimated---a balance To cover any over
revenue. II the poll tax were reduced one
half aud State tax brougbs TO 5 cent?, there
would still be a balance OF over $55 900 not
set down from that source TO cover over
estimates, If any. But il there be no Increase
In property, cents upon the 500 worth,
with the present poll tax, would yield SS7,-
2l5 more than estimated to cover deficiencies
from other sources. Without some unlocked
for revulsion, or arrangement from the ordin-
airy sources Of revenue. or the failure OF the
Bank of Tennessee Ia make six per cent pro-
fits upon her capital il has made and
paid into the Treasury more than that for
some years,-tbere can be no question of the
safety of reducing the State tax from Is Lilo
To 5 cents, lighter Tax than the people OF
Tenn ssee have paid for seventeen years. and
perhaps the lightest tax Of any other State
In the Union.
The taxable property of the State has al
most tripled itself since lsls-then it was
valued al sl2s ,5I0.o43; now at 1917 POS. Gal.
The average value of land since ls4s has
risen from So 06 per acre to IS 10. This
advance is attributed chiefly to the influence
of railroads. The average value of taxable
slaves has increased from s467 A to
$3.50 65.
The entire Indebtedness OF the State Of
every description. is put down at sl6,64S,
Goo 66-the Statedebt proper, S3,s44,6os &C.
OF the remainder Of the public debt all eI-
cept ss7 900 was either loaned to railroads
in State bonds or incurred by the indorse-
ment OF company bonds. The annual iateres,
on this railroad debt is $163 100, 10 which
may be added per ct. for the sinking fund.
The railroads hich have received State aid
have 50 far paid the interest, &c promptly.
A change In the law relative TO Foreign