Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1861-04-24

H. Goyernmcnt, The sinking fund
estimated at five per cent, and the
interest on the bonds which would
,hcn be due, would amount to sl3o,'
000 also the sum of sHO, 900 now
audited in ten per cent, Treasury
warrants and the interest due there
on which may bc estimated at sa0,'
600 and the claims of Minute Com
panics called into service last Spring
and other Military claims unauditcd
which will amount To about ssO, ,ooo'
Dcduc'ing these amouts from the
s6O0, 600, there remains but 10000
with which To meet the debt which
will arise under the Ordinance Of
the Convention for the defence of
the frontier and pay the forces now
in service under Col, Dalrymplc.
What amount viii bo necessary
10 meet the debt that will be incur
red under the action of the ConVeh'
ton, cannot now be determined rs
we have no data upon which to base
the estimates. Should the sum OF
$4,000 prove sufficient for the
purpose specified, the government
would, if no other extraordinary
demands arise against, ii, he enabled
TO meet its Liabilities up To the lst
of June, 1862; at which time the
revenue dcrivable from taxation
will he available,
As. however, the above estimates
my prove insufficient to meet the
cXigcncics of the State, ! would re-
commend thatthc nd valorcm tax,
be increased from l2i To 20 cents
on the 500 of valuc-and the poll
tax be raised from 80 cents to dol
lar, per capita. On the supposition
that the value of property assessed
this year is at least equal TO its val
ne last ycar-thc proposed increase
in the rate of taxation will produce
the sum of s5O9,224,52, To this
may be added $4,000, the amount
receivable from other sources, and
we have a total revenue for the next
year of $3.50, ,22i So.
If. however, the foregoing cstl-
mates should prove inaquate to an
swcr our necessities, | would sug-
gcst the propricty Of borrowing, for
State purposes, the onc-tcnth reven-
lie which accrucs annually to the
capital of the School Fund which,
under existing rcgulationnsis lis loaned
to Railroad Companies at a low
rate of interest. The principal and
interest arising from the sale Of
University Lands amounting to
above $4,000 might be borrowed on
the same terms. This added to the
estimated amount of the School
Fund for the ensuing year which is
S76,5SO 80, and the sum added to
theS539, ,22452 expected fromtaXation
will give SG33,S0 2for the support
Of the government upto lst OF. June,
1862, Should the civil expenses, of
the government be reduced to Sooo,-
0"o as is supposed, there will remain
ofthc above sum S2S3, ,S05 OF to dis
charge any deficiency which my
occur IN the present year.
rnc proposed diversion of the
above mentioned funds should not
be made unless the demands of the
State absolutely require it.
The withdrawal of the least as
sistancc extended by the State to
our Railroads, rctards their progress
and must impair their ability to get
assistance from othcrsources. Their
construction is u settled principle OF
internal policy, and therefore should
be extended to them, every lcgit-
mate encouragement. And the
School Fund, in contemplation OF
the object for which it was created,
should be regarded as part of our
religion. 1t is Il sacred thing. No
idea which would endangcr its safe
ty, should be for Il moment enter
lained. Yet | may remark that it
would be as secure in the use OF the
State as in its present condition.
1t is appropriate in this conncc-
ton to propose that such amend
mcnts be made to the present tax
law, as will secure theinfallible and
rigid collection of taxes land subject
to taxation every description of pro-
perty which should not be especially
exempted. 1t has hitherto been
found almost impossible to collect
in all cases, the taxes due on titled
lands Of the State.
An irregularity in the ratio of the
receipts has occurred, notwithstand-
ING the uniformity of the law. This
has arisen from the fact that the
owners of lands, especially in those
cases in which the land is situated
in counties different from that in
which the owner lives, from gnor-
ancc perhaps of their real value,
give it in to the Assessors at cs-
Inmates far below its rcalvalstt:
10 remedy this injustice, the pre-
sent law requiring land situated in
q county in which the owner docs
not reside, to be assessed according
to an arbitrary, and otter fictitious
value affixed by the Comptroller,
was adopted. This feature of the
law is not only peculiacly repug-
nant to most ofall those upon whom
it operates, but it fails in many in
stances, by virtue of the opposition
which itengenders, it to accomplish
the object for which it was designed.
And the Comptroller who is certain
" most tconversant with this subject,
earnestly advises its repeal. In its
stead he recommends that the tax
payer be permitted to render his
real property at a srorn ra'ne, and
pay the tax thereon to the Assessor
. and collector of the county in