Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-01-20


shall be set apart, as a separates fund to
be called the School Fund, he interes
Of arkich and all other revenues deriUeo
from the school lands, shall be exclusivel,
applied: LIST. "Io the support and
maintenance of common schools, in each
school district, and the purchase OF
suitable libraries therefore," and, Cd.
''The residue shall be appropriated to
the support and maintenance of acade-
mics and Normal schools, and suitable
libraries and apparatus therefor.
Section 6 of the same article, pro-
vides that ''the proceeds - of all lands
that have been or may hereafter be
granted by the United States to the
State for a University, shall be aud
re main perpetual fund, to be called the
University Fund, the interest of which
shall be appropriated to the support of
the State University" The terms used
III the sections have quoted seem to
be very plain.
BY virtue of various laws enacted by
the Legislature the proceeds of these
funds are used for purposes other than
the support of common schools and
the State University. Lalge sums have
been annually expended for clerk hire,
printing, advertising, &c, expenses in
cident to the care CT the lands and the
management of the funds, all of which
seems to be in direct violation of the
provisions of the Constitution of the
State. Every interest of the people of
the State is opposed to the diversion of
either of those funds or the income
thereof from the purposes for which
they are so p ainly and exclusively set
apart. The State can well afford to
bear the expense incident to the care
of the school lands and the management
of the school fund for the sake of the
children of the State, who are now de-
prived of a part of the means provided
by Congress for their education, and
the State should be willing to pay all
of the expenses incident to the care of
the University lands and the manage
ment of the funds arising therefrom,
even though there is no constitutional
provision compelling it to do so.
The amount yearly expended from
the University fund for expenses would
not be much to the State of Wisconsin,
but is of great Importance to the Uni
versity in its present financial condi-
ton. That institution has never cost
the people of the State a single dollar,
its lands having thus far paid all its ex-
penses. No funds should be more
faithfully guarded than those devoted
to educational purposes. / therefore
recommend that all laws which provide
for or authorize the use of any portion
of eitf or of these funds for the payment
of the expenses incident to their care
and management. be repealed, and that
provision be made for the payment OF
ali such expenses from the General
Fund.
TAXES.
Suggestions are made in the report of
the Secretary of State as to the practi-
cal workings Of the laws now in force
providing for the assessment of proper
ty, and the collection of taxes, which.
as they now stand, fail to meet the
requirements of the people, work injus
tice, and admit of too much dishonesty.
Both of these laws are imperfect in
several points, and should receive your
careful attention. be made as perfect as
possible, and then be permitted to
long enough without amendment
to enable the people To become thor
onghly conversant with their require
ments.
The whole amount of taxable lands in
the State is-17, SOB, 316 81, acres. The
aggregate valuation of which is $751;
1873, G93. "a. Aggregate valuation of city
and village property is S33, Isl, 29l. 10.
Aggregate valuation of real property is
Sl24, 604, 9S4 GA.
On the 18th day of March last, there
was transmitted from the office of the
Secretary of State, to the Senate,
showing the amount of taxes
for all purposes. which were collected
the State during the year
1863. and the cost of collecting the
same. That stat ment was compiled
from the reports of the town, comfy,
md city clerks throughout the State,
by which it appeared that there was
collected 1882, 100 State tax, and 81
245, G97. 4S County, Town aud City tax.
The total being S2,627, 1927 AS. The
whole cost of collecting these taxes was
$3.50. 895. 70, being about nine per cent.
OF this sum $4,000 were paid t.
Town Treasurers.
During the year 1854 the taxes were
very much greater, owing to the fact
that in many localities large sums were
collected for bounties to volunteers, in
to the tax for ordinary pur-
poses.
From the returns of the assessors,
made pursuant to section 5, chapter AL
laws OF 1860, it appears that the whole
tax collected was not less than 1000
600 the cost of collecting which was
not less than $500 900.
This enormous expenditure for the
collection of our taxes seems to me to
be unnecessary, either for the interest
Or convenience of the people, and some
plan should be devised which will re-
iuce it.
suggest that some system be adopt
ed which will inform the Legislature
each year of the amount of taxes levied
in the different towns, cities and villa
yes throughout the state, and for what
purposes. This information in the pos
session of the Legislature, it would un-
loubtealy follow that the rate of taxes
for local purposes would be limited by
aw. The large sums paid to the vari-
Dus officers charged with the collection
thereof, can very easily be reduced, by
the adoption of some system which will
cause the whole tax levied in the coun-
y to be paid directly to the County
Treasurer, and that without serious in
to the people.
AUDITING.
Section 90 of Chapter 10 of the re-
used Statutes, provides that, ''the Sec