Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-21
STATE AFFAIRS.
First Annual Message Of Iov
VIM. R. Taylor
Necessity Of Internal linz, ements to
Secure Cheap 7 ,Sit.
Legislation Again1 Free Passes
~~~~Suggested. ---
A Modification of tho Graham Temper
#s. 4rE. ance Law Desired.
-------l -lnf i.5. 1911
Retrenchment in the Administration of State
Government Recommended.

heuencnment In the Administrator OF state
Government Recommended
Fel'oec. Citizens Of The Senate and Assembly:
You have assembled under peculiar crcum-
stances. An era OF apparent prosperity With
out parallel in the previous history Of the
nation has been succeeded by financial re-
verses affecting all classes OF Industry, ana
largely modifying the standard of values The
financial classes OF Wisconsin are Untitled to
COMMUNICATION for the foresight which has
enabled them measuraby to resist the cur
rent Of disaster Tue prudence and integrity
Of our business men IN the principal cities
generally. ana the vast extent OF our natural
resources, have also contributed largely TO
the restoration of mutual confidence, and
averted many OF the evils apparent elsewhere.
To great extent, however, this condition of
things is the legitimate consequence of a
healthy e5cton, and may be regarded as
comparatively permanent. as@
Accompanying these financial disturbances,
has come an imperative demand from the
people for purer political morality, more
equitable apportionment of the burdens and
1 blessings of government and more rigid
economy III the admins tratlon OF public al
fairs. 1t does not become me to discuss, in
this place, either the direct or remote in1u-
ences which have led to this reasonable de-
mand We have to deal with facts as they
are admitted to exist. and to apply such reme-
dies. within the spaere OF our constitutional
duty, as your Legislative experience and Wis
dom may suggest. In the execution of the
popular will in this particular, it is certain
that no evasion and no compromise will be
patiently tolerated. ga SIS
ANNUAL REPORTS OF TREASURER AND SECRETARY.
Ike fiscal wear ended on the Goth day of
September last. The Treasurer aad Seer tary
of State have furnished you full details ii ex-
pendlture for the support of the state govern .
ment during the year. I commend the several
1teEls OF this expenditure to your critical ex-
animation, with view to positive legislation
In behalf Of retrenchment. t a
TOTAL RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS.
The total receipts into the State Treasury
during the year. including all sources of in
come, we're 81, 774. $685. The total disburse-
ments, Tor all purposes, were SIZES. 023.14.
The balance In the Treasury at the commence
ment OF the fiscal year was 1899, 100. IL. The
excess Of total disbursements over total re-
ceipts during the year was $50, AGA. SO, thus
leaving IN the Treasury to the credit of all
funds, S2i5. 644. 80. The excess of total dis
bursements over total receipts was due to an
excess of expenditure from the general fund .
as viii be seen by facts hereinafter stated. -
THE GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS.
& The total receipts of the general9fund dur
ing the fiscal year were 81, 095. S72. %. OF this
sum, the amount of 1871, 975 60 was derived
from direct State tax upon the assessed valua-
ton of property, $40 374 SO from taxes on the
gross receipts ofraliroad companies, S63 $780, SO
from taxes on fire and life insurance COM
panies. and the balance from miscellaneous
sources.
So GENERAL. FUND DIsBURsEMENTs. =
The total disbursements from the general
fund during tie iiscafyear were ST. 191, $50. G1, /
an excess Of 800, 093 70 above the receipts
Deducting from this excess of expenditure the
balance in the general fund at the commence
ment of the fiscal year-September 80, 1872
and the deficiency IN this fund for the year
ending September 80. 1873, is found to be $685. /
923. so. The total disbursements were d vlded
among the several classes of current expena
iture. as follows Salaries and permanent
approprla tons,. Sz61 .572. 36 legislatiev ex-
penses, S103. 730.22 !; state prison and chart
, table institutions, s50f, 83 miscellaneous. |
1926 4l660.
The defcie ncY in the general fund, of $685.
923.80, is an. overpayment, IN excess of all
proper resources for current expenditures
from the trust fund OF the state. and 1s in
fact an increase of the state debt to the pre-
else amount OF the sum thus distracted from
those funds;I am not aware of any law au.
thorjZing this increase OF debt or the diver
sion of the III funds from their legitimate
and proper Ari5oses, beyond that law of ne
cessity, which leaves the state government no
alternative ID the administration OF public af-
fairs but to misapprOprlite moneys held in
trust and saerealy set apart for purposes of
charity and education, rather than to permit
dishonOr to comes upon the current obligations
OF the treasury. Ii an individual, appointed
TO protect the property interests OF orphan mi
noFs or insane persons, were to divert to his
private uses the resources entrusted to his
keeping, his conduct would find no apology
in law or morals. The relation of the state to
its trust funds is not essentially different. and
its violation OF gOod faith notices. reDrehensl-
BILE. The practice is especially demoralizing
do r 10
that the past action ct the state in
borrowing from the school and
other trust funds, under special circum-
stances, and by an exercise OF legislative
power, deemed to have been authorized by
the constitution, may be regarded as Attending
some sanction for the present procedure. 1t
must be admitted, however, that the special
exlgency under which the Indebtedness to the
trust fuAd was originally created, has wholly
disappeared, aud that the existing practice
has no real justification, resulting a. it does,
from SPECIAL appropriate made by the leg
islature, III excess OF the revenues provided
to meet them. No question as to the profit
and expedlency of further loan from the
trust funds to the Ssate can. under present
circumstances, be entertained 1t is sufficient
for US to know that an increase of the State
debt beyond its present limits is prohibited
by the constitution We have sworn to sup
port, that this prohibition was wisely intended
as restraint upon the legislature, and pro-
honestly evaded nor safely deied
Inasmuch as the disbursements from the
general fund during the last quarter of the
calendar year-belng the first quarter OF the
present fiscal year-are compensated by no
corresponding receipts into that fund during
the same quarter, the deficiency which exist
ed on the 30tL of September last, is much
larger at the present date. In his annual re-
port the Secretary of State estimated that
this deficiency on the first day of January in
slant. would reach the sum Of s168, 621.26. ]
recommend such legislation as shall rapidly
repair the present deficiency and prevent, in
future, the continuation of those practices
which necessitate this legislation.
THE STATE DEBT.
The legal debt of the State, denominated
the g bonded and irreducible debt" at the
close of the fiscal year was 50, 252 057. OF this
sum So, 233 900 consists of certificates of in
debtedne to the various trust funds, sis. 100
of outstanding bonds, and $57 of cui roncy
certificates.
THE TRUST FUND.