The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-10-09

IRON the New Orleans Times

We publish the following extracts
from Gov. kell0gg's long address to the
public. The balance of the address is
devoted chiefly to political argumenta,
ton:
When the present State government
came into Office there were outstanding,
from previous administrations, Auditors
checks on the Treasury, known as State
warrants, which the Treasurer had been
unable to pay for lack of funds to the
amount, in round numbers, of SO, 300, 00C
(Auditor's report Of 1872, page 36). There
were outstanding bonds issued before
and since the war to the amOunto Of $21,-
100000. Since have been in Office
have signed SIG bonds of $1,000 each
and 1875 second mortgage bonds of the
same denomination, the latter issued
upon a section Of ten miles of completed
railroad. In both cases the issuance of
these bonds was authorized by acts of
the Legislature, passed previous to my
coming into office, and was rendered OBJ
ligatOry upon ME by d decision of the
Supreme Court as to the first issue, and
by the written opinions of the law off =
GERS of the State as to the latter. No
act OF the Legislature has been passed
during my occupancy of the Executive
chair to authorize the issue of a single
bond to increase the Indebtedness ofthe
State. The outstanding 100000 of
floating Indebtedness left by previous
administrations, has been reduced under
my administration to less than $1,400,-
600. This reduction has been accom-
plished by no increase of taxation, but
by an energetic collection of delinquent
taxes and an honest appropriation of
the taxes so collected to the liquidation
of the past due Indebtedness Of the
State. To effect this result the law Off
GERS OF the State were compelled to ap-
peal to the courts to set aside an iniqui-
tOus law passed mainly by Democratic
influence under the previous admins
tratiOn which virtually transferred all
the receipts from back taxes to q brOk-
ers' ring. The State has thus been ena-
bled to pay under Our financial man
agement more than $900,000 of the old
floating debt of the State with the old
assets. And the delinquent taxes now
due and unpaid are sufficient, if collected
and applied under the policy we have
inaugurated, to pay off the balance of
the old floating Indebtedness.
Since the first of January, 1874, to Sep
TENDER l, IL current receipts from
licenses, and taxes have amounted to
within 500 0 of Il current expenses
during the same time and this in des-
plte of a disastrous overflow which has
necessarily retarded the collection of
taxes. Had the State been spared this
visitation there is every reason to believe
there would not be tO-dayany outstand-
ing warrants Oh the treasury issued dur
ing the current year remaining unpaid.
The last quarter, during which our prin-
cipal collections for the year are made,
will doubtless wipe out these warrants
we'll as those to be yet issued for cur
rent expenses during the last quarter.
The appropriation bill passed last
wlntercOntained many items which were
believed to be unnecessary and imprOvi-
dent. The payment of these items has
been enjoined by the courts on the appli-
OF the Attorney General, and the
appropriations of the last Legislature
i'll themselves much less than the appro-
priatiOns of previous yearS-havc been
reduced within the amount of the eSti-
mated receipts. The large amount of
50, 300 900 of outstanding warrants re-
naming unpaid when the present gov
eminent took charge'0fs the State con-
of warrants issued year byS5year
over and above the current revenues of
such year,. Our administrationgth the cur |
rent year. tits believed, will show no
of appropriation over revenue.
Gpvelnor Warfnofhfs administration
made appropriations for current State
expenses, exclusive of school, levee and
interest funds. as follows:
YgL. 49, E-Apn So %1anaA |