Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-28
rHE GENERAL FUND DEFICIENCY.
Governor TAYLOR in his late message

NV7oAuOI - yAVI ~ uAS Adtc mcSSdbt
to the legislature, says--"The defcicn-
cy in the general fund Of s66,923 80,
is an overpayment. in excess of all
proper resources for current expendi-
lures, from the trust funds of the state.
This practice, the governor further
remarks is '.misappropriation of
moneys held in trust and sacredly set
apart for purposes of charity and cdu-
cation"
The Milwaukee Ne,os the leadin g
organ of the opposition, while recently
referring to the same subject, employ
ed similar language, leaving the i'm
preston that the principal of the
school and other "trust funds" which
are "sacredly set apart for purposes of
charity and education" are in some
way interfered with, or that the income
thereof is impaired. This assumption,
however, is incorrect, and his excellen-
cy and the NeUs have committed
blunder in making the charge. By
reference to the last report of the Sc
cretary of state, it will seen, that on
the first day of last October, which was
also the first day of the fiscal year,
there were unexpended funds in treas.
ury, besides the principal Of the "trust
funds, sacredly set apart for the pur-
poses of charity and occupation" the
sum of $173, l58.72.-This was more
than enough, according to the secre-
tary's liberal estimate, to meet every
demand upon the general fund until
the next tax should be received. The
principal items. going to make up this
amount, are, drainage fnnd, St. Croix
aud Lake Superior R. R. trespass fund,
and the income Of the school fund.
The balances on hand in these funds
alone on the first of October, was over
$4,000, which will continually in.
crease until the drainage and school
fund income are apportioned on the
first of next June. 1t will also be seen
b. said report, that on the 7th day of
October the deficiency then existing
was reduced, by receipts with the
treasury, $42, 683,38.
The appropriations causing this de-
ficiency were made for the purpose of
completing aud furnishing the North
ern Hospital for the Insane, so that
patients could be received with the
least possible delay, and for extraord-
nary purposes needing immediate al
tention. There could have been but
one way of accomplishing these worthy
objects without mourning this def
cheney. 1t could have been done, if
the Legislature of 1872, had increased,
to that extent, the tax levy of that
year. In doing SO, however, the tax
would have been unusually burdensome
upon the people, amounting to $685.
912.Sl, and but little of it would have
been needed for over nine months af-
ter its payment by the people.
The Legislature of 1878, in making
those appropriations, we'll understood
that the Secretary of State was author.
lied by law to include the actual and
estimate uenclency In the tax levy tor
1873. They also knew that sufi-
cient amount of these funds would be
found in the treasury to meet them.
We maintain, therefore, that the
republican legislature of 1873 pursu ed
the right course-that it was right to
complete the Northern Hospital for
the Insane ct the earliest moment pos
sible; that it was right TO use these
funds temporarily, rather than over
burden the people by raising the neces-
sary means in one year instead of two
while these funds would lie idle, and
could not be drawn from the treasury
until the first of next June.-Portage
Register.