Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-02-10
From Our Special Correspondent

Outside OF the election of United States sena
tors on Tuesday very little has been done by
I the legislature this week. The committed,
have quite large number of bills in hand and
| probably next week work will commence III
/ earnest. 1t will be OF short duration, how.
l ever, as most OF the honorable law-Inakers
are bent upon going to the New Orleans Mardi
! Gras carnival. The senate has made several
! moves toward retrenchment in the expenses
of the sessions OF the legislature, all OF which
/ have found q quick quietus in the house.
! think, even with the senate and the governor
/ favoring a short session, that we are good TO
remain here until the first of April, probably
/ later.
THE GOVERNORS FIRST MESSAGE
/ was read to-day. 1t is upon State finances,
and is a brief and pointed document, bresth-
I ing pretty much the same spirit as his inau-
/ gural. It is as follows:
I To the Senate and House OF Representatives:
GENTLEMEN-It is my duty, as well as pleas
ure, to communicate with you in regard to
the financial condition of the State; and do
so witp the conviction that by your action a
change for the better can speedily be effected
The State is in debt, her credit i'm paired and
ii is for the legislature to do for our finances
whatever is to be done.
Complete success in the management of
finances whether Of State or an Individual
consists in reducing expenditures to the min
imun, and increasing receipts to the max
imum.
With the relief of the people by a reduction
OF Stale and county taxation, as the ulterior
object, we now have to consider, as a first
step, the reduction Of expenses and the in
crease OF receipts, so far, at least, as to make
the latter equal, II not exceed, the former,
that the states credit may be restored and
her debts paid.
As fncI eased taxation is not contemplated,
we have one OF two courses to pursue: Either
10 economize and retrench under our present
system, which whether the system be at fault
or mott has brought us to our present EN- bar
rassed condition; or to ecOnomize and re-
trench under new and diferen system.
From the report of the present auditor of
public accounts, L learn that the "total
amount of State tax due for 1873 is 81, ,2S9 900;
the total amount Of state taxes collected per
average is Sl,UZJ,OO0; the estimated yearly eX-
pense Of the Stale government is 81 100000.
BY which II is seen that the estimated year
lV expenses of the State government exceed
the average yearly tax by SlS9,00O.
To overcome this balance against the State
L would recommend, first, that all State paper
now outstanding be Withdrawn from circula-
ton, and bonded or registered at a fair rate of
interest; second, that in the future all State
taxes be collected in United States currency.
With a comparative small debt and unQues-
toned capacity to meet il, State paper is sold
on the streets OF the capital at from twenty to
forty per cent. below par.
Retiring this paper and fixing certain
periods of payment must necessarily enhance
its value.
The advantage of conducting the finance of
the State on a cash basis must be apparent to
all. AS all expenses are paid in paper deprecia.
ted to from twenty to fortyper cent, our expen-
ses are from twenty 10 forty per cent. greater
than they should. be. By a return TO a cash
basis at least twenty five per cent. in the cost
of government can be saved, which would be
equivalent to the reduction of our present ex-
penses OF some three hundred thousand dol
lars.
OF course, TO derive the full benefits OF the
change, the laws should be so modified as to
authorize but seventy per cent. OF present
expenditures; and appropriations should be
made accordingly.
Even now much of the tax is paid in United
States currency. This is generally done by
the poorer classes, who d o not handle State
who are not instructed in speculating in it,
even 10 the amount OF their own taxes. 1t is
not the body OF taxpayers who are benefited
by our deprecated paper, but, with the State,
are equally sufferers.
1t is my opinion that the retirement of out
standing paper, and a return to a cash basis,
with appropriate legislation, will overcome
the balance Of one hundred and eighty thou
sand dollars now against us. But there are
opportunities for curtailment in every branch
of the government. / will cite, for ilIustra-
tlon, several matters worthy of consideration.
1t is estimated that fifty thousand dollars or
more may be saved in the cost of the Judi
ciary, without impairing its efficiency by a
modification of the law relative to the COM
peRsation of jurors.
Again, there is a standing appropriation of
fifty thousand dollars each for our two uni
versities. One, however is much larger and
more expensive than the other. Would il not
be just, as well as economical, to make pro-
the smaller?
Again, might not the cost of supervision of !
our Schools county superintendents, be re- |
duced without injury TO the scho Dis?
again, In the re port OF the auditor Of public \
The average cost of the legislature per
day, 800 90
The average pay OF members per ses-
sion, Of sixty days. is ....-...-...... 1900 90 |
The average pay of members per day,
is ..... LOO 90 I
Thus a session Of sixty days will cost the
state over one hundred thousand dollars
aside from public printing and other inciden-
tai expenses which accumulate so rapidly.
AS but little general and less special, iegis-
ation Is needed, the session cannot be too
brief
also recommend that members Of the leg
stature be com pensated for their services by
} salary, rather than by the day as is now the
aw.
L also recommend that provisions be made
or the equalization OF assessments through
)ut the state, for now the same classes of
property are returned at widely different valu-
itions, even for contiguous counties, where
here is actually no difference in their
1alues. 1t IS but just and fair that
he state should protect those who make
rue returns, and save them from paying |
he taxes OF others less conscientious. The
evenues Of the state will be greatly bene-
tied by 50 doing. Should IL be the will of the
egislatufe TO change the laws in this particu-
ar, il should be done with as little delay sas
,ossible, as this Is the season Of the year when
sSessments are made.
The fIsll advantages OF the changes recon-
nended Of made) may not be felt Immediate
y; but with your earnest support and co-ope-
alton, such az one and all must feel incum-
distress, / feel assured that in a single year
he expectations of the most sanguine will be
ADELBERT AMES.