The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-02-12

| Intl StlLipm+ MT tai Dten lllaue Dy McSSfS.
Murduck, HUMPHREYS aud Smith, what kind
aud what amount OF funds have been paid
by them. aud what disposition has been
made OF the same. and who is responsible nj
the present time. for the funds paid in; and
that such committee b. authorized To send
for persons and papers. Adopted
MIR. Cbamplin introduced the following:
b. it Resolved, That the Committee on
IN" judiciary b. instructed and required To-
inquire and report, whether there is any
law in force i'm this Stare requiring A sts-
Sors eft Taxes and Tax-Collrctnr Jo give any
bond. and it 50. its conditions. and in wha'
penalties IN the several counties of this
State.
MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR ON FINANCE.
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
Jackson, Miss, February Z, lS74)
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives:
GENTLEMEN: 1t is my daty, as well as
pleasure, 10 communicate with you in
gard ~ the financial condition of the State
and | do SO with the convict ion t ar by
your action change for the better can
speedily be effected
Tire State l. itI debt. her credit i'm paired
aud it i FOR the Legislature to do for our
iina"ces whatever i to be done.
Complete success in the management OF
finances, whether of state or an individ-
minimum, and Increasing receipts to the
maximum.
With the relief of the people by reduc-
ton OF State an'l county taxation as the
Ill 'erior obj-cr, we NOW have 10 consider "a
first st"p, the reduction of expenses aud
the increase OF receipts. so far, at least. as to
make the latter eqHat, ii nor exec q tn
former. that the States credit may be re-
stored and her debts paid.
As increased taxation is rot coutemDlat-
H.
Either u ecannmiZe and retreneh undr our
present financial system. when (whrthrl
the system be at fault or not) has brought
IL 70 our present EN- IA IRA <ss.d condition; or
to ecnnomize and retrench under new and
different system.
From The report of the present Auditor of
Public Accounts. [ learn that the total
amount of State tax due for 1873 il 81, $50,
900; the total amount Of State taxes co..
ected per avrrage is $1,020,O00; sthe e-ri-
mated Vea'ly expense ct state Government
is 81 200 600.
ny which 1t is seen that the estiInated
yearly expenses of the State Government
..xcetd the average yearly TAX by one hun
drrd ard eighty lhon-and ($lS0000) dollars
To overcome this balance against the
State / would recommend first. that all
state paper now Outstanding be withdraw
from circulation. and bonded or registered
At tair rate Of interest. Second. that IN
the future all State taxes be collected in
United States currency.
With compai ative small debt and uu-
questioned capacity to neetit. Stare paper
sold on the streets of the Capital at iron,
twenty 10 forty per cent. below par.
Retiring this paper and fixing certain pc
RODS for i1ay ment, must necessarily en-
nance it's value.
The advantage of conducting the finances
of the State on a cash haSis must he app1
rent TO all. AS all expenses are paid ~ pa
per de .,rectated To from twenty to forty per
cent, our eX prnse< are wv MY To tOrty per
CT. greater than they should be. By return
10 cash basis at least twenty five per cent.
in The cos. ct goVetnms mt can he saved.
which ould be equivalent Ia the redHc-
Il ~ of our present exp nseS of some $780,
600.
of course To derive the full benefits OF
lie change the laws should tie go modified
to authorize but seventS-fiv~ 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 do MOI
handle State paper. il is not in general
circulation, and who are not instructed In
specializing in il, even to the amount 0f
their own taxes. 1t is not the body OF tax
payers who are benefited by our depreciat-
Ell paper. but they, with the 5 ate, are
equally sufferers.
lL il my opinion that the retirement o.
on standing paper. and return to q cash
oasis. with appropriate legislation, will
against us. But there are opportuniIie-,
tor curtailment in every branch of the gov
ernment. l viii CHE, for Illustration, sew
eral matters worthy of consideration.
1t is estimated that $4,000 or more NAV
be saved in The cost of the Ju licIary, with
ont impairing its efficiency by moditica-
| lion OF the law relative To the compensation
of jurors.
Again, there is a standing appropriation
of $50 600 each for. our two Universities.
n 10
! pensive than the other. Would iU not be
| Just, as well a. economical, 10 make proper
tioI ate reduction in the appropriations for
| the smaller?
/ of our schools by County Superintendents.
be reduced without injury To the schools?
| Again. in the report of the Auditor oil
Puzzle Accounts, Is the following:
The average cost of the Lsgisla-
tnre per day, is ...... Q 1900 90
4 The average pay of members per
| session, OF sixty days, is -. 1900 90
| Or the average day of members
per day, Is over -,-.....--. 1.2OO VI
! Thus a session Of sixty days will cost the
State over 500. 600, aside from public print
ing and other Incidental expenses which
accumulate so rapidly.
i As but little general, and less special. leg
islation L. needed, tae session cannot be toe
brief.
| / also recommend that members Of the
/ Legie AZURE he com pensated for their servi-
ces by a salary, rather than by the day, as Il
now the law.
! also recommend that provisions b
made tor the equalization of assessment
throughout the Stare, for now the sAm'
glasses OF property are returned at widely
different valuations. evea from contiguous
counties, where there IL actually no differ
ence la their values Il 10 but tu~t and fai
chat the state should protect those VIII
n AXE true returns aud save them from paw
. Ing taxes OF others less con<eioue. tn
revenues Of the State will be greatly beneflE
lied BIZ so doing. Should it be the win 3
the Legislature 70 esiange the laws In chi
particular, tt should BE done with - liftl
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