Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-02-12
The COMPTROLLER Report.

We have received copy of the annual re-
port Of the Comptroller for which we return
thanks. 1t shows favorable condition of the
finances of the State, which is mainly due to the
very careful management displayed by the Off
GERS Of the State Treasury The total receipts 70,
the fiscal year ofls7+ were s., 357 COZ -, which
is larger by Sl49 2j6 % than the receipts of the
previous year. The amount received the pas,
year from ordinary sources also exceeds the
amounts recei we'd from that source for any wear
since the B ZIP, X. r. Co. ceased to pay the capt.
taton tax of one-hfth of its gross receipts from
passengers on the " ashiugton Branch.
The total Disbursements for the past year
we-e s. era o5sss5 In this amount, are in
Guided SIl0 sJ1 30 invested for the Maryland
Agricultural College. Sl35. o0O for the Deaf
and Dumb Asylum at Frederick Sill 900
for Railroads in Southern Maryland, and the
amoun, paid out for the ordinary expenses Of
the State, 81, 930,OT4.3O.
o: the whole $500, 900 authorized to be in
vested in internal improvements in Southern
Maryland, the D. 4 p K K. Co has received
Sl75 Oo0, the whole amount Of our share OF
that fund. The Baltimore and Drum Point
r. X. Go. has reserved on the reccommenda-
ton of Calvert county thus far, ouly STA 52e,
whilst the Southern Maryland r. K. Co. has
received SiG3, 900, the whole of the fund sllot-
ted 10 St. Mary's county, AMI which we fear
has gone where the woodbine twinc;h."
The State debt is Sll 0e5 ol9.49, against
which the State has available assets Of 81 +69,
7s3 %, leaving the sum of 81, 625, 236. % on
which interest has 10 he provided by the Treasu-
~. There are arreaTagcs from Collectors and
other officers, also from incorporated instiiu-
tons, some of which will be collected aud of
course applied to the extinguishment of the
Public Debt. Tits gratifying to learn that the
assessahlc hs>is has been increased over that of
1873 by the sum of SIS, 362, loo. 90
The report shows that The tobacco inspcc-
tons have not been a source OF profit TO the
State for the past year. The receipts were
Sl32, 43O. H. and the disbursements on that &C
count, including salaries, amounted TO $685.
1901, showing deficiency of 81, 100. II
The Comptroller says that owing TO circum-
stances he has as yet been unable to prepare
the report ordered by the last Legislature,
showing the exact condition of the Tobacco
Fund" but hopes to do 50 before long, when
he will present il as supplement. We have
no idea what condition this fund may he in, or
whether il has been source of profit or loss TO
the State, and will have to wait until we can
see the report before ascertain this fact
But from the deficiency thus shown, we cannot
say that we see anything which inclineS us fla
vorably to the proposition that the State should
insure all tobacco in the warehouses for sale,
for the benefit of the planters.
We were much pleased in looking over this
report to notice that the Collectors of this coun-
ty have the clearest record of any county in
the State for prompt payments into the Treasu-
~, and there is next to nothing on the books of
the Comptroller against our citizens. From
lS43 to 1873, inclusive, there is only the sum
of 5000 IA charged against the county during
this period of thirty years, as not having been
paid. There is only one other county who has
done better than Charles. Howard county has
only S2l2.3l, being Ss6.s3 less than ours,
whilst all of the other counties go up into the
thousands, aggregating an amount due the
State of 1923, 45l So Our present Collectors
have shown themselves not unmindful of the
good character of Charles county which has
thus been handed down to them. The report
shows that for thu past year there is Tess due
from them than from any Collectors in the
State. So we have right to say with pride
that Charles county presents the eli. nest re-
cord of any county in the State.
The Comptroller with commendable warmth
speaks of the justice of compelling the wealthy
corporations of the State, which have received
its fostering care, to pay taxes on their proper
~. And says, if the present policy Of exempt !