The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-01-29
A Rlenrhotjs DEorsIoN.

D3 RlGHTEOpS DECISION. 400
& We are pleased to see that our
able cotemporory the Oregon City
Enterprise perfectly agrees with the
DEMOCRAT in regard to the decision
of the Supreme Court in the case Of
Simon rs the State Treasurer, to
which We alluded last week. The
Enterprise submits the following per-
tinent and unanswerable remarks
upon that important question: IA
In our opinion this is but d iGst
and proper conclusion to arrive at
In the general appropriation act
passed by the Legislature, there was
appropriated but a little more than
the indebtedness Of the State at the
commencement Of the present fiscal
year, and to interpret the act that it
applies to the deficit warrants would
simply defeat the objects of appro-'
priation for the following two years
from the second Monday of last Sep
tember, While it will be unjust to
some who hold State warrants issued
prior to the second Monday Of Sep
tember, there can be no doubt OF the
soundness Of such a decision in point
of law. The Legislature which was
sworn to provide for the payment Of
deficits which existed at the time Of
their meeting, is responsible for this
neglect, Their plain duty was to
provide means for the payment Of the
State Indebtedness and also raise
funds for the estimated expenses for
the ensuing two years. This they
neglected to do, and with them rest
the responsibility. The present rev.
enue Of the State will not be much
more than enough to pay the current
expenses, and hence the old debt
will have to take its chances before
the next Legislature.
The cry that this debt was created
by the Democratic administration is
false. The State administration has
no power to create indebtedness or
issue warrants not previously hu-
| thorized by act of the Legislature,
The Legislature Of 1872 was Radical,
and that body brought into existence
the present Indebtedness, and it was
their plain duty when they approl
prated so muce more than the reve-
nue. Of the State for the two years
/ following September 1872, to make
provisions at that time to meet their
extravagant appropriations, But
that body fearing that the people
would find cut their extravaganza
had they increased the State tax, and
hence they failed to raise the money,
and now we have the outstanding
warrants created by them unpaid
aud the last Legislature, desiring to
keep up an appearance of economy,
appropriated barely sufficient to meet
the actual expenses Of the State for
the two years from September last.
That this debt should be paid, nc
good citizen will deny, but that both
State ard warrant-holdef are injnfed
by the negligence OF the Legislature
is beyond question, 1f' @
The decision of the Court will have
some very beneficial effects on oul
| State finances. The warrants Which
will hereafter be issued, will be paid
on presentation, and the State can
now 20 into the market as cash
customer. Heretofore the State has
been compelled to pay the discount
ON its paper, and consequently paid
from 10 to Is per cent, higher foi
| her necessities than private individ'
uals. This is as contemplated by
our Stata Constitution. The trainers
of that instrument never had in view
the creation of any debt that could
not be paid ON presentation, and sc
far as the present fiscal two years arc
concerned, we shall be on a Consti.
tutional basis, and all warrants issued
will be paid on presentation.
This will result to tie beheft oi
our otate. y makes Dn1 iittie amer
encel WIN me exception Oh tne war
rant speculatefs) whether the 9tate
pays interest on ola orneW warrants
nag tne uecislon gone nSallsI tnt
state treasurer the otlLe warrants
would nave peen ~ least ~ Per cent
discount, ana the '9ta'e #9ula nayt
had TO pay this sum- as tnose wne
furnished IonythlnG 70 me otate
would nave adued tnls discouhr tl
! ~ l. ..1 ~ a..L : 4.
VIII hlFo W 10 PeiN ~ "Hii - !,