Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-06-03
Our whitewashed Legislature.

|
Our Whitewashed Legislature.
We propose to-day TO give more in
detail, and with more p'rticularity OF
specification, PLAN statement of some
of the demagogical suoterfuges of the
late Democratic Legislature, in its
treatment of the State finances, set
forth more generally in our article OF
Saturday. AS the great Democratic
leaders have resolved to adopt and de-
fend the doings of the Legislature it
becomes important to examine the rec
ord and see just what it is that they
propose to indorse. They claim, first,
that the session of 1874 reduced the tax
levy four-tenths of a mill, making a
saving to the people in taxes of S474,
600; second, that the session of 1875
again reduced the levy one-tenth of a
mill, further saving of s15S, 900; third,
that the appropriations made by the
Sixtyfirst General Asylum for revenue
and asylum purposes were s523, ,Ss2.41
less than was made by the Sixtieth
General Assembly.
Now, suppose all these alleged claims
upon the thanks of the people are con-
ceded: what are the underlying facts?
On January IA, 1873, the State levy
was increased siX-tenths of mill, to
meet the imperative demands for the
completion of the Athens-Lunatic Asy-
lum and the Blind Asylum, which
were in progress of construction, and to
rebuild the Central and Northern Lun-
attic Asylums, which had been destroy
ed by fire. This increase was to be
levied upon the duplicates of 1873 and
1874, but was not available until 1874
and 1875, and in view of this fact, pro-
vision WAS made in the general appro-
priation act, passed May 5, 1873, for the
temporary transfer of uneXpended bal
ances from other funds to the Asylum
Fund, said transfers sin no case to ex-
tend beyond the time when the benev-
olent end reformatory Institutions now
in process of construction, or authoriz-
ed to be constructed, shall be comriet.
ed" Transfers were therefore made
as occasion required, from the Sinking
transfers were made in strict accord
technical objections in the Constitution,
no blame has attached to any officer
acting under the law in making the
transfers; and it is well known, that
had it not been for the transfers, the
progress of the buildings would not
only have been delayed, with great
consequent loss, but the funds would
have lain idle in the State Treasury, to
await the maturity of the debt falling
due in December, 1875. The transfers
effected saving of upwards of $50, 900
in interest alone. These are some of
the facts. =.
The whole tendency and spirit of the
Democracy has been toward anything
but retrenchment, and yet some show
of economy must be made, and so the
plan was conceived of reducing the levy
for State purposes. Such plan only
could be popular, and that was the
cheat that was sought-not practical
economy or an honest maintenance of
necessary levies. The proceeding was
in striking contrast with the action of
the State Auditor, who courageously
and with business honesty recommen-
ded an increase of levy in 1873, and
notwithstanding its unpopularity and
the vehement opposition of the COM
mittee on Finance, he stoutly main
tanned its necessity, and demonstrated
by incontrovertible facts and figures
that the amount must be raised in some
way, and that the increase of sixtenths
of mill in the levy was at once the
honest and business-like mode of ac-
|complishing the object. But the levy
was reduced threetenths of mill in
1874, Notwithstanding the efforts of the
Auditor to preserve it, and the propo.
sition was so popular (or such was the
want of courage of the members) that
but eight votes were cast against the
reduction. Yet, the consequences of
the reduction are that it will be i'm
possible for the Asylum Fund to re-
turn the $3.50, 900 it owes to the Sinking
Fund in time, ever, to meet the de-
mands upon that fund next December,
and the result will be that the Sinking
Fund must rely upon its own levies;
the debt falling due in December, 1875,
can only be paid in part, and the re-
mainder be deferred until the taxes of
1876 are collected. What is this but a
violation of the faith of the State?
While the credit of the State may not
be materially impaired in the minds of
those who know its promptness hither-
to in paying its bonds at maturity, it
will be d lasting stain upon its honor
that for mere partisan ends, the affec-
tation of retrenchment and economy,
for political effect, Democratic Legis-
lature reduced the tax levy to such an
extent as to leave it in doubt when the
maturing debt of the State can be paid
with a certainty that a portion of it
must be postponed until the year after
it is due.
The following clear and exact state
msnt made by Auditor Williams in his
last annual report (page 29) has not
been and cannot be successfully contro-
ted:
The state debt due and falling
due Jan. 1, 1876, including S20,-
700 not bearing interest, a.
mounts 10 .............-......... 81 ,5l5, 565 w
The estimated interest for same
period to ....... s 716,026 90
The estimated inter
est on the irreduci
BILE debt to .......... 4S0, 900 90
--- 1,196,O26 OOI
Il
Total to Jan. 1, 1876 .......... So, III, sol O0I
To meet this are the following items
Balance in Treasury Nov. Is,
1874 ............... s 450, $50 80
collections
on dup. of 1874, 1,262, 170 0S
collectns
from miscellaneous
eOlrcps d0 000 M
- 1,752, 799 97
Estimated deficiency in the a.
mount required to pay the loan
at matuturity ................... s 95s,s51 O3
Although the stocks of Ohio are
imong the best securities in the mar
ret, the credit of the State Is best pre-
erved by promptly meeting her obli-
,ations, and it is not pleasure to con-
emplate forced extension of our