Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-03
EX-GOVERNOR HARRIS.
His Connection With that Shell
by County Petition.
A Frank AvOwal of His Views on
State Finances-The Lowest
Possible Rate of Taxation,
but no Reputation,
To the Union and American.

To the Union and American.
Maxwell HOUSE, NASHVILLE, Tenn,
March 2, lSI5.-Ay attention mas lust
been called TO the following paragraph in
your paper Of Sunday The 18th Ult.:
"EX-GSv. Ishain G. Harris is among the
slgners ef a petition from the citizens OF
Memphis, praying that the rate of taxation
shall not exceed thirty cents onthe hundred
dollars. OF the State bends outstanding,
S7,S74, ,000--er Ovef One-third of the total
amomt--Were issued during his admins
tratiOn. This shows the fitness Of things
In answer to which, allow me to say that
l have signed no petition &c the Legislature
fixing a rate Of taxation.
The Peoples Protective Union, an Or
ganiZatiOn composed Cf many OF
the best and most substantial citi-
zens Of Memphis, but to which l do not
belong, some months since, appointed a
committee composed of A. Wright, B. NJ.
Estes, Geo. Gautt, l. 3. HOrrigOn, w. l.,
Scott, Minor Merriwether and myself, and
submitted to said committee, II questions
for investigation and report.
These questions, were intended to develop
a policy which would equalize assessments
and taxation, and diminish so far as posi-
bic, the expenses Of government, but none
Of them required Of the committee the ex-
preston of opinion as to The rate OF tara
ton neces sary to meet the absolute neces-
sities Of the government. Hence, the CON-
mittee did not discuss the question or ar
rive al any conclusion upon it.
The committee did discuss aud arrive at
a conclusion with regard to each specific
question submitted.
The Chairman drafted the report, which
states correctly the conclusions arrived at
by the committee upon the questions sub
mitted TO it, but be discusses some other
questions which had not been considered by
the committee, upon which il states con
clusions, some Of which did not and can
not approve. The report was submitted to
me, and advised the Chairman to call the
committee together and submit the re-
port in order that it might be so shaped as
to reflect the views of the committee upon
all questions therein discussed. 1t was not,
however, submitted, because Of other i'm
pOrtant engagements of the Chairman; but
was delivered to the Peoples Protective
Union and published with the names OF
each member Of the committee attached.
One Of the questions discussed in the re-
pO-t, not considered by the committee, was
the rate Of tQrGtiOH, and another was the
qualifications of voters,
The rate Of taxation can only be deter
mined by asceraining with certainty the
amount Of revenue necessary TO be
raised, and the amount Of taxa
ble property upon which it is TO be
raised; not having the data before me,
was not prepared to say that a tax Of 30
cents on the hundred dollars worth of
property would, or would not be sufficient,
but shall be gratified to fnd that it will, il
such be the case, as l favor the lowest rate
of taxation that will support the govern
ment economically administered, and pay
all Just demands against the Treasury.
No question touching the qualification
of voters was submitted, no such questions
discussed in committee, and the conclusion
stated in the report upon that question
would not, in my opinion, have met the
| approval Of a majority Of the committee; il
certainly would not have been approved by
me.
While it is true that over ST,000,OO0 OF
the bonded debt Of the State was issued by
me, 1 beg to assure YOU, in order to fully
''SbOtg the fitness Of things that not a sin.
gle bond was ever issued by me except in
strict conformity to law, and in obedience
to an express statute.
Respectfully, IsHAM g. HARRIS.