The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1876-12-23
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In Gov. Brayman's message to the Leg
islature of Idaho he has given a statement
ofns fuapeial condition of the rTerritoty,
which shows badly. he has also made
suggestions for their improvement which
'sfs Notshy Of attention" We quote as fol-
lows: ot
The financial condition of the Ter ritorv
seems to require your first and most care
full Qualification. III theOrganic act, and
by continued annual appropriations, Con-
gees hap made provision for nearly all our
..aleRttia1ate expenses. A Territorial gov
:" setnthSft Ii but a temporary arrar gem emf
for the preservation of order and the pro-
lection of life and property. Congress
may, at any time, abolish the organization,
and attach its, area to contiguous states and
territories. Its governmenth has few of the
attributes of sovereignty; no constitution;
no power of perpetuating its own existence
u.-not even of making and enforcing laws,
n further than Conrgess may permit.
nv With syeh limited powers, and 80 preca-
+.floqH al ssistence,it is not TO be Inferred
t@thAt the General Government conceded the
necessity, or intended to leave excuse for
the.eaeatiop sfeah permanent Territorial
debt. 1t was more reasonable to expect
that aftef AM honest and no mcal use Of
the annual appropriations of Congress, the
local Legislature would make up, by a
~olpaN tax, the amount needed for purely
as Territorial. service, and take care TO keep
the expenditure within the limit Of actual
income. Such considerations, however,
do not seem to have prevailed, for to-day
the Territory staggers under fast increas
ing debt, that demands at once, increased
taxationy closer ecopom inFcollections and
expenditures, Or confessed Reputation.
To enquire how or why this debt was in
-aoafred,T Of v hasi became Of the money. it
represents, would be painful and profit
less task. The results do not appear in
the improved navigation of our rivers, in
railroads.; ssins bridges Or Highways. No
ample buildings have been erected for your
aahohofable bod and your public officers,
a'with their convenient furnishings; no pub
lie library; no colleges; no prison for the
punishment and reclamation of criminals;
no esyluu,s for the in sane; the blind, the
deaf tie dumb; noshome for the orphan
and tie poor-none 81 these attest the wis
DOM, humanity and foresight of the past,
oro1er to our people'ot to-day, and of the
future years, any equivalent for the bur-
dens of this debt, which honor, rather than
= sense Of benefits received, compels them
va II appears that on the 4th day of Deem
sber,. 1853. not two years after, the organic
alioQ 81 the Territory, debt had accumu-
lated, Of $60,529 -, beyond the means Of
paymxdN niy Healing de6risncy was
permitted to increase from year to year,
,ywithnntt any apparent effort TO impose
check or limit until At this time, you en-
counter . coin debt Of ST. 1896 As, and .
currency aehtof 81, ABl .57s / The people
pay their taxes in currency. Coin debts
.1pglt be met hy purchase, 81 II, that = commod-
.snSn cent. ii Il requires Sill II of The peo-
ple3Asxes ITO buy $500 in coin. Applying
thisamsde of computation to our coin debt,
~onroutsianding Indebtedness is $l5l, 9l~02.
seio~ s% ; Il ia hfsa'o oo1
owes, beg pndsits Rasa tpayment, one
hundred I'D tltM1vS III dssnd nine hum
dred and thrty-ive dollars and twenty
seven cents.
a&Csfas;;S:~n.::.jso, &C. = :3s' "
TIE coin debt comprises-First-$ai,9 1854
80 now ten per cent. bonds under the fund.
cmber IL 1883 .1Second-Sl3, o75 twelve
per cents. issued under the funding law OF
1865 and 1867, now past due. Adding ac-
crued interest on all specie bonds, the coin
debt now past due and to be provided for,
10 49, AL 65. 'sh"o' f'4
The unfunded debt outstanding ia the
form of Comptroller's warrants, is, princi4
pal $6e,l64 Observation-Disclosures $l2, 296 81
being $z2,A0ls 6zstsFrom this, deduct as
before .$l6,s64 IS, now in the Treasury,
nd u $66, 606r "a. rrnsys ,t..a i. AS
=. Being unable TO meet. our obligation at
This TIME, 1t Is due to our creditors, as
wsll Assths people themselves, whose hon
Of 10 involved, that at this session, meas
upos h III en- WI ich~ will afords sufficient
Mn. 1r6k~1l,at - isA more 1mforfahta seill