The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-01-18

IL
unexpended balances.
The aggregate financial transactions
of the State for the year were as fol-
lows: Receipts from all sources, Gn-
Guiding 1928, 745.01 balance in the
treasury December l, 1879 $l,345,-
533.2S; disbursements on account of
appropriations and investment of
sinking and school funds, 81 ,099, 1924;
balance in treasury December /. 1876,
S246,117-34.
Total valuation of taxable property
for the year, as fixed by the Board of
Equalization, 1888. 1872 1888; an in
crease of $l9, 595. 1888 in one year.
FISCAL YEAR.
Your attention is asked to the neces-
sity of a change of tie State fiscal
year. Under existing laws. the year
begins on the first day of December
and ends on the thirtieth day of No
vember following. The Legislature
convenes on the second Tuesday in
January, and is charged with the duty
of providing for current year, nearly
one-fourth of which will have passed
before such legislation Will be per-
iected.
PAYMENT OF SALARIES.
a law providing for the payment of
all salaries of State officers and en-
ployees monthly, on the first day Of
each month for the preceding month,
would secure uniformity in accounts,
prevent adcance payments, and by its
regularity and frequency make sala-
ries of more value to those who de-
pend upon them for subsistence.
UNPAID TAXES.
1t appears by the State Auditors
report that theae remains due from
the several counties on account OF un-
paid taxes from 1861 to and including
the year 1865, an aggregate sum OF
1887 1902 50. see no reason for the
Siath being required to assume the
errors of assessment and the delay or
failure in collection in the several
counties. 1t multiplies accounts aud
renders the State revenues unreliable.
The Board OF Equalization should be
| authorized TO apportion to each
county the sum required as lis quota
of the State tax and leave the county
to carry its own delinquent list. This
would not only enable the State to
| depend with certainty upon its re-
sources, but it would relieve the as
SCISSORS from the temptation to cut
| down valuations in order to reduce
| the county's share of State taxation
| Let your revenue law provide for
the raising eff given and fixed
| amount for the several distinct pur-
poses required, and then direct the
Board of Equalization TO apportiou
the same TO the several counties. re-
quiring each to pay into the treasury
TO the credit of the several funds the
amounts required for each.
LOCAL DEBT AND TAXATION.
Enough, II seems to me, is already
known TO show that we are suffering
fran too much, not too little govern
ment. Our system of local and mu-
nicipal government is both cumbrous
and expensive. 1t provides for too
many officers, and invests them with
a power to Incur liabilities and levy
taxes, altogether inconsistent with
economy and safety. In public build
ings and public charities we begin
| where older and Weather States
leave off.
In this respect, counties, towns and
school districts are too much like
boys wearing mems clothing, bought
on credit. To cut the clothes down
TO fit and pay for them, is the prob
lem of the hour
think it your first duty to see if ii
is possible to simplify and cheaper
local governmental machinery; to
abolish city government over rural
communities mayors, coun-
cilmen and policemen TO the field of
productive industry. How far this
rcfowm can be effected under the re-
strictions of your constitution, am
unable TO say. But if the constitution
is found in the way, then provide at
once for convention to frame a new
one. No people can live and prosper
under a taxation of three to five per
cent. of the value of their property,
aud no power should be created, or
allowed to exist, for the creation of
such liabilities.
If the affairs of the State had been
conducted in the same disregard of
ultimate results that has character
lied county, township and municipal
administrations, the State would, to-
day, have been without hope; and |
venture to saw that if the law had as
wisely fixed limit tor them as the
constitution has for the State the
financial health and vigor of the DO dy
might have been preserved in all its
members.
The people look confidently to you
for such wise and prudent legislation
as shall best serve the accomplishment
Of this end That more is expected of
you than is reasonable or possible for
you 10 perform there can be no doubt
You cannot satisfy mortgages, cancel
notes, nor relieve your constituents
from the load of obligations, public or
srivate, voluntarily taken upon them
selves. These are problems of labor,
not of legislation, and must be worked
out by the sweat of the brow. You
may, however, do much to protect the
future from repetition of present
cmbarrassments.
PENITENTIARY.
Your attention is called to serious
defect in the financial affairs of this
institution. refer TO the practice of
allowing the Warden to receive and
disburse the earnings of the prison.
You will learn by the Warden's re-
port that he received from earnings
of prisoners. boarding of United States
prisoners, aud from other sources. an
aggregate sum of $40, 531.2S, and dis
bursed the same without its passing |
the accounting departments of the |
State. These receipts, as also all 9TH
ers of kindred nature, in whatever |
relation they may be found, are a part |
of the recognized resources of the |
State, and as such should be covered
into the treasury through the Audit
Or's office i'm the same manner as |
moneys received from taxes or other
sources.
HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
Humanity and the public good unite
in demanding place of confinement,
other than the penitentiary, for youth
full criminals. So revolving is it to
the Judgment and conscience of men
to consign erring youth. for its first
proven crime, to the society and in
efiaceable disgrace of penitentiary,
that judges and jurors cannot be
found to convict when the can evade it.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The school population of the State,
rs shown by the report of your State
of Puplic Instruction,
IS 2l2,S77, of whic 147, pa are found
On our school rolls and 1896 in aver
age attendance. The disparity be-
tween the number enrolled and the
lumber in attendance is readily ac-
counted for by reasons other than neg
ect of parents or want of interest
With the young. The enrolment en-