The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-01-17
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Governor Smiths First Annual
Review Of the Affairs OF
the Commonwealth.
An Interesting Document, Replete with
Valuable Statistics.
y.,,o, e;,,,e,s oftbe ssnate and Assembly:

to be profoundly RraLcIul ~ la
dence without whore favor neither nations, states
nor individuals prosper. II neither caplta4
nor labor have received such ample re wards as IN
some preceding years. yet the representatives Vi
both in Wisconsin ha re been spared the Expenses,
the losses and the bloudshed which in 81 many
places characterized ana accompanied the discus
sion and settlement OF the questions al issue De
tween them. There have been no disastrous fail
uTes among banks, insurance companies or
manufacturing establishments, which a1orGs
CRAFTY irg evidence OF the honesty and prudence
OF Of our people; and as result thereof the psl
vate business interests Of the state are upon
safe foundation.
PUBLIC FINANCES.
The reports of the secretary of state and state
treasurer, filled with valuable information con-
corning public affairs, and showing the condition
of public finances will be laid before you lmmedi-
ately and l refer you to them for the details III
regard to the several funds.
The receipts into the state treasury
during the fiscal year ending Sep
TENDER 80, 1871, from all sources,
Balance September 30 1876 ...-...... 3ls,s66 81
Total. sl,lo5, .9l 70
The disbursements during the same
period, for all purposes, were...... sl,S21,22I 80
Balance September 81, 1871 .....- 2Is.2t4 "a
The amount hand September 30, 1877, is
credited to the several funds as follows:
School fund ..................... 49,. 74,1s5 %
School fund income. 1880 81
Normal school fund ................ 1906 81
Normal school fund income. ............ 9452 As
Drainage fund. ...........-.. .......... 4,S2S Is
Universe fund OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 567 81
Agricultural college fund ......-.-...... 9I5 20
DeliL quent ts K fund. :. ............. 1877 9
Deposit fund 49,. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1895 60
pass fund -. 95.s27 os
post fund ......................... 1864 80
fund ............."' .....l-.e -. 1874 80
North Wisconsin B. R. aid fund.-. l,1,s SO
Commissi Jners' contingent fund ....... l73 IS
AIotme mt fund ............... 9j5 81
Total ........................ ...... s27s 264 "a
GENERAL FUND.
The receipts into the general fund dur
ing the fiscal year were...........sl,l9g .954 Sc
Balance from previous year ..........- 1888 "a
Total ...............--......... .Si,Z.O,Sl4 81
OF this sum, there was derived from:
Direct state tax Observation-Disclosures 735. 500 IS
Railroad companies. ...-.... $780, 26 %
Fire and life insurance companies. Alb 50
And from mi cellaneous Sources. So ais 81
The totsl disbursements from this fund
have besn.:.- .....................si,aO 4 30 40
OF this sum there was paid for salaries
and permanent appropriations in
Guiding interest public debt ... 25l 54s Al
Legislative expenses. .......-.......... 9p,579 u
Beneyo. ent and penal Institutions. 522037 IT
And for miscellaneous purposes. -. S37 73j II
TRUsT FUNDS.
The condition Of the several trust funds at the
close OF the fiscal year, was as follows:
At interest. On hand
School fund. .S2,t96,3Gl o. s74,l95 y
an1TeFiIy mn 3S 81 I67 g
Normal school fund.-. 9o5,6Sl "a 1896 "a
Total educational fund. Si,C45.074 G3 St21,79j IS
The decrease during the year in the amount at
Interest Is 10, and the increase in the amount
on hand Is S996l2.25: net increase of Sl77 6 IS.
STATE DEBT
The state ind, btedness remains as at the close of
the preceding fiscal year, and is represented by:
Bonus outstandlng...-...,.... ..-..S II 0f
Certificates Of Indebtedness to trust fun g 2S8 OOJ
s2,252,O6
In addition to this the secretary CT state renorts
the total indebtedness of the counties cities towns
villages and school districts in he state as amount
ing to s965S, CA, which add to the state ,bt
proper makes the total pubic indebt sdness of the
people of Wisconsin, sll,9l0 6O2.C4, being soma
what less than three and oEe-half per cent of the
total assessed valuation.
ASSESSED VALUATION
The value of all property in the state subject TO
taxation as returned 10y the assessors lie:
Personal property. .................S II, 36l 4al
CITY and village lots ............... 1854 e92
49,, 1896 eSl
This is. unquestionably, not to exceed one hal
Of the actual mari ct value of the same property,
notwithstanding the strict provisions of law re-
quiring assessor TO attest the correctness of their
reports by oath This serioas and wilful disregard
of law very properly criticised by the sur RENE
Court in the late of Schettler against The ty
of Fort Howard, and the disa 'trous con euces
hhey to result theref-om very clearly indicated
There is, too, another aspect of this matter and
stun more humil aiing, because indicative of the
fact that the public conscience seems to tolerate a
want of due regard for the sanctity of an oath.
Indeed, observation leads me to the conclusion
that the prevailing niency in legislation reaur-
ing so many returns and reports of various kinds
under oath, and the manner in which eaths al e too
drnrr \
beget contempt for their solemnitv, and to de-
grade an act which is i'll theory and should be in
fact one OF the most impressive ceremonies III
whloe man can engage. | commend this matter to
your careful consideration, and suggest that it
would rot be improper for you to provide for The
dscontlnnance OF oaths in many cases, substituting
therefor returns and reports "upsu honor; or
otherwise that you make it obligatory upon all
officers administering caths to observe that due
form without which the ceremony degenerates in
TO farce.
Property ExENPT FROM TAXATION.
In connection with the general subject of assess.
mtnts, call your attention to the values of the
different kinds Of property exempt from taxation,
reported for the year 1876, as follows:
United States property 657,53l
County property ....... .............. Ils2 Cos
Town, city and village property......... $3.50
Icnete Y property NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 25S, 46g
Common sch Dol property. l,sS3,Ul7
nairoaa property 7,4sI,6 q
Church property. ......-. s.. ........ 45lESEg
=
All o'n'r property ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, SIS, 23e
MiKlng-... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SIS, 52i, l9f
Deducting from this amount the value OF rail.
road, telegraph, and ins uranCe prop rty which, in
the form Of licenses, pays what is regarded a lair
proportion OF the taxes, and also the several items
OF public property, and there remains less than
s6,eohuO0 exempt from taxation.
The total tax levied in The state for the year
1916, WAS - O91,iSl %, amounting to S9.22 on
each enc hundred dollars of assessed valuation
The purposes TO- which these taxes were levied
the respective amounts and rates are as follows:
Tax Rate
otaV. S4SS,943 .2i62
County ...... =. . ...... ..... 4S6 $40 8qSq
Town ...... ...... .......... , 900 AZ sSg,
School ........-.... .....- az $50 fi2i
Road ...... 49,. ....... .. OSS AS aSS,
IL thus appears that the direct state tax is l. S
than one-tsnth of the t)tal tax The entire 5 ate
tax direct aud indirect, for the year 1914 is rep
resented by the receipts into the general fund.
and amounts, as before stated, to sl.l9}.95+ Sc,
and Is only about one-Seventh Of the total tax
paid by the people. From this amount has
been paid all the expenses of the state in
GLIDING interest the state debt official salaries
cost of charitable and penal institutions lesiSla-
tive and miScellaut Gus expenditures: which
shows that those entrusted with the control of
state affairs have exercised reasonable economy
IN the discharge ofihelr respective duties.
LsTINArlS FOR 1873
The Secretary Ct State estimates that the receipts
for the CO endar ar, 1872, will te, from
nav nav sy eohPahi' SiUl,cto 20
insurance companies. Observation-Disclosures, 6n.uUo 90
Miscellaneous sources H.. .-.. 10 SEQ n,
Taxes authorized by existing laws...... l646SS &c
Making in all. .t6s1. 1ss Sc
He estimates ths expenditures for the same per
iot at 1855. eSS IS.
1t will devoive upon You to provide for the
atncehcy thus exhibited, amounting to s25, 49, co.
sno IN addition thereto such sum may be neces-
s9ry 10 provide for the publication OF the neY re-
Nseu statutes, should the labor Of the reysers re-
ceIre legislative sanction: ard such further sums
u any, as may be appropriated during the present
session 10 excess of the Sc, retary's estimates
any propositions will doubtless come before
Yea involving the expenditure of considerable
sums OF money. Ibese various prop ,sitions will
receive your careful cone liberation. The peorleof
the state OF Wisconsin Wi chesrfGuy pay all taxes
necessary Tor the succSaSfut prosecution of the
puehc business, the protection of life and prop
eIty, and the proper care OF its unfortunate aud
dependent classes; but they demand from you and
from me that there shall be retrenchment IL all
lines of pubic expenditure where retrenchrnt mt is
Practical e, and wise economy IN all public q
bGrsementS. They realize that there is p2rsi,