The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-05-10
STATE FINANCES UNDER DEMOCRATIC
RULE.
PoRTLASD, April %. ls7

/ have concluded to submit a few facts
taken from the official records. and
which consequently cannot be success
fully refated, in reply to the letter of
"Taxpayer" in the 0regoniap of Monday
morning ander the caption '.Extrava-
CANT Administration. The writer takes
occasion to abuse the administration of
affairs during the time Gov. Grover was
at the head of the state government,
alleging it to have been s'an ignominious
failure" and corrupt and extravagant in
a great degree; but if Taxpayer" will
take the trouble to examine all the mes
sages Of the governor he will find that
the governor warned the legislature
against the ills that would flow from
excessive appropriations, without pro-
viding a revenue with which to pay
them, and had the warning been needed,
one party would have been utterly with
out capital on which to fight the cam
paign. But the grave accusations made
against the Democracy have but little
foundation in fact, and only exist in the
fertile brains Of those who are deaply
interested in the result of the pending
campaign, as the following figures and
facts will show:
Indebtedness of the stats Sept s. 1870 as shown BY
report Of the secretary Of state for that year page
Outstanding warrants as per report Of
e;I sTsasreS. is ; = z9dSi 10 s 8
Interest computed to Sept. s. isTe. 2ss9l %
Total Indebtedness on current expenses. s5s 10
Deduct for warrants paid. S2ss7 "a
Total liabilities ss0i67i q
To pay the above liabilities (see same report
page q there was in the general fund the
IN A'Psi q R;i $ sl & asSs :sssS. sss &:
--sssssss zs
Leaving balsnce IS liabilities 4ss4s 6s
exclusive Of sl9s17 4s for payment Of bounty and
relief bonds aad other items not counted general
expenses, Se,529 es)
The money was locked up in the
treasury from 1868 to 1870, and as
consequence the interest actually paid
on the old warrants (see reports of state
treasurer, 1872 and 1879 by adding
interest paid on warrants fold issuel
mentioned in said report, was S34, ,2l2.-
05 instead of s25, ,s9l 81, above stated,
as computed by S. E. May, secretary of
state, on the warrants that were drawn
while the funds were lying idle In the
vaults of the treasury, or an excess of
interest paid more than was computed
by the secretary Of state, of SS, ,320 0S,
which must be added rs part of the
Indebtedness on current expenses of the
state incurred by the Woods ard Nav
administration, making total indebt-
edness of the state for current expenses
on September Is, 1870, when the De
moeracy took control, of S5I, ,662 a
over and above cash on hand
There were also outstanding as a debt
against the state, Sept. /, 1870 fSee
report of secretary for that year)
Bounty bonds IS 100 %
Relief bonds 6llsS 90
Totai.....,.........-...............slo0 Total. slo0,5ss 90
There were funds on hands sept. /, 1870,
applicable toward paying these bonds
Boanty oonos -si4,OIg ~
'' '' - I9.sl7,I2
leaving balance unredeenned OF ......s s0.se5 SO
To which add indebtedness on current ex-
penses left over by the Woods and May
administration Sept 5, ls7e. e.--.---..-- sl,6o2 "A
And we have as Indebtedness OF the state
1t that -s14ls ~ 80
The whole indebtedness on account
of the bounty and relief bonds has been
paid, except $27,S86 (see message of
Gov. Grover, and report of state treas
urer, 1870, and there is money in hands
of the treasurer to pay this balance, but
holders Of the bonds will not surrender
them before they are due, preferriis |.
held theIn as an invest ment. They may
be considered the same as paid.
The outstanding warrants reported
to the legislature in 1872 amounted to
$76, 1888 90, from which take the amount
Of Indebtedness left as legacy by the
Republican administration, of s5l ,662.,
"A, and we have s25, ,220 95 as the act
ual Indebtedness incurred by the the
first two years of Gov. Growers admin
istration
During these two years peAitentiary
was built, costing (see Growers message
1872, page 23,) sl59,000, represented
as follows: $4,000 as cash appropria-
tion; paid in cenvict labor, S58, 900!
in vouchers issued for iron, ETC., but no
warrants drawn during the two years,
but which were afterwards drawn and
paid in pursuance of an appropriation,
S51. 900.
Had there been no outlay for build
ing a penitentlary land the cost of it
was absolutely necessary for the safety
of prisoners, and it cannot be charged
as current expenses of the state govern.
ment,) of $4,000 cash, and had no In
debtedness of $5l, ,662 "A been left over
by the Woods's administration, there
would have been in the treasury Sept
II, 1872, the sum of Slol ,662 "A; less
outstanding warrants, S7e, ,s83 SO; or
$24,779 05.
Nearly haiI of the amount of the
outstanding warrants, SIC, 1888 SO wa,
issued for keeping the insane, the mum
Der having increased so rapidly. (See
page 25, report of secretary of state
1872, floating debt y The official re
cerds show that the penitentiary cost il
addition to the amount mentioned ir
the governors message of 1872, the
sum of S8,9l7 83, which items Of ex
penditure occurred subsequent to the
session Of 1872. Total cost of the
prison, cash, exclusive of convict labor
] First appropriation on..............s5 s5o,o 900 o.
Second appropriation NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 81 900 OF
Other expenses. S,eI7 s.
Total 9,9i7 3
The amount Of outstanding warrants reported to tn
legislature in 1876 (see governors message, 1876
was S2S9, ,665
| OF which were soon paid
/ Outstanding state house building
/ rants ,63e 75
| Outstanding escheat warTants.... 624 -