Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-16

pass fund. ................ e5, 9a7 oS
St. Croix and Lake Superior R. R de-
nal fund ..........a... 5, 514 80
North Wisconsin R. r, aid fund.-. 1,14s sc
a aIotmen5 fnnd 'on.insen. 965 81
Total sa7s, a64 81
GENERAL FUND.
The receipts into the general fund
during the fiscal year We're. 81. l99, 954 80
Balance from previous year. :. 10, $50 ga
Total 81, 210, Ola so
OF this sum, there was derived from:
Direct state taxi ............ 1916, 500 is
Railroad companies. .-.......... $50, 10 20
Fire and life insurance companies IL, l13 40
And from miscellaneous sources 30, 10 80
The total disbursements from this
fund have been. -. g., so4. 900 40
Of this sum there was paid for sal la
aries and permanent appropria-
tons, including interest on the
public debt. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 254, 5lo 30
Legislative expenses .............. 80, $40 Oh
Benevolent and penal institutions. 522, O3I "a
And for miscellaneous purpoSeS..... o31, 13o q
TRUST FUNDS.
The condition of the several trust funds at the
close of the fiscal year, was as follows:
On hand.
School fund at interest So $50, SOL or $74, 1876 p
University fund at intst. 223, 240 81 l, 567 81
Agriculture College fund
at interest. 240, t9l ~ l9to ~
interest. --.--.. 800, DOL 81 40, 700 OF
Total Educational fund
at nterest.-........S 81, 0i6, 074 63 S122, 795 50
The decrease during the year in the amount at
interest is s4SS573, and the increase in the
amount on hand IS s22.6122S: net increase Of
S11,156 So.
STATE DEBT
The state Indebtedness remains as at the close
ofthe predicting fiscal year, and IS represented
by:
Bonds outstanding S14 600 90
Currency certificates. ..... 81 90
Certificates of Indebtedness to trust
funds. 22oo,Uoo w
sa,s5a,o57 90
In addition to this, the Eecretary of State re
ports the total Indebtedness of the counties,
cities, towns, villages and school districts i'll the
state as amounting to 50 65S, GA, which added
the state debt proper makes the total public in
debtedness Of the people of Wisconsin, Sll.91O,-
SOP Oh: being somewhat less than three and one
half per cent. of the total assessed valuation.
ASSESSED VALUATION
The value of all property in the state subject to
taxation as returned by the assessors is:
Personal property. 1852 Sl
City and village lots. 9l,5I2s92
Land. ......................... 1872. $50 SSl
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. - S3o1,Ioo,35 4
This is, unquestonably, not to exceed one-half
OF the actual market value of the same property,
Notwithstanding the strict provisions of law re-
9uirng to attest the correctness of their
reports by oath. This serious and willful disre-
gard of law is very properly criticised by the su-
preme court in the late case of Schettler against
The City of Fort Howard, and the disastrous con
sequences likely to result therefrom very clearly
indicated.
There is too, another aspect of this matter and
still more humiliating, because indicative of the
fact that the public conscience seems to tolerate
want of due regard to the sanctity OF an oath
Indeed observation leads me to the conclusion
that the prevailing tendency in legislation requlr-
ing many returns and reports of various kinds
under oath, and the manner in which oaths are
too frequently administered have done very
much to beget contempt for their Solemnity,
and to degrade act which is in theory. and
should be in fact. one of the most Impressive
ceremonies in which man can engage. | COM
mend this matter to your careful consideration,
and suggest that it would not be improper for you
to provide for the diScontnuance of Oaths in
many cases, substituting therefor returns and re-
ports upon honor or otherwise that you make
it obligatory upon all officers administering oathS
to observe that due form, without which the
ceremony degenerates into farce
PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION. rev
In connection with the general subject Of as
sessments, L call your attention to the values OF
the different kinds Of property exempt from tax
alton, reported for the year 1876. as follows:
United states property. 1851 535 on
State property. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1S9, 515 %
County property. !, 1872 $50 %
Town, city and village property. $50, $40 90
Cemetery property. 258. 469 90
Common school property. /, 49, OF 90
Railroad property. ,4oa, 6z7 %
Church property. 4,5l6, 1853 10
College and academy property 80, 23o w
All other property f652, 500 90
Making. $1e, 54, 1856 co
Deducting from this amount the value OF rail-
road, telegraph. and insurance property, which,
in the form of licenses, pays what is regarded
fair proportion of taxes and also the several items
OF public property, and there remains less thaa
S600o,0O0 exempt from taxation.
TAxEs.
The total tax levied in the state for the year
1876. SIS, e97, 435O0 amounting to S222 on each
one hundred dollars of assessed valuation. The
purposes for which these taxes were levied, the
respective amounts and rates are as follows:
State tax s7sS,942 90 rate. .2l62
County tax.......... 1.436.649 90 do. 1899
Town tax -..-.-.-., 3,22O.417 90 do. $50.
School tax $500. 1,6176e9 90 do ABA
Road tax. ........ ,033, 538 90 do. 1888
1t thus appears that the direct state tax is less
than onetenth OF the total tax. The entire state
a @ hea no tor tine e e rs pn
amounts. before stated to 81 1879 954 SO, and is
only about one-seventh of the total tax paid by
the people From this amount have been paid
all the expenses of the state, including interest
the state debt, official salaries. cost of CHART
able and penal institutions, legislative and mis-
celaneous expenditures; which shows that those
entrusted with the control Of state affairs have
exercised reasonable economy in the discharge of
their respective duties.
ESTIMATES FOR 1879.
The secretary of state estimates that the re-
ceipts for the calendar year, 1879. will be, from
Railway companies. ..-.....-.... $400, 0O0 90
Insurance companies, .-............--. 90, 600 90
Miscellaneous sources. -. 80, $50 !
Taxes author Zed by existing laws. 164, 6SS SO
Making in all ........-. = .......: S66l, lSo Sc
He estimates the expenditures for the same pc
Rod at 1886 1888 SO.
1t will deVolVe upon you to provide for the de-
fciency thus exhibited, amounting to 1925 1850,
and, in addition thereto, such sum as may be
necessary to provide for the publication OF the
cew Revised Statutes, should the labor of the re-
ylsers receive leg slatiye sanction; fnd sucn luf
ther sums. ii any, may be appropriated during
the present session in excess of the secretarys
estimates.
Many propositions will doubtless come before
you involving the expenditure of considerable
sums of money. These various propositions will
receive your careful consideration. The people OF