Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-10-10
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al i,..,t-la,,,..l l.ei.t 81 c5.. AMI
9th. ntusIa RESOURCES.
Affection l. directed TO the iuI,r-
feet i.-I-.atIon e Tie Ia; session.
Important measure were postponed
until late Ierod OF the session and
crowced 20 passage with undue
haste. More than two-tlird, Of the
bills passed by the las; Assembly
were presented for approval within
twelve hours of adjournment. The
original bills were acted upon, many
of which were interlined so imper-
fectly that their meaning was obscure
and the provisions homogeneous.
The Governor, therefore, recon-
meDds the present Legislature to
contine legislation to the more i'm
portant subjects, and mature the
same, rather than to embrace all OBJ
jects in a crude tumble of conflicting
and inconsistent laws.
The finances of the Territory are
represented as in satisfactory con-
dition. There is no public debt,
and warrants are generally paid on
presentation, and always would he
were the counties required to pay their
quota of Territorial tax at an earlier
date in each fiscal year. Interest to
the amount of 81 203 has been paid
during the past two years, which
might have been saved had this re-
quirment been in force. The entire
revenue system requires revision.
Some provision should be made for the
collection and payment into the Ter
ritorial Treasury, of delinquent
taxes. A very small proportion of
these amounts ever reaches the Treas
nry of the Territory. From the re-
cords 10 the Office of the Territorial
Auditor, it appears that the amount
OF delinquent taxes, for the Years
1867 to 1878 inclusive, is SCI ,5O9.79.
Judging from the past, we can safe
~ conclude that very small percent
age of this amount will ever be rea-
Lied by the Territory, unless further
legislation is adopted to enforce its
payment. Several counties return
a small delinquent list. These pay
nearly their full quota of taxes TO the
Territory. Other counties return
sixty per centum Of the total taxes
as delinquent, and these pay only
four-tenths of what is Justly and leg
ally due to the Territory. In other
words: A county that has no delin-
quent list, in given year, collects,
and pays over, the Territorial tax at
the rate of four mills upon the dol
lar, while another county, with a
delinquent list amounting to fifty
FER centum Of the total tax, act
ually pays only at the rate of two
mills upon the value of the taxable
property in tue county. 1t will thus
readily he seen THAI this system is rot
only unjust to those counties which
fully discharge their liabilities to the
Territory, but it involves an indirect
violation of the organic law, which
requires all taxation to be equal and
uniform. An ample remedy, he
affirms will be provided by requiring
each county to pay into the Terri
torial Treasury the full amount of
Territorial tax levied in such county.
Then the tax of three mills upon
$2l ,O2l .s32, the aggregate value of
taxable property, will be ample to
pay all Territorial expenses nd leave
q surplus of several thousand dol
lars in the Treasury to meet contin-
gences. This appears to be the only
course which will ensure the man
tenance of the public credit. The
ratio Of taxation can then be placed
low, and the meals provided for
keeping the Treasury out of debt
aud the ratment annually of one
tenth increase for interest.
The payment by the Territory of
the costs attending the conviction of