Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-08
NASHVILLE.
Governor POrter's Message, De-
IiVered to the State Legis-
Iature To-Day.

NASHVILLE, January o.-Ihe tol-
lowing are the most important points
Of the governors message, delivered
to the general assembly to-day:
THE FINANCES.
Gentlemen of the Senate and of the
House of Representatives The re-
ports of the comptroller and treasurer
show amount Of receipts for two years
ending December, 1873, of $1,000
883.64, with balance in the treasury
on the 10Th of December, 1876, of
Sl39, ,33219; of this amount of receipts
$23S, or 95 was derived from the levy
Of State tax of ten cents for the
years 1S77-78. The disbursements for
the same period amount to 81 ,66l,-
S69.79, balance $47S, ,346.04, from which
is TO be deducted the warrants out
standing, S99,72023, and balance APP
propriated by the Fortieth general
assembly but not expended, amount
ing to $S7 .52l.86, leaving an actual
balance in the treasury Of S291,-
103.95.
The comptroller's books have for
years carried an outstanding warrant
account which, it is believed, has no
existence, and there is no doubt that
it is the result of an error Of calcula-
ton, by whom or when committed it
is impossible to tell. On the 10Th of
December, 1876, this outstanding war
rant account amounted to Sl29, 900 81
There has been presented and paid on
this account warrants amounting to
S33, $50 81, showing that the outstand-
ing warrants not presented in two
years amounted to S95, ,129 "a, at a
time when the treasurer was paying
all warrants upon presentation. Of
the warrants issued since December
l9, 1876, amounting to 81 ,632,529 81,
the treasurer has paid S1,627, 1888 92,
leaving only a balance Of S4,69O 50
outstanding.
The current expenses of the State
government for the past two years
amount to 81, ,044, ,4l400, or to the sum
of S544, ,014O0 per annum; this state
ment shows a reduction to the current
expense account in ten years that must
be full of encouragement to the tax
payer. Further large reductions can
be made by the adoption Of certain
changes recommended in this message
and in the able report of the comptrol
Ter. The current expense account fol
the years 1S68-69 amounted to 81 ,943,
663.54, for the years 1901 it was 81, =,
324 4,934.00; for 1876 it was 81 ,278,
90S.00.
The tax levied for the year 1915
amounts to S223,212 Is. OF thi,
amount $13,286 46 has been paid
showing a balance of $209, ,925 GO not
collected or paid over. Added to de
linquent list of former years, amount
ing to S493,0 there is total of un-
collected revenue amounting to $702,
952 60. A large proportion Of this
sum has been due for years, and main
: ly from the large taxpayers, who avail
+ themselves of the laws delay and C
expensive litigation to postpone or de
feat its collection. This is unjust t.
the citizen who meets his obligation
with promptness, and the complaint j
well founded that it brings unequa
+ and unreasonable burdens. Perfec
, equality in taxation is impossible, bu
the general assembly can provide fo
8 uniformity in the assessment of prop
t erty liable to taxation, and for Ger
tainty in collections and in payments
Error in assessment is one of The
. reasons assigned for this large delin
quent list. This can be equalized b,
< the County Court acting as a board o
{ supervisors, and making their actor
= the subject of review by a State boart
of equalization composed of the gov
g ernor and other executive officers
Another explanation Of this delin
quont list is the failure and defalca
tion of the collectors Of the revenue
In addition to the fees paid to the col
lectors, there is now an annual loss t,
q the State of about tenth Of tn,
revenue paid out in costs and fees ant
o by defaults. | cannotupderstand VIII,
the revenues of the State should b.
. exhausted or lost by the laches of col
lectors. No levy of taxes should b,
+ made except the precise sum necessar,
to meet the particular obligations, bu
y this sum should be reliable and avail
! able. This seems impossible unde
! our system. Certainty can be secured
f by making the several counties liabl
. for the quota of the State assessed
! within it, and charge the countie
j with the defaults, evasions and error
r committed by their own chosen off
cials.
, ASSESSMENTS.
. The total value of the property o
the State assessed for taxation for tn,
4 year 1878 amounts to $223, ,3l2, 153
! showing a decrease since 1877 of Sl3,
\ 696,695. The personal property as
Q sessed for the year 1873 amounts t,
. S2O,S21 1888. In 1875, the year Of tn,
\ greatest prostratiop in business, tn,
4 personal property of the State was as
!, sessed at S37, ,23l sos. 1t is very olea
V that the shrinkage in the value o
i personality is out of all proportion I,
that in realty, and that in fact no
4 more than one-half of it is assessed
Real estate pays the largest part 0
the revenue it can be reached at al
@ times-no evasions can conceal it
Justice to the land owner demands
Y that the holder of personal propert!
4 should be made to bear his part Of th,
public burden.
a THE pUBLIC DEBp.