The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-16
the year, but is used here for profit tempo

In no proper sense Tax, on the person and
should not be so imposed, because that
would produce an inequality of burdens on
persons. That this is u tax, that is imposed
to reach such transient property, according
TO the amount handled may be seen by refer
ence to the tux law, which divides merchants
into six grades, taxing them from two hun
dred dollars down TO live dollars according TO
the amount of the purchases annually. Aud
the same thing is attained or attempted 10
be, in other callings showing that it is used
as an Indirect and Only au approximate mode
Of reaching transient property, that is not
| adequately reached by advalurem taxes Us
they areimposed in thissL4tc. The legislature
under the pressing emergency to establish
u good llnUncial " stem, ard guided by these
principles of action did rot increase the ad-
yalorem taxes bat did increase the occupa-
ton tayes upon occupations previously taxed
and upon others not previously taxed. But
with that increase still IL will DO found that
such property is not taxed ss high for its
protection as permanent property, such as
lands, lots stock and the like that are found
Ia the hands OF the owner from year to wear,
and taxed advaorem.
| Now, what have been the financial results?
The ordinary expenses of the government
during the first year Of my administration,
up to the first of March, 1880, were reduced
over 5000, AID there wa II very great in
crease in the revenue during tho same period,
the exact amour. Of which has never been
reported.
As u consequence of which, ever since the
first day of May |, 1879, state warrants have
not been in the market Us deprecated paper,
but have been promptly pad Mt the treasury
when presented. The Indebtedness of the
state, including the floating debt and other
bonded debt, will DO diminished bout $780,
600; the annual interest of the bonded debt
will be diminished nearly 100000, reducing
our annual intGrt st from $36OO00, wnen
WAS inaugurated us governor to about $780,
OO0, ut the end of my present term of Office
and there will then be surplus revenue ia
the treasury after paying MI the Deficiencies
that have accrued, estimated ut SlO0, 600 for
want OF sufficient appropriations, but not for
want of sufficient money of at least one.hsli
II million Of dollars. This money will be
needed at once, if appropriated by the legis.
lature 10 make the necessary Improvements
70 take care of ut least four hundred unfor-
ttunate people in tho lunatic asylum, and in
ho deaf AMI dunno and blind institutes, to
establish retOrmatory institution for con-
vlcts under seventeen years Uf Hge, and 10
make additional Improvements, and purchase
machinery for the two penitentiarcs, which
will enable us TO place from twelve to fifteen
hundred convicts within tho walls and en-
ploy them there.
This will be most fortunate surplus, if it
should.be employed for these humane and
charitable objects.
| What have been the results of this policy up
on the various operations of the government,
for which money collected during that first
yeer has been expended? | invite tho most
rigid scrutiny to find one single operation of
the government that has not Dcen fully sus-
tanned or improved in efficiency, as well ms in
economy IN all of the departments of the
governmental service; The more rigid the
examination the better, into the operations of
the frontier protection and police force, of
the public free schools, within the two nor
nal schools added, Of tho A. and NJ. college,
now an agricultural and n echancal college
in fact, OF the penltentiaries, in their
management and improvements, of the re-
capture OF criminals on acquisitions, OF the
execution of the laws in the courts, of the
lunatic asylum and blind and deaf and dumb
Institutes, of the guarantees against epidem-
les, and of the executive officers ut the eapi-
tai of the state If in the examination it BIO
found that more money has been spent than
usual in any Of them, a corresponding inn
proyoment will be discovered In most Of
them, however, it will be found that there has
been m Improvement, both in efficiency and
economy.
Time will not permit. now, an examination
| Of thas thiDya in latnil hIt 1 updn,i,l.n
state, that such is the case, rs 1t may be veri-
fled by any one who will take the pains to
make full and complete examination Of
them.
Having now reached the starting point of
a solid basis for good financial system, and
having ascertained the cost os CARRYING on
the government upon m ct onomical standard.
1t will remain for tho wisdom of the Seven
teenth legislature to devise the means of per
fecting and perpetusting it as the permanent
policy of the state. Upon that there should
be no risk run, nor compromise made. Stand.
ing firmly on that basis with the general and
minute knowledge of details of public af-
| fairs necessary to maintain it, the state NAV
safely reach out its energies to improve, what
ever needs Improvement, relating to thesocisl,
Intellectual and material advancement of its
people, ali of which may well be subjects of
conciliation, and compromise of opinion
amongst those who are in control of the
government of the state.
| In devising the means to perpetuate this
system, there are number of things 90 be
considered and provided for IN advance, and
in anticipation of future events which will
possibly from year to year change our pres
ent condition and thereby change the present
relation of revenue aud expenses 10 each
other We have now in Texas about $780,
100000 worth of taxable property. 1t Yields
ms heretofore estimated lat 50c. on the $l00),
net revenue which, with tho poll tax added,
amounts to $l,650,000. That amount serves
now to furnish u government with its present
state of efficiency for about 100000 iuhab-
itants of Texas. We may calculate on n
continual flow of immigration increasing
from year to year for many years to come
That population spreading itself over A
sparsely settled country, and filling up our
vacant territory, will increase the expenses
moro than the increase of revenue, so long as
the process of filing up is regularly aud con.
tlnuously carried on. This result would fol-
low from two causes, i no other: First the
fresh immigrants would not have, when thew
settled, an amount of property to DO taxed
equal to the average property of those who
preceded them, nor would they likely have
so much for ten years or more; and, second
the actual government would nave to be con.
tinually extended over greater territory from
timo to time, AS the settlements ara extended
The same rule might we'll be spilled though
not perhaps to the same extent to country.
that retained its own natural increase of