The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-06-29
STATE FINANCES.
A Clear and Exhaustive Rsume OF
the Causes which Produced the
Present Condition of the
state Treasury Bal
anceS,


Allusion having been made 80 frequently
by the press throughout the state to our full
treasury-some attributing it to one cause
and some 10 another have thought perhaps
il would not be il.tmed 10 review our tinan-
ces since the war, and trace out the true
source of our present cheering financial con-
dition.
In the report of Comptroller Darden, for
the first year, ending August 81, 1876 the
subject of state finance, from the foundation of
the state government in 1916, to August 81,
1876, was ably reviewed. By this report the
people are informed of a fact which appar-
emily had been oyerlooked-that the annual
expenses of the state government had been
uniformly in excess Of the amounts derived
from taxation. Prior to the war the state
had ample means Mt her command, derived
from sources other than taxation, with which
to heal these constantly recurring dehcien.
cies without further demands upon the peo-
pie. She had in her treasury funds which
had accrued under the laws of the late repub,
ic, and the money derived from the sale of
tho Santa Fe lands made her entirely indie
pendent Of taxation for the support of the
government from 1852 to 1858. The taxes
for those years were RENTED to the several
counties for county purposes, such as build
ing court houses, jsils, etc.
After the war, when these means were OK.
hausted, and the state was compelled to rely
upon taxation alone for the support of the
government, our financial status grew worse
and worse each year.
Prior to the formation of the provisional
government in 1870 the rate of taxation was
Is cents on every one hundred dollars worth
the government could not be administered on
which the state was placed by the war-oul
social system completely revoutionized the
vicious element amongst us largely increased
by immigration and rendered more vicious
and turbulent by the war and its results
necesstated greater demands upon the PEG
pile. The judiciary department. especially
had TO BIO enlarged, and the further expense
incurred of maintaining in the field large
organized force to protect the frontier and t
suppress the lawless element which had beer
turned loose upon the country,
The state had, as it were, to begin liiC
anew-all the machinery of government hat
TO be adjusted and put into operation. T,
meet these increased demands tax of 81
cents on the 500 was levied by the legsla
ture of 1871, for the expense of government
and an additional tax TO
the protection Of the frontier
Notwithstanding this increase in taxation
our financial condition did not improve, de
ticiencies continued to increase and the stat
had no credit abroad.
Though the attention of the Legislature
was called to the increasing debt, it seeme
10 have been regarded by them as Academia
and susceptible of easy remedy, and, as
sick man, unconscious of his disease, attrib
utes his illness to n passing indisposition, s
the state went on from debt to debt, over
looking the true cause of her troubles.
The people, smarting under feeling c
wrong, were naturally not very Jealous i
the support of a government which had bee
thrust upon them by the accident of war
and, besides, the constitution of 1869 was
framed that no coercive laws could be er
acted for the annual collection of taxes Of
lands, the constitution providing for the sal
OF lands only after periods of FIVE year
Under this clause the people sheltered then
selves, and the taxes on lands could not b
collected except upon voluntary paymen
and the rolls of taxes on lands were placed i
the hands Of collectors only to be returne,
for the most part, delinquent by reason {
the constitutional exemption.
Matters went on this way from year
year, expenses largely in excess of the annu
receipts, the government, it seems, hopin
that our financial condition would.improve
prosperity returned, and as society adjuste
itself to the new order of things the poop
would more cheerfully come up to the SUI
port of the government.
The Republican party, then in power, we
on from year to year increasing the state
expenses and nursing those fallacious hop
until the fall Of 1873, when Democratic a
ministration was elected, which took char,
Of the government in January, 1874.
Our finances were found in such conc
ton that it was impossible to determine wi
any degree of accuracy what their status W,
The country was flooded with unpaid wa
rants; hundreds Of thousands OF unau
tied accounts for services render
were in the hands of our citizer
The demands Of the people were loud
retrenchment in the expenses Of the goyer
ment, and It was expected Of the Thirteen
legislature, which assembled in Janua,
1874, TO do something for relief.
An act was passed by the legislature