Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-09-16


| ton with their howl over extravaganza
and taxation sigh sorrOwfully over the
heavy balance in the state treasury.
If the "pay as you go" system is good
for individuals it ought TO work equally
well in the affairs of the state, and does,
as we have already shown. In order to
do this ways and means must be pro-
vided to meet the wants of government.
To illustrates: The balance in the state
| treasury at the close of the last fiscal
year was $l,793,3 62.07. OF this amount
1901 80 .S8 belonged to the general fund
for the payment of current expenses of
the state, salaries of the judiciary and
appropriations to the state institutions,
etc. Every other dollar belongs to the
schools of our state or to the sinking
funds. The money in the sinking fund
is there under constitutional pro-
visions. No one ever dreamed that it
would trouble us to buy our bonds as
fast as we could raise the money to pay
for. them. But time works wOndrOus
changes. We have the money OH hand
with which to pay the debt, it is true,
but that we cannot get the bonds at
req, enable figures is also true. That,
however, does not authorize any party
to ssteal the money fiOm the sinking
funds. Before taxpayers give any Gre
dence to the cry about high taxes let
them study the tables YabOve given, aud
also consult their own tax receipts which
will show the tax for state purposes to
be but small portion when compared
with the county, township, school and
other taxes which 60 to make up the ex-
penses of free government.
The Democrats and Greenbackers
have another grief, and that is relative
to the interest on the state funds. To
use the exact language of the Demo-
cratic organ In this city: "They (the
Republicans have kept for years over
ST. C, j. in the state treasury and loan
ed it to the banks at four and three per
cent, when it was worth to the people
from whom they unnecessarily eXtOrted
1t ten and eight per cent. By this out
rage they force the people to loan their
money to the banks at four and three
the banks at ten and eight per cent.
Now, the Democrats and Greenbackers
are opposed to this policy Which wastes
their money on party fOvOrites."
We have already shown the necessity
of keeping this enormous balance on
hand, and it gives us plcasuIe to say
something about this matter of interest,
Every business man knows at the pres
ent time, and for several years
past, money at and per
cent. investments on good
security "has gone begging" All OF the
state deposits are made on call. There
is not not bank in the country that
will pay to exceed per cent for this
kind of deposits, and the interest on
these funds is scrupulOusly turned into
the treasury.
The organ before referred to says that
Democrats and Greenbackers are OppOs-
ed to this policy" A glance lat tho
books" gentlemen, will prove the truth
of the assertion as far as Democrats are
concerned. In the nearly 10 years of
good old Democratic times" those books
show that 81 ,553.86 of interest on public
funds were turned into the staCe treas
Wy; under the corrupt and eXtrava-
giant rule" of Republicans $500, 1868.
The rGtcn of interest in the good old
times" was about double what it Is now.
IL would he an interesting chapte. for
some of the old leaders of the Democracy
to explain just where that interest on
public funds went to. One thing is GER
tain, 1t never found its way into the
state treasury.
The above figures can be verified in
every particular by the official records
in the state departments, and our green
back and Democratic friends are invited
TO look over the books which are ever
ready for inspection.
Only the leading feature in the finan-
cial policy and work of the Democratic
and Republican periods in our stats have
been noticed but detailed analysis and
comparison Of the two periods would be
equally favorable for that great and
patriotic party which has now ruled the
Peninsular state for more than quar-
ter Of century.
The cOmbinatiOnists in the present
campaign have adopted the battle-cry
which the Democracy used two years
ago, viz: I'VE must have a change" A
correspondent Of the Republican at that
time who signed himself "Taxpayer"
answered the cry In the fol owing
brief but truthful summary.
"A change from what? From pros
perity back to adversely? From state
whose credit Is among the foremost in
the nation back to the days and methods
of the first period? From state absO-
lutely free from debt back to the days
Of bondage? From the 80 per cent to
the % per cent method Of bringing
value to our land grantsp From the S7119
per cent back to the 121a per cent meth
cd of encouraging education with our
trust funds? And from the 80 per cent
back to the Del cent method with our
direct appropriations for schools and
colleges? From the 80 per cent back to
the per cent method for caring for the
insane, the deaf, and the blind of our
statep From the 81 per cent back to
the l219 per cent method with our re-
fOrmatOries? From our new capitol