Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-03

S1'NtllioA AAoJc ofS.sho 6ooN
bis last message. 1t is an exceedingly
we'll written and well conceived paper,
Sta ing clearly the present situation Of
the state in all its interests, material
and political, and making recOmmenda
tions which are uniformly judicious.
The finances of the state are shown t.
be in condition of plethora, and dim
mutton of the drain Of taxes into the
treasury is wisely suggested. The
revenues exceed the expenditures
by about two million dollars
aud there is no outlet afforded
for the surplus money in the re,
demption of the state debt; which IS
held tenaciously by its owners, and can
not be had except at price far above II"
par value. 1t should not be redeemed at
that cost. 1t was a mistake to refund
the former loans at the long periods
fixed. BY the last two refundinS opera
tions the interest paid by the state va
reduced some three hundred and fifty
nine thousand dollars, but the state i
compelled to pay the reduced interest on
MONEYS which she no longer has any USE
for. 1t would have been better t" haze
paid a somewhat larger interes for
shorter time. But now the best policy
is to let the loans be until they mature,
and lessen the taxes drawn By tli. state
The taxpayers can make better interest
out of the money than the state is able
to do. The governor would recommend
the abolition of the tax on personal prop
erty but for the fact that ne considers
that this would involve the necessity OF
removing the tax from the national
banks, because of the provision Of the act
of Congress which forbids the lmrosl
ton upon these banks of any greater tax
than is imposed upon other money
ed capitar' in the state. We can
hardly think that this provision
forbids the abolition of thetaX Of moneys
at interest in the hands of individual
citizens. 1t cannot have been designed
to do so. And if such was its intent it
is questionable whether it is in the
power of Congress to lay such restraint
upon the state. The fact undoubtedly
is that the money at interest in the state
generally does not pay any tax. The sum
collected as state tax on moneys at in
terest is not a tithe of what would he
obtained if all moneys at Interest We're
found by the assessor. The state tax i
obtained from the national banks, from
whom its collection is easy but moi
from citizens generally. Discriminatirl
is exercised against the national bank:
now in this matter in point OF fact, bu'
it does not seem to hurt them, as thei
are all making Ii oney, their stocks are
selling above par and new banks
are encouraged to start into business
The tax should be removed from
moneys at intergSt, not because it IS al
unjust tax in itself, but because oi th'
great Injustice practiced in its collec
tion, and because it does not seem prac
ticahle to avoid that injustice. The ia:
obtained 10y the state from this source /
generally drawn from people of limitej
income. who are not able or willing t
conceal from the assessor their posses
sion of lii tie money that is bearing in
terest. They are the widows and or
phans who have no means OF support
but their narrow income from q feN
bonds. They cannot afford to pay a ta.
out of the small interest they OBTAIN
That interest has Shrunk in the last fey
years from the legal rate Of six Fer cent
10 five, four and even three per cent
while the state tax remains tie same.
Since the state las too much reyenu
no better place to remit il can be fonn
than upon moneys at interest, both be
cause of tie lessened rates Of interes
and the undeniable fact that OILY
very small portion of the moneys at il
terest in the state are subjected to tn
tax, and they chiefly the moneys of thos
in moderate circumstances.
The governors recommendation tia
certain sources Of the states revenue!
such as the moneys from tavern !
censes, which can be spared by the STATE
should he permitted to stay in the treas
uries OF the counties IS one which wi
meet general approval.
The statements concerning the pul
lie shools and the reformaturies, ;lsy
lums and pcnitentiarieS of the stat
show them TO be in very satsfa'
tory condition. The new prison at Hunt
in~dnn which is to he conducted as
reformatory, the law providing for !l
sentensing to it of first offenders hetwee
the ages of fifteen and twenty five,
hopefully spoken Of by the governor, VIII
seems to expect great good to result froi
the novel experiment of reforming, Will
conGning, those who have not yet beconl
hardened offenders. For the last ella:
the governor declares that he b.
lieyes, after careful consideration Of I'll
subject, that the separate and sOlitar
confinement system Of the Eastern peni
Tertiary is the best that can be devisei
There is still another class of prisoner:
who are not hopelesSly i offender
or men against whose violent passion
society can find no protection while the
are at large. for whom the governor a,
pears to think that the congregate systel
of confinement i'll vogue at the WeStel
penitentiary may be the most elficaciou
He speaks warmly against the ide
that prisons should be made self sls
tanning, which lie denounces rs . vul