The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-01-09

expected d
sufficient money the interest and all appropra
lions could this they failed and fixed the
mills, expecting the up
$3 O0 but instead of reached only
rendering it absolutely necessary and
Cabinet in order to maintain the credit and keep the
cash basis to borrow responsibility enough
part to meet the interest the State bonds for
$780, and for the interest," $49O7e the
rowed, which will require an appropriation. =
At The present UaluaOn of property and of taraon
State cannot be kept at cash basis and the on the pub
lac debt paid"
Such the condition of finances when the present
mnisaton entered upon its duties and the Legislature
session. with the increased necessary meeting
OF that body The State compelled, under Legislative
sanction into the market large amount in
order to preserve her credit.
The question then, should the Legislature
State back to scrip basis and its credit depend upon
scrip SPECTATORS and its expenses be necessarily increased
therebyo should they place additional mill for year
and keep the State cash basis? The Legislature wisely
concluded that it much better for taxpayer pay
additional upon his hundred dollars of property
year. and thus maintain the State upon basis
allow its credit deprecate with all the attendant evils
issue of scrip. To pay you CO. is homely adj
age but equally applicable and beneficial to Sta in
dvduals will not discuss the evils of the credit SYSTEM
illustrated by scrip issue beyond the income If the State
The $4,000 which called upon yearly toApay in the
shape of interest upon State debt is the Legitimate and
cessary offspring of such policy and should be warning
that the most thoughtless should heed.
REDUCTION TAXES
The of March, 1881, equal and uniform
OF taxation and to the current Of the State for
the years 1891 and 1892 and for the Gene School Fund.-
for the interest the bonded debt for said years. tax
of eight mills with the following pr ovso That
should discover from the of the
pey of the State and from other revenue
duction of the eight mills State of 1882 will be justified
he is hereby authorized to direct the Collectors of Revenue
collect only mills State for 1882" Owing
increased development of the State the
considerable increase for the 1891 and felt
in exercising the authority given by the Legislature and
directed the tax to be reduced to mills for 1892
The sale to dsencumber Internal Improvement Fund
has necessarily placed large of lands upon the
books and the impetus thus given railroad building
has largely increased that of The natural
Of wealth and population growing great
pIiscs we'll from other has increased
of the State largely that than gratfed
in being able recommend large reduction taxation. To
reduce the the lowest estimate with
keeping the State cash basis is only duty but
pleasure To go below that is financial suicide But
proper reduction it is necessary only have
augmented but to cua expenses the minimum
figures The best scheme Of finance is to spend little
possible, and the best always the ghtest Believing
that the Legislature is acuaed by such DESIRE and that the
present license will be materially altered
mend reduction Of taxes to meet the appropriations
expenses the 1888 pay
interest her bonded Indebtedness four mills
mend the tax for 1884, with proviso similar to that
adopted by the last Legislature of allowing the Governor
reduce to three mills if the aggregate of the
property of the State will permit"
The Constitution requires in addition to this tax of
mill for school purposes making aggregate Of five mills for
all purposes The reduction of from twelve and half
mills in 1877 to five mills shows not only gratifying increase
in but commendable in the opera
tions Of the Government.
IMPROVEMENTS PUBLIC LANDS.
The last Legislature passed an to provide
and collection of taxes improvements the
public lands and for the protection Of occupying claimants of
said lands The object and intention of the law to
te actual settlers and furnish them guarantee of
ing the land upon which they had made improvements The
operation of the law however, has been satisfactory and
in has led results foreign to those for which
it intended Parties have been compelled pay
upon their improvements United States lands and lands
previously granted by the Legislature to Railroads. without
prospect being by the State Other
hardship have occurred and unless the law be materially
amended, ! recommend its repeal.
TAXES
The last Legislature by Joint Resolution directed the Gov
and Comptroller to employ counsel to institute legal
proceedings against those Railroad Companies constructed
under the provisions the Internal Improvement act of 1855
and who refused to pay their property.
In conformity the requirements Of said Resolution, Gen
ea F. A. Perry of Pensacola employed who associated
with him J. W. Malone, ESQ., of Quincy. The
ed forward rapidly the law permitted and in June last
argued before the Supreme Court Of this State The de-
cson of that sustained the claim of the State to its
right tax the roads constructed under the act Of 1885, An
appeal has the United States Supreme Court
and it is hoped that decision will be reached this year
The value of Railroad property embraced in the
principles Of this suit to about 100000