The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-14

1875, the first after the incurring Of any
part OF this debt, appropriated sufficient
amount TO extingulsh II. It Is true that
the appropriation was not just, but this
does not detract from the Significance OF
their action.
The debt began in October 1888; the
next regular Legislature therefore pro-
yided for its payment in one year, SO far as
10 appropriate the amount necessary to pay
Il. is evident, then, that they considered
II a debt incurred ito meet casual deficits
in the revenue" and not one the payment
Of which was to be extended over q period
OF twenty years-or two years; as the Ley
stature OF 1877 made appropriations, not
only 10 pay the Sl8,970 incurred In Octo'
Der, 1873, but also 10 pay the $4,000 in
cured in 1876, thereby showing that they
considered the debt such one as the
Constitution provides shall be paid In one
year, and where payment is not to be ex'
tended over period OF twenty yeaIs,-oi
The majority further seek to justify their
proposal 10 allow part ofthis debt to exist
permanently, and TO pay part Of it In two
Years, by attempting to show that 1t was
caused by appropriations made since 1875
10 construct public buildings. But where
does The Constitution say that the State
NAV create debt for such purpose? Ii
a debt incurred to erect public buildings q
debt "to redeem previous liability Of the
State" or one ito suppress instruction,
repe! invasion, to defend the State In time
OF war;" Clearly not. There must be q
4 a +. 4 - Ha1Hul Hpt1Hft1 IN
the revenue" And such 1t IL, for the facts
are these: The Legislature, in 1877, appro-
priated money to erect, or to aid in the
further construction q Of, certain public
buildings. They failed to levy u sufficient
tax 10 meet these appropriations. The re-
snlt was. OF course, Casual defCits" in
1873, 1875, 1877, 1870, 1881, and 1882.
The provisions Of the old and the new
Constitution, so far as concerns this ques.
ton, arc alike. And while 1t is true that
the sum Of Si76,l24 has been paid out in
The twelve years from 1871 to 1882, for the
construction OF and extra repairs on pub.
lie buildings, yetit is true that from lo6o
to 1870, a period Of five years, there was
paid out for the same purpose the sum OF
1857 ,4S7; and from the erection OF the State
in 1868 TO and including 1870, period Of
seven and 3 half years, there was paid out
for this purpose nearly $1,000, 900; and
never before in the history OF the State
was Il claimed that permanent debt
could, under the Constitution, be created
for money used for such purpose. It was
lett for the majority to make this import
ant Constitutional discovery.
TIE LEVY Is NOT ENOUGH.
We dissent further from the majority,
because the bill they have reported, pro
yidinp for an additional levy OF cents on
The Sl0O for the current fiscal year and the
next one, is not proper bill, because the
additional levy fixed in this bill will not be
sufficient to pay the debt, nor will 1t be
sufficient TO pay the amount it is proposed
to pay thereby namely, $4,000.
The Auditors report for the last fiscal
year shows a balance in the treasury at the
close OF that year Of S., COS 81 Of State fund.
The estimated receipts tor this year are
S374,l50; making a total in the treasury
during the .year and subject to appropria'
tons, OF S3S7, S4S 80. The estimated charges
on this sum are put down at 1878, Ss2 92.
To this last amount, however, an addi'
ton must be made on account oil some bal
ances in the treasury, OF appropriations
made last fiscal year, and which had not
been paid at the close OF that year. A
table on page 81, OF the Auditors report
names these balances and gives their
amount at S7S, lG4 So. This was all appro.
priated, and, under the law, Is liable to be
drawn out within three years from the date
Of the appropriation. 1t is probable that
all the balances viii not be called for. 1t
is estimated that Sl4,754 IS Of the amount
will certainly be paid this fiscal year-part,
indeed, has already been paid. Conse-
quently, 10 these estimated charges on the
treasury for this year must be added this
sum OF balances OF Si4, 754 Is. Besides this,
careful comparison OF the general appro.
priation bills, as made up in joint sessions
Of the Senate and House Finance Commit
tees, with the AUDITORS estimated charges
on the treasury, shows that this Legislature
will increase the demands on the treasury
above the estimate of the Auditor, for the
current fiscal year, II the appropriation bill
is passed as reported and printed land that
the amount named in it will be reduced Is
not probable), TO the amount Of So, GOO.
For the next fiscal year the Auditor esti-
mates the receipts ut $685., $50, and the
charges at SSSS, 100 80. But if the said ap.
bill is passed as reported,
these charges will be increased $50, COO.
The following shows the probable con-
dition.o OF the treasury at the close OF the
current and the next fiscal wear: a.9r
Amount in treasury September so. lss?...s l3r69s s2
nfaI NDRAiDtE ~
Receipts on account Of iHcteAkc In value
Of real estate by asse 0t............ sOOO w
Total State fund during ,Sis 80
hargcs,..........!. .......sS73 y! y
Probable amount appropriated III excess. S5,77i Is
Probable amount u last year. upprOpfiA'
tiOn paid or 10 be 4iI0i ID
Probable deics September 70, ISSj.......s 9sO6s 10
From the amount Of this probable deficit
we may subtract tue SUM OF SO 600, the
amount of appropriations made this year,
which will probably not be called for
during the year.
Starting the fiscal year OF 1SsS-S4, then,
with deficit Of $4,000, we have:
Estimated rGcelpts..:...". $50 60
Receipts on account Of TeasSessmen'".... leOOO W
Total OF State fund during y0ar..-"s $50 90
changes for the year 1uO 81
Probable amount appropriated In excess. e0,iS "
Deficit oil lat 'JVV0 w
Total probable charges. ,l?s 90
Probable deAclt September 80. .....s 1928 CO
This. deficit, owing to the comparative
smallness OF the appropriations for 1854
will not be subject 10 much, il any, OF a
reduction on account Of unpaid balances
81 appropriations which may remain In the
treasury at; the close OF that fiscal year.
We think that balance will be less than
$4,000.
The object of these figures is to show
hat the increase OF 10 cents on the 500
in the levy, five cents for each Of the years
1928 and 1881, as reported by the
10 mot anihcipnt tn nav the debt