Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-01-10
STATE LEGISLATURE.
THE OPENING WORK OF THE
TWO HOUSES.
The Governors Message.


on motion of Lee, it was decided by a
vote of 40 to 10 to postpone action on
the names until to-day. The next
motion was by Mr. Cooper, to adjourn
finally March 22d, and it was agreed
so without dissent. The Senate then
adjourned until three o'clock, when 1t
reassembIed to hear the Governor
message.
The House began business by the
election of Faunce, Speaker, Ill to IS
for Niles.
The other nominees of the Demo
cratic caucus were elected. Cooper
resolution to adjourn March 22d, was
referred
Senator Reyburn says he will select
members or Committees on the basis
that there are 80 Republican and 20
Democratic Senator's Further than
this he cannot speak except as to the
Committee on Municipal Reform, be-
fore which will come the new charters
for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. His
present design is to appoint this COM
mittee from districts outside of these
two cities, giving each, however, a rep
resentative in probably one Demo
crat and one Republican from Phila'
delphia, and one Republican from
Pittsburgh. The reason he assigns
for this is that city Senators would be
subjected to too much pressure from
interested persons. Speaker Faunce
will give the two cities large repre-
sentation on the committee, not prov
ing the pressure which President Rey-
barn speaks of.
In his message Governor Hoyt con-
graduates the citizens of the Common
wealth on the general prosperity they
have enjoyed during the year, and
points with some pride to the reduc-
ton that has been affected in the State
debt during his administration. There
is to-day in the sinking fund, assets
amounting to 1892, ,9S3 81, and the
net State Indebtedness on Dec. l, 1882,
after deducting ttem, was Sl2, 1892
O99.46. In regard to the sinking
fund, the Governor says:
There is at present in the sinking
fund $2,077,073.90 cash. As none
of the State loans are at present reim-
bursable, the Treasurer has no lawful
authority to apply this fund to the re-
duction of the debt, except by going
into the market and buying the bonds
of the State at prenium, handsome.
indeed, and creditable to the State, hut
embarrassing to financial officer
charged with accountability. These
bonds, at market rates, now bear pre-
MUM about as follows:
The 81 per cents are selling gat..............$l06
The per cents selling at................. III
| The per cents are selling at............... 1l9
Before assuming such responsible
ty the Treasurer is fairly justified in
awaiting a legislative command.
The Governor gives table showing
the different sources from which the
States revenues are derived, and then
discusses at some length our system
| of taxation The amount received last
wear was S7,068, ,529.66, while the ex-
penditures for the same period were
So, ,O24, 1854. Of the aggregate re-
ceipts, he says:
More than 81, 900, 600 were derived
from taxes on corporations. The only
item which in any true sense, is a di-
rect tax on the people, is that of S437,-
1864, 'tax on personal property"
This tax is derived from money on in
terest, watches and carriages. If it is
desirable to retain the taxes on Nation
al banks, which yield the State nearly
$3.50, 900 annually, this tax on person
al property cannot be abolished, as the
acts OF Congress, creating the National
banks, forbid their being subject to
any greater tax than is imposed upon
"other moneyed capital" in the State.
There is no tax for State purposes on
real estate Except certain corporate
bonds and stocks, and the roadbeds,
shops and other mechanical devices Of
railroads, all property in the State is
liable to local taxes for city, county,
school and road purposes. The laws
for their levy and collection are sub
stantially uniform, sufficiently under
stood by the people, and their full ex-
ecution depends on the fidelity and
nerve Of the local officer and the tenn
per of taxpayers. In this distribution
of burthens between the State and
the local subdivisions, | am aware of
no instance in which any community
or interest suffers any relative injus-
tice, although indefinite claims are
made to that effect. | cannot conceive
how horizontal equality" of taxation
is to be secured except by details so
minute, inquisitorial, and veXa-
tious as to be distasteful to the people,
inef1icacious, and out Of all proportions
to the results accomplished. If all the
taxes of the people, for all purposes in
the whole State, were accumulated
into the State Treasury, no scheme of
redistribution can be divised which
would reach the growing needs, the
conflicting claims and changing equi-
ties of different localities. 1t will be a
dangerous departure from the habits
and customs of the people to destroy
the autonomy of local government in
the municipal subdivisions.
The Governors recommendations in
regard to a change in the financial
policy of the State and the manage
ment of the Sinking Fund are:
A diversion of funds which come
into the State Treasury from the
! Sinking Fund to the general fund, ex-
cept only the sums demanded for pay
ment of interest and the Constitution
al requirement as to principal, togeth-
er with such additional reserve as
prudence and the contemplation of
further moderate reduction of the
debt might indicate. After subserv-
ing all these purposes the State Treas
ury would still, if estimated revenues
held out, be in such a position of