The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-06-17
DreW. WOrham.
81, l,l52, l4S.9S 81, ,lS2,06
24,474.62 1872, l94.37
$l,027,G74.36 $3.50, $40. 33 :S3

From this we see that, after dcducting the
school tax, which there is power to reduce,
that the assessment for the ordinary expenses OF
government under Bloxham is f31 ,S0403 less
than it was under Drew. Now, as the average
valuation under BlOXham was Sl6926 605 more
per year than under Drew, and the amount as
sessed for all the expenses of government, except
for school purposes, which under the Constitution,
cannot be reduced, was $37 ,S04 ,03 or $9,451.01
per year kss, the merest tyro in arithmetic can
see at once that the taxes lure been reduced.
But this Middle Florida Democrat says the
pretended answer To all this is that the rate of
taxation has been reduced and it would have
been surprising had it not been reduced, with
the almost miraculous increase in population
and values, which has taken place during the
last few years. But the question, says he, IS not
whether the people are paying less rate of tax
alton, but whether they arc paying into the
the treasury more than the necessities of the
Government require; the actual cost OF Govern
ment has not increased; the salaries for eXecu
tive, legislative and judicial departments are the
same, and why is it that greater amount is
required?
We have already shown that so far as the
school tax is concerned, the greater the valuation
the greater will be the assessment for this pur-
pose, the rate remaining constant. We will now
show that while the raie has been reduced so as
to raise So 45l less per year for the ordinary gov
ernmental expenses on an increased average
valuation of $16,026, Cos, why it has been i'm
possible 10 reduce il further.
When Bloxham assumed the administration
of affairs he found an indebtedness OF 1892 800 l2,
to be met al the very threshold et his admins
tration. This consisted of:
Outstanding jurors and witnesses ccrtih-
Gates NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. *20 Lbs
Deficiencies in appropriations for pre-
viOus years. .....-....-.-.... ..'... 1poSo. 10
Floating debt ~ Observation-Disclosures. 5335 25
Salaries due for last quarter. r........... l3O6S0O
Int bonded debt U.UU
$l:s2 800 12
The report of Treasurer Gwynn shows bal
ance of $20, 1888 18 in the treasury on January !,
1884, as against this large amount OF indebted
ness Besides this, the expenses of the Lcgisla-
ture then in session, amounting TO over $6S,OO0,
was to be met and nothing in the treasury with
which to meet il. To tide over this crisis in the
finances of the State, the Governor. Comptroller
and Treasurer were authorized to borrow money,
and did borrow, | am informed, about $4,000.
How successfully Bloxham's administration met
these difficulties and surmounted them is at
tested by the fact that the entire Legislature
were paid in cash. and the Slate has maintained
| n cash basis. The difficulties were occasioned
by the Legislature of 1879 reducing taxes in op
posjtion to the advice of Governor Drew, and
while his administration got the credit of reduc-
ing the taxes during 1879 and 1880 to mills
The burden occasioned by the bad policy Of the
reduction by the Legislature fell on Bloxham's
administration Governor Drew, in his message
to the Legislature of 1881, says on this subject
The deficiencies were anticipated and the ne
cessity of increasing the assessment urged upon
the last Legislature, but they failed to carry out
the suggestions then made and TO this fact as
well as to the increased demand on the several
annropriations, is due the scarcity of funds in
ne treasury" Yet Middle Florida Democrat
savs the demands of the Government are no
greater under one administration than another.
je mmst indeed be q poor political economist to
mall. such an assertion He states that the in
crease In population within the last few years
has been miraculous"
Does he for a moment suppose that increase in
populstion makes no difference in expenses o.
government? We will take one item In the ex