The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-01-13

Agricultural College Fund holds 155SOooO- 55OOOo
LEAVING in hands Of individuals - $500 10000
Showing decrease of in hands of individuals
during the past years of $50 10000. In adli-
20 bonds of 1873 in Sinking Fund.- the Sinking
Fund for bonds held in L. s. per cent bonds
value. 34S0~
Leaving practically outstanding debt s52sOOoO
feel my duty again call the attention the Legislature
inequality Of bonds far the sinking fund is
concerned.
The of Florida Chapter 1885, under which issued
the seven per bonds Chapter $751; under which
issued the per bonds provide that the Treasurer
pay their value in the purchase of said bonds
the sinking fund The bonds of the State have advanced
value since that tme that the Treasurer cannot
purchase their par value The Legislature of 1881
amended in this particular Chapter relating to the
per bond but by oversight omitted to amend Chap
ter 1897 relating six per cent securities which pecudes
the from purchasing them for the sinking fund
the recommendation made in my message
of January 1888 that Chapter 1887 be amended
allow the Treasurer to purchase said bonds at their mar
ket value.
In accordance with the suggestions made my message of
January 1885, the Legislature reduced the State tax to four
mills year. and authorized the aggregate
ment of the property would permit reduce the
same mills for the year 1884 The aggregate
property of the State showing large increase,
the State tax three mills for 1884 in accord
ance with said legislative authority.
profound qualification every lover of the State The
Internal Improvement Fund from threatened bank
rupcy and run only largely augmented our taxable re-
sources by placing large amount of lands the tax
books added immense impetus to railroad building
thus inviting immigration and captala tending to the de-
veopmen Of the Stae-has about doubled taxable
sources period The taxable values for 1880 and
ea wears prior averaged about thyone millions of dollars
Since 1880 these annually swollen until 1884 they
show of over sixty millions OF dollars No
I NJ hlad
the last four Florida stands alone in such
unprecedented growth.
Owing to increase under ordinary circumstances would
recommend of State taxation But in view
that have Constitutional Convention,
follow the present session of the Legislature and the
reasonable probability Legislative session
operation changes made in the organic law is i'm
possible what expenses will have to be met 1t
will be power of the Legislature and Convention by
commendabe economy of time and expenditure to enable
reduction to be made Feeling that the State under cir
pass the runous system of scrip
ISSUE the part of proper prudence to let the State
tax mills and empower the Governor to reduce
the if expenditures above alluded to will allow it,
1t is not the State that burthens the people.
Unfortunately, of the counties have outstanding
obligations running back prior the which have
to by heavy county tax These, however, gradu
ally meeting their obligations and in few years. is hoped
will be relieved
EDUCATION.
1t scarcely necessary call your attention to the vital i'm
portnce popular the best safeguard of consttu
tional liberty In light it is viewed whether
safeguard republican institutions necessity to
progress and prosperity of State most potent
agency the promotion of immigration the education of the
growing youth of the itself every thought
full mind 1t has well said that "maximum education
makes minimum government possible and secures maximum
liberty and may we'll be added that ignorance is the fruit
full mother of public burhens and contributes but little to the
public veal or wealth.
The large increase school facilities and in the attend
ance of pupils subjects of congraulaton. We
now have 1904 schools in operation, with attendance of
pupils of 5S3 in each of hundred per cent
in the last eight years.
The principal of our school fund derived chiefly from the
ae Of lands known sixteenth secon" has increased
in an unprecedented during the last four In
NV last message placed the school fund hand January
1891 Of There of railroad bonds the
fund at that me their validity value had been
toned thew were not included in the estimate Since that
nrod their has been settled and being added to the
fund makes the principal Of school fund which
had slowly accumulated from ls45 up January l. 1881
The increase the last four years has been $3.50 28420
bero without parallel within the history of State This
.ke the total Common School Fund $476 1885, yielding
an income of $2314 annually, which apporoned the
various counties yearly the Superintendent of Public In
structiOn.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
Under the of Congress of 1882 there granted
tn each State thirty thousand of land for each Senator
and Renresenative said State under the of86O
The conditions of grant that the shall
voaby appropriated the endowment support main
If at least one college where the leading object
M without excluding other scientific classical stude