Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-17
c,ys,nor Ross Address to the Legis-
Iature, Giving a Careful Review
Of the Financial Situation.
SurnIus Can bs Remltted to the
NV .onIs without Making q Change
in ihe Pr, sent Tax Rates.
w. ,,ds the st@te Over The Dull Months.
Economy Urged
AeATE PAPER.

Wv tyo Houses of the Legislature to-
day:
N conyeDing you rpon this extraordi-
occasion, l welcome you to the
a'n;.oI with a cordial greeting betting
.hose who for the ime being are charged
9TH the Iaw-m.k:ng power of great
'u.,u,ropyeslth, thst in few short years
~. struggled 10 from wilderness to
.ss high plane of unchsuepged supremacy
:. 8,,pcisl Standing, as tie only state in
.5s,Trion, while imposing but RoIiinal
80 tax, mas found it necessary because
.Its vast resources to conTose It's law
on,kers 10 deal with treasury f.led to
t,1d - YOU sre cilled upon to consider
,,1-r subjects OF the most fundamental
C,,r,cter aud OF the deepest significance,
ds,ire to respectfully impress upon
your minds my solemn convictions that
;,o conclusions 70 DC reached are Of vast
imnjr.snce in guI1iog the destiny OF our
81. snd that uuc material interests
~ WAITS are iasep4rA0IY bound up with
.5s !, gislsLion now to follow. II ever
here was TIM in the history OF our
s,.ts when c8rcful deliOerstiop, SQUAD
business sense, and freedom from pas
sicn or local jealUusies ought to prevail,
THAT TIME Is NOW.
Trusting That by harmonious, intelli-
cent sud patriotic efforts in the discharge
N these important and arduOus dulles,
your l,bors may eVentuaEe for the public
GOOD, and believing that favorable solu
lion Of many of the attendant difficulties
is sttsinsole, and if reached by you the
Dsope of your state Will not withhold
heir applause or lasting gratitude.
I have the honor to invite your atten-
ton to the fsCt that there can be- no
O1es.iou brought before you IS the repre-
sentstlyes of the people, OF more conse-
S15nce, or of deeper concern, than that
restug to faSOca aud the monetary
Affairs VI the state.
proposition thst affects every in
dyltu.l, and reaches to the very founda-
ton Of society. Taxation, therefore, is
one Of the most important powers TO be
exercised by any government, and there
is scarcely anything about which the citi-
zen becomes 80 re .LiVe, and It should be
NOS. jealousy gusrded By free people,
IS well as Oy tae trainers and ex sCutors OF
the lsw.
Els conceded too as cardinal princi-
psi Inst no more revenue ought to be
collected from the people than the amount
necessary to frsY the expenses OF a wise,
economical and eli 3ient administration,
because 81 unnecessary surplus ia the
Treasury not Ouly i'm 3overlShes the peo-
pie, sad pSlsies the hand that must be de-
pended upon To uEIliz3 and develop our
mi.erial resources, built gives birth TO
eItaYsgint legjslAtiOn; produces Wild
schemes Of WAnsOn snd profuse eXpendi-
lures snd begets Ingenious expedIents to
OO::in public money, which 200 frequent
gc0rTupts the purity of the pubic OH
ciaIs ana cSuses the character of the gov
eminent 70 -OSe It's Cl3rm with the mas
sss
Ga the other hand, while no MN csn
b. more hsscyily in favor Of s wise econ
omY in expenditures tasn myself, and sry
eH)r; in inst direction will always have
ny earnest cooperation and approval, !
feel i! mp duty t. urge upon your no or
able bodies TINS. while directing your at.
tentl0l TO the enforcement OF the most
rigid economy, you should not be uumind-
Ill ni the tsCt inst the several depart
menls Of the government can only
20 taeir best with the means at
tner d.spasal and cannot an
tclpSte sn appropriation save to limit
Cd extent def led N the constitution,
without v.olsling the law, no matter what
Inc eXgenCies may be.
As every prudent business nan knows
IAi' tie principle Of paying as you go is
more IN consonanCe with 8 wise economy
.aSn to promise payment st q
lu.ufe time, il becomes imperative
o7yold the possibility OF 8 mistske,
.lA' you should not hesitate or refuse
" place the necessary means at their
G2nnini with which to carry on the at
Lalf' Of the government successfully
without having to come to subsequent
legislatures with defCieGcies.
GIeA' IS this question of taxation is,
s alu VI!sl as il must be to the future des-
Hlles Of our state, yet after sill it is not
sIe present state tax of 20 cents upon the
wv Vi property that is proving so oner-
Jus % taxpayers. Ali in looking to re-
'n.9uVlnent you should bear in mind that
~ Is not the rock which stands cut boldly
sn!ls warning to TIE mariner of danger,
'sH'ns. which The sap is wrecked.
~, % III government 1t IL not thst which
NC people see aud understand, which
onI the prosperity of the state
~ ~ uep.eteS lis treasury, but the secret
IaAi Inc insiduOus aud unseen advance
VI 1tLAv'sinre hidden away IN the com.
c rr.S'lons Of your state, county and mum.
4 F1' governments, so as not to be visible
49,, TO THE PUBLIC EYE.
.. and thel4wmakers should not exhaus,
s sae.! spAsm CT reform st each recurring
5Sslyu, oy going in TO the several state
NJ pAI,ments aud .cuttingdown the sslarie.
osa. lew clerk, snd while squsboling
inr r. 'ue amount Of the reduction spend
na s ~ per diem and other contingent ex
ia. ases attending their work. far more
q nee n tne sum saved amounts to. TIT
ss .r'e want government as economlca
h1s - len eM2lent government csn be made
AM AM, sley 90 not desire th4t efficiency IL
a., sense Shall be sacrificed to 8 mistaken
on .a vi vi economy, watch saves a dime OF
I,,s aauu' and sqCsuders hundreds Of dol
'1t =. On Inc other hand,
w., y, wise reform measures enacted b,
d. me regular session, which vert
iprrsssussau 20 stimulate revenue eff GERS Il
prom rasea diligence in the collection snc
and p n, remission Of the public moneys