Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-20

form, partial measure of which is at
| tested by the plethoric condition OF your
state treasury. Had you done nothing else
| worthy of commsndstion, this would en-
| inently entitle you to the gratitude of the
people.
may slso add my congratulations that
there is no longer complaint that the
public money is lodged and held in banks
| before reaching its final destination.
And the hiehly satisfactory financial con-
ditlon set forth in the comprehensive and
exhaustive report of the Comptroller of
public sccounts exhibits the proof, not
alone of what has been accomplished
thus far by the efficiency of collectors
Masking the closest collections ever re-
| corded. and the prosecution of delin-
| quents by the Acknowledgements de-
partmeDt, conducted with a vlgor and
fesrlessness tO be commended, but sug-
gests the possibilities awaiting US in q
fuller development Of perfection of
THESE REFORM MEASURES.
And l suggest for your consideration,
as merit3rious and proper subject OF
| legislsltr n, the better enforcement of the
constitutional requirement that taxes
shall be assessed by uniform and Just
rules, 80 that the public burden shall rest
| With co Iai weight upon al men with re-
| spect II the valuation OF property for the
! purposes Of taxation. TIE constitution
| clearly demands that property ehsll be
| taxed ST it's true value; yet, il is motor
| i0us fact th2. 50 f2T as real estate Is con-
| ceTned, this provision OF law is almost
universally Clsregsrded, snd TIE low and
! vsrying vsluS!ion brings high snd IN
| equal rate of taxes, to the Cetrimant of
the small property holders whose posses
| sions are generally assessed nearer their
| true value for the purpose of sale or eX-
change.
In this connection, your speciel atten-
ton is called to the report CT the Comp
| troller where mention Is made of the
large amount Of money in 0suks escaping
taxation, and, it may he added, in loans
held by agents, in some instances for cor
| porations and individuals residing out
side of the state.
And since your adjournment it has
come to my knowledge that large stocks
of merchandise have been brought into
the state after the first of January, and in
few months the firms broke, and the
goods we're absorbed by creditors, and no
taxes could be collected.
For the correction OF these evils I re-
| specially renew the suggestions Of my
| former message. These vast interests
| pay nothing to the support of our govern
ment, and yet they go into our courts and
| enforce their claims st the expense of the
| honest taxpayers, who are taxed undUly
| to supply the machinery of government
for their behoof and benefit, and, in some
| instances, men thus evading the law have
their children educated at the public
schools, for the maintenance Of which the
| poor mau'5 small home snd hard earnings
are taxed.
While we should gladly welcome the
| investment Of capital to aid our citizens
and further our industries, those who
| avail themselves of the facilities of our
laws should be forced
| TO COMPLY WITH THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
When my honorable predecessor, who
had administered the affairs of our state
| government for four years with such
| fidelity to its interests and marked and
lasting credit 10 himself, retired from
the cares OF office, and l was indicted
into the executive chair, there was q rev.
epue balance in the treasury of S479, =
| 704 80, but against that there was def
cheney to be provided for, amounting to
| 1926 775 81, which reduced this surplus
| to $l63, 92S 80. and the financial outlook
was anything but cheering when l resl-
lied that the following demands upon the
treasury would have to be speedily met {:
First, Sl4S 900 for the current monthly
| operating expenses of the government,
due in fifteen days; Sl02,794 for the
necessary expenses of the Legislature,
| and 100000 which you wisely deter
| mined to appropriate for the immediate
relief of our unfortunate feIloW-citizens
| Of the drouth district.
To this extraordinary appropriation
WAS aided SIS, 900 for specisl election
to test the sense OF the people on the
| adoption or rejection Of the constitution
al amendments to be submitted; $50, 900
for the establishment of deaf and dumb
asylum for the colored people, and $50 900
for re!ormstory. And the embsrrass-
ment to my mind was greatly increased
by your honorable bodies enactipga law
| to suspend the forced collection of taxes,
which would have practically reduced
revenue receipts to minimum for at least
four or six months.
In view Of this condition Of our f.
nances, while honoring the purity OF your
A21OhAtOC oAN NSSPIT oJhPaanlAlhS WIN
the people in their monetary stringency, l
felt impelled by sense Of duty to inter-
pose my veto, believing il obvious that
the intended relief would ultimately prove
a disappointment 70 taxpayers By doub-
ling their obligations ct time when
their ability for payment would not De
incr, ased By the delay, and in the mean.
time
A TEMPORARY DEFICIENCY
injurious to the financial standing of the
State would be inevitable. II, therefore,
1t mas S happened that the present admin
istratior, without an increase In the pre-
existing rate of taxation, has been enabled
largely through the efficiency Of your
wise legislation to meet these current and
extraordinary expenditures, and Ct this
time leave an unexpended sh balance III
the Treasury to the credit OF the revenue
account of Sl,5O0,oOO, exclusive of the
net indemnity claim recently received
from the general government, amounting
to 1922, 54l 50, making grand total of
S2,422. 541 81, it would seem to justify the
claim that We have not only been resson-
ably economical in handling the public
funds, but the interests Of the state .haVe
been watched with csre and fidelity. And
the question Of sll questions that the
people are asking to-day is: What dispo-
sition shall be made by you of