The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-04-19

the people see and understand which I'M
dermines the prosperity of the state and
depletes its trearury, but the secret leak;
the lnsiduous and unseen advance of ex-
travagance, hidden away in the compiled
lions of your state, county and municipal
governments, so as not to be visible to the
public eye.
And the lawmakers should not exhaust
their spasm of reform at each recurring
session, by going into the several state
departments and cutting down the salaries
of few clerk, and, while sqHabbling over
the amount of reduction, spending in per
diem and other contingent expenses at
tending their work, far more than the sum
saved amounts to. The people want a
government as economical as an efficient,
good government can be made, but they
do not desire that efficiency in any sense
shall be sacrificed to mistaken idea of
economy which saves dime on one hand
and squanders hundreds of dollars on the
other.
The wise reform measures enacted by
you at the regular session, which we're de-
signed to stimulate revenue officers to in
creased diligence in the collection aud
prompt remission of the public moneys,
and which at first seemed onerous to col
lectors and others affected by them, giving
rise to some remonstrance and COM
plant, were nevertheless fraught
with the most satisfactory results,
marking an area of radical financial re.
form-a partial measure of which is at
tested by the plettorio condition of your
state treasury.
Had you done nothing else worthy of
commendation, this would eminently en-
title you to the gratitude of the people.
1 may also 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 highly satisfactory financial
condition set forth in the comprehensive
and exhaustive report of the comptroller
of public accounts exhibits the proof, not
clone of what has been accomplished thus
far by the efficiency of collectors making
the closest collections ever recorded, and
the prosecution of delinquents by the at
torney- generals department., conducted
with vigor and fearlessness to be COM
mended, bat suggests the possibilities
awaiting us in fuller development of
perfection of these reform measures.
| WANTS THE TAXES.
And 1 suggest, for your consideration,
as meritoriou5 and proper subject of
legislation, the better enforcement of the
constitutional requirement, that taxes
shall be assessed by uniform end just
rules, so that the public burden shall rest
with equal weight upon all men with
respect to the valuation of property for
| ha of ha TN
ton clearly demands that property shall
be taxed at its true value; yet, it is noto-
rious fact, that, so far as real estate is
concerned, this provision of law is almost
universally disregarded, and the low and
varying valuation brings a high and
uneqal rate of taxes, to the detriment of
small property holders whose possessions
are generally assessed nearer their true
value for the purpose of sale or exchange.
In this connection, your special atten-
ton is called to the report of the comp
troller, where mention is made of the
large amount of money in banks
escaping taxation, ard, it may be
added, in loans held by agents in some
} instances for corporations and
individuals residing outside 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 January l, and in few
months the firms broke, and the goods
were absorbed by creditors and no taxes
could be collected.
For the correction of these evils, 1 re-
spectfully renew the suggestions of my
former message. These vast interests
pay nothing to thesupport of our govern
ment, and yet they go into our courts and
enforce their claims at 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 mans small home and hard earnings
are taxed.
While we should gladly welcome the in
vestment 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 re-
| quirements.
| SOME Deficiencies.
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 to himself, retired from the
cares of Office, and was indicted into the
executive chair, there was revenue bal
auce in the treasury of $479,70432, but
against that there was a deficiency to be
provided for, amounting to 1926, 1852,
which reduced this surplus to $1S3, 928.80,
and the financial outlook was anything
but cheering when realized that the fol-
lowing demands upon the treasury would
have to be speedily metz
First $14S,000 for the current
monthly operating expenses of the gov
eminent, due in fifteen days; $1O2, 1874
for the necessary expenses of the legisla-
ture, and 100000 which you
wisely determined to appropriate
for the immediate relief of our
unfortunate fellow-citizens of the drouth
district.
To this extraordinary appropriation
was added $4,000 for a pecial election to
test the sense of the people on the adop-
ton or rejection of the constitutional
amendments to be submitted; $4,000 for
the establishment of deaf and dumb asy-
lum for the colored people, and $1,000 for
reformatory. And the embarrassment
to my mind was greatly increased by your
honorable bodies enaoting a law to sus-
pend the forced collection of taxes, which
I l.