Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-17

| LlNts VI yOuE IcepSCllFS COustllucuClces
yet may I5venture to suggest thst my
own view about the proper disposition OF
the cash surplus In the Treasury is, first,
to see that the people from whom it WAS
derived in the shape of taxes, shall be-
come the direct benefciaries OF liberal
} share of 1t. And this brings up for con-
sideration very serious and delicate
question. II we were simply required to
determine from the estimated taxable
values of the state Whist rste If taxation
should be msinteined to produce q rev
enue sufficient to meet the ascertained
operating expense, based upon necessary
current expenditures and outstanding ap
propristiops, the proposition would be of
easy solution; but there are other mate
rial factors to be taken into account.
Our state Is in q formative condition.
Its property values are luctuating aud
subject to serious disasters. And, in
addition to this, the receipts derived
from taxation are not uniform during the
year. The great bulk Of it reaches the
Treasury in December and January, and
for full one half Of the year the expendi-
lures exceed the receipts. So that, to
| prevent q temporary embarrassment and
enable the Treasury to meet the lawful
demands upon 1t, you must provide
sufficient margin TO tide the government
over these months. This 10 the dictate
of business prudence, and the best
statesmsnship is but the most thorough
common sense in the az airs Of ordinary
life, enlarged and applied to the business
Of the state.
Besides, as the county and municipal
leVies for &d-Valorm tsxss are controlled
by the rate of the state levy, and 1t is TO
be presumed that they only levy such
smouut az will be actu.lly necessary to
conduct the affairs Of their county, city
or town. 1t follows that 6 reduction in the
stste tax would tend to their serious en-
baErassment. Now, by reference to the
COmp.rClier's statement in answer &c my
inquiry on that subject, it will be o.
served that his estimate Of
SAFE MARGIN
IN inset this contingency is $500 COO, and
his estimate of receipts from 1887 taxes
for the current year, as against sppropri-
stions now in force, show an excess IN
receipts over dishur= ements, exclusive OF
the halArce on hand st the beginning OF
thu fiscal year of only 3298,699 90.
To this we might possioty add the sum
Of whatever collections might be made
from back taxes. But financial estimates
must be ossed upon the solid data OF
asceT'nined facts. The Imagination Is s
poor fasncler, ard wholly without thrift!
or reliability. As this certain amount OF
money is Indispensable to the existence
If the government, the pertinent inquiry
srises-hoW then snail We extend relief to
the tsxptEerS Wlthou: reduction of the
preseu tax rate to suCh an extent as
would IfJrd any spprs cab e benefit, and
without, at the same time, depicting the
receipts balow the requisite margin sbso-
lutely necessary 10 enaole the treasury at
all times to meet the jas. demands
upon it.
To this end respectfully of9r the fol-
lowing suggestions for your considers
ton: Lesve the rate of taxation as Ii
now T., and as the sotsI ed vxIorem taxes
smOunJ to 81 .G26 lC3 81 you night set
spart one third of OILS amount in the
treasury from the cash surplus, srd Oh
rec, by enactment, the remission Cf that
proportion OF TIA vslprem tx OF each
tsI payer when collections are made com
meBcing with September mex. By this
means distribution Of this, or such 9TH
ar proportion Of he surplus a. ylu deem
Inst and wise, can be made 10 the Whole
people, who are best entitled to your f.
v0rsolt consideration IN disposal Of t6i"
money, and by lesyir g this sum in the
Tfeasurv to the crediG Of the revenue &C
coun,, you simply 'snticipata the colec
tions TO 'hst exrent; save the state from
the cost Ct it's collection and t. ke no risk
Of impsiripg is ability to Cp5rste upon.
A CASH PAYING BASIS.
This, OF curse, may b. considered 2
hsrdship upon collec or, a. it wonld de-
prjve them # thst proper 'o1 Of the leeiti-
, ms fees which they would Otherwise re-
ceiva unless you see proper to p-otf CT
them ~ consider ItioD of 'heir claims.
} II by the time the TwertY frs Leg
islature assemblies It shCuld he ascer-
tanned that there WAS still sGrplus by
reason NJ the tax rate being toe high,
thew could sgsin remit the Cverplus to the
people, ard then more sdvisedly adjust
the tex lew to suit the requirements o!
the case. And the only loss to be sus-
aimed BY the taxpayers would result from
the loss OF the interest Oh the excess, II
any, not required for the current eX-
penses Of the government. THIS would
he too small to each citizen to be deemed
objectionable.
In support of the ACCESSIBILITY RI this
, suggestion, csll your attention to 'hf
fact that there VIII ne cen ;l'f CIV IN Tnt-
standing appropriations for the in4!cisry
department., quarantine and other de
msnus. estl1 ated by the Comptroller TO
be $780, 900.
And the following bonds will become
due as follows: S2nO 600. per cents,
mature 1890: si67, ooO. per cents, ma
ture 1891; sos 900. 6 per csnts, mature
1891, and no sinking fund mas been Gre
ated 10 meet them.
:. Four hundred and eighty-three thou
sand, FIVE hundred dollars OF these bonds
belong to the public schools, university
ard the several asvlums.
Iuuestion the wi-fom NJ paving these
|, latter bonds st their maturity, in view OF
the isct that they belong to these specisl
funds and as it is ifficu 70 obtain safe
| investment the mouey would probably re-
. main for time idle in the treasury, with
q consequent loss OF Interest which would
, fall upon thu people in the end. But as
s26l 900 Of them are drawing per cent.
interest, psid By the state, while 1t only
, receives per cent. from the co1nties, Il
49, - oor+reyapT;op ~ the constitution