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

state treasury. Had you done nothing else
worthy of communication, this would en-
inently entitle you to the gratitude Of the
people.
Imay slso add my congratulations that
there is no longer complaint thst the
public money is lodged and held in banks
before reaching its fnsl destination.
And the highly satisfactory financial CEN
ditlon set forth in the comprehensive and
exhaustive report OF the Comptroller Of
public accounts exhibits the proof, not
alone of what has been accomplished
thus far by the efficiency OF collectors
making the closest collections ever re-
carded. aud the prosecution of delin-
quents by the Attorney Generals de-
partment, conducted with vIgor and
fesrle ssness tobe commended, but sug-
gests the possibilities awaiting US in 8
fuller development Of perfection Of
THESE REFORM MEASURES.
And suggest for your consideration,
as meritorious and proper subject of
legislation, the better enforcement Of the
constitutional requirement that taxes
shall be assessed by uniform and Just
rules, go that the public burden shall rest
with equal weight upon all men with re-
spect to the valuation of property for the
purposes of taxation. The constitution
clearly demsnds thst property shall be
taxed st Its true value; yet, 1t is motor
| ious fact inst 80 far as resi- estate is con-
csIned, this provision OF law Is almost
universally cl5reg srded, and the low and
ysryIng valuation orlngs & siga and IN
equal rate of JsXss, to the de.riment of
the small property holders whose posses
sions are generally assessed nearer their
true value for the purpose Of sale Or tx
change.
In this CONGESTION, your speciel stteu-
ton is ca!leI to the report Of the Comp
troiler where mention is made Of the
large amount Of money IN 5apks escaping
Is xAtiOn, ard, II may he added, in loans
held by sgenta, IN come instances for cor
p0rstiOns aQd individuals residing out
side OF the state.
And since your adjournment 1t hiss
come to my knowledge that lsrge stocks
OF merchandise have b en- brought Into
he gate after tae first OF January, and in
few months the firms broke, and the
goods were absorbed Oy creditors, and NO
taxes could be collected.
For the correction OF these evils l re-
specially renew the suggestions of my
torm.r message. Thee vast interests
pay nothing to the support ut oar govern
meut, and yet they go INTO our courts and
enforce their claims st tue expense If the
honest taxpayer, who are taxed unduly
to supply the mac liperY Of government
for their behoof aud baneti-, ant, in some
instances, men thus eVadlng the law have
their c1lIdreu educated at the public
schools, for the maintenance of winch the
poor mau's small nome anu hard earnings
are taxed.
Wnile we should gladly welcome The
| investment of capital 10 sid our Cltiza
xnd further our industries, those who
avsjl themselves Of the tscihtles Of our
| lsws should be forced
TO COMPLY WITH THEIR REoUIRBMXNTs
When my Honorable predecessor, who
| had administered the affairs of our state
government for f0ur years with such
| fidelity TO it's interests and marked snd
lasting credit 80 himself, retlr' from
the cares of ofics, sad I vas incucted
into the executive cnsir, there wss rev.
euue balance in the treasury Of S479,-
| 10i 80, but against inst there was g III d.
Cheney 10 b. provided for, amounting To
! 1926 IT'S 81, which reduced this surplus
to SlS3 92S so. And the financial ou look
X
Iized that the following d. N ,nds upon the
treasury would have to be speedily net
First, SI4S coo fer the current monthly
! operstlbg expenses of the government,
| due in fifteen days; Sl03 1874 for the
necessary expenses Of the Legislature,
and 500 coo which you wisely deter
mined 10 appropriate for the imneditte
relief of our unfortunate fellow-Ci il Ems
of the drOuth district.
To this extraordinary appropriation
WAS aided SIS 900 for special election
| to test the seuse OF the people On the
adoption or rejection Of the constitution
81 amendments to be submitted; $50, 600
for the establishment Of deaf and dumh
asylum for the colored people, and $50 600
| for reformstorY. Aud the emb srrsss.
ment to my mind was greatly Increased
by Jour honorable bodies enscting laH
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 q
nsnces, while honoring the purity Of your
motives and deeply sYmpathiziDg with
the people in their monetary striugency,
felt impslled by a sense of duty to inter
| pOSC III fGtNi 'C'lFV VIZ IL pOfIOu5 buot
the intended relIsf would ultimately prove
disappointment to tax payers by ooub-
ling their obligations a. 8 time when
their ability for payment would not be
iucrs assd by the delay, and in the mean
time
A TEMPORARY DEFICIENCY
injurious to the fl1anclal standing OF the
state would be inevitable. II, therefore,
1t mas happened that tie present admin
istrstioB, 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 at this
time lesve an unexpended sh balance in
the Treasury to the credit Of the revenue
account of 81, 800, 600, exclusive of the
Det indemnity clsim recently received
from the general government, amounting
TO 1929, 54l SO, making grand total Of
| So, APP 54l 81, it would seem to justify the
cIsim mat we have not only been reason
ably economical In handling the public
funds, but the interests Of the state shave
been watched with care and fidelity. And
the question OF all questions that the
4 20 &c,