St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-29
The Governor Floats a Bill
to Increase the States
Bond Debt.
The Smell of the State Text
Book Contract Permeates
the House.
Like Chestnut Banquo the
New State Capitol Scheme
Returns.
Senators Glance at Their
Work and Adjourn With
Dignity.

1t was one of the frequent and charac-
teriStic remarks of Gov. Merriam during
his campaign to say: Il will take care
of the state finances" His admirers
caught the thing up. and from Red Lake
60 Crane Greek he was referred to as
the ''young Napoleon of finance" In
his inaugural message, the governor
said:
1T is not unlikely that during your
session bills may be Introduced pr0yid-
ing for the issue of bonds to meet some
special emergency. or TO realize funds
with which 10 prosecute some public ell
terprises that ii may be deemed wise to
enter into: and. while it is your duty to
carefully consider all such measures.
yet it would seem to be prudent to eX-
ercise the greatest caution in creating
debt of any magnitude at this time; for.
While commercial, Industrial and agri-
cultural business generally is satisfac-
tory. there are indications of the de-
yelopment of conditions less favorable
that might cause our liabilities to be-
come burdenSome if materially in
creased"
These circumstances had led econ
omlcal members of the legislature to
expect that the governor would be among
the first to resist any attempt to increase
the present burden of the taxpayers.
But on March 5 he forwarded mes
sage to the house in which he recon-
mended not only an increase in the
states tax rate of two-tPnths of mill.
but al increase of the states bonded in
debtedneSs of 100000. But the Joint
legislative committees on finances in
their final report recommended an in
crease of the tax rate OF three-tenths of
mill, and did not recommend any in
crease OF the bonded indebtedness. D.
+. Morgan said to the GLOBE at that
time:
This increase in the tax rate will
take the state finances out of the woods
by 1881 without any increase of the
bonded Indebtedness.
Yesterday. at the request of Gov.
Merriam. Mr.. Morgan introduced the
following bill:
The governor, state auditor and state
treasurer are authorized to borrow on
the credit of the state the sum of S40o.-
600 to meet extraordinary expenses of
the state Incurred under appropriations
payable from the revenue fund, at rate
otlntereSt not eXceeding4 per cent. The
bonds are to be issued: Minnesota
revenue bonds, S25O.O0O Minnesota
building bonds. $4,000. For the pur-
pose or redeemIng these bonds the state
auditor shall levy for eight years an
annual tax Of one-tenth of a MILL
This bill proposes to remove de-
ticiency in the state treasury of s250.000
by creating new state debt of 500, 900,
of which $4,000 is to go to the
state institutions octopi. 1t also adds
for eight years to come one-tenth Of a
mill to the tax rate. Thus, if the bill
passes, this legislation and the governor
will have added to the burdens of the
taxpayers three-tenths of mill to the
tax rate and 100000 to the bonded in
deDtedneSs. The total state debt at the
present time is $3.50, 100, or, without
the internal land improvement fund,
1885, 900. This is the economy which
shines so lustrously over the legislature
and the by the request" Of the gov
ernor'S office.
Lobby Flends.
AT IL o'clock yesterday morning the
following number of lobbyists were on
the floor of the house:
Liquor interests.
Local bills )
ReapportiOnment. g
Against grain bill Observation-Disclosures. 3
State institutions 5
In seats of members. Observation-Disclosures. S