Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-01-17

tion, during t,ae past four yvaxs, Of sisa5oo. q
tho beaded debt outstanding. ts5O.O00 - In the
hands Of individuals or corporations, and o647.
0C0 10 hold by different State funds. Tho per
manent school fund holds e537. 900; university
fund. a. 900 and the sinking fund q. coz
State bonds to the amount Of $4,000 viii fal
due ON July I, next but provision has already
been made for meeting them, by the issue OF
new per cent. twenty-year bonds. TO be sold
to the permanent school fund, under the terms
OF act of the last Legislature. No Other
bonds OF the State arc due and payable prior to
| October Is, 1894.
| APP PROPRIATIONs FOR THE CURRENT YEAR
Tnere are some facts in connection with the
dnaucial condition OF the State which 1t Is nee
| essary that the Legislature should bear con.
| stantiy In mind. The current fiscal year enos
| on Juno 81, next. The tax levies OF this year
| arc already made. and the assessment OF prop
erty values is on the tax rolls. Neither OF these
| can now be changed. The assessed valuation
| OF all the property of the State, for the fiscal
ear. aggregates S353 248 $50. and the State tax
| of 81 mills, levied by the last Legislature for
general revenue purposes, will produce a
revenue OF u. 236 800. The appropriations made
by the Legislature Of 1887. payable out Of the
general revenue fund for the current fiscal year.
aggregate d, 103.340.
If, therefore, the entire amount of the tax
levy could be collected and paid into the State
treasury before June 81, it would exceed the
appropriations already made only $133. So Elk
perience has shown, however, that there is in
variably deficiency of about per cent.
in the collection of the tax levy, resulting
from double and erroneous assessments, that
have to be corrected, and from delinQuencies in
payment similar deficiency, this year, would
aggregate ISL, Si8. leaving in the general revenue
fund, in excess OF the appropriations already
made only 81 ,Al. A few receipts from mis-
cellaneous sources will probably swell this
amount somewhat. But the aggregate appro-
priations OF the present Legislature payable
out of the general revenue fund for the current
fiscal year, can not exceed Sl25,00 without
creating Indebtedness for the payment of
which no money can he provided.
The State has steadily adhered to the wise
policy OF making the revenues OF each fiscal
year meet the appropriations for the same year.
1t is reasonably certain that the assessed value
of property, for the fiscal year ending June 3 D.,
1890, will not greatly exceed that OF the current
year. The percentage of taxation should not
be increased. The financial condition Of the
people forbids this. It Is important, therefore,
that the facts above presented shall be kept in
view in making the appropriations for the next
two fiscal years. The revenues of the State
will be ample to meet the ordinary current ex-
penses of all the departments OF the Cove rn-
ment, and to pay for all public buildings abso-
charities. But the strictest economy in appro-
priations is, at the same time, imperatively de-
manded, and should be rigidly adhered to.
MONEY RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED STATES.
The Governor is made the agent to receive
from the United States all moneys due the
State. During the past two years have re-
ceIved drafts. which have been turned over to
the State Treasurer. for the following amounts:
January IA. 1887. on account of expenses OF the
militia in 1854, S23zO1; November 2a 1888, on &C
count OF per cent on sales of Government
lands s26, 700.9J.
MUNICIPAL DEBTS AND TAXATION.
In my messages to the Legislatures of 1885
and 1887 called attention. ut some length, to
the enormous aggregate OF our municipal debts,
and earnestly urged that stringent restrictions
and limitations be put upon the debt creating
and tax levying powers OF counties, townships,
cities and school districts. In my message to
the Legislature OF 1887 pointed out the fact
that these municipal debts were largely created
by voting bonds to aid In building railroads,
and urged that all authority to vote or issue
such bonds be revoked. except in counties hav-
ing no railway lines within their limits.
The Legislature of 1885 took no action on this
subject. The Legislature of 1887 enacted a law
reducing the limit of such aid from 81, 600 to
q. 600 per mile, but unfortunately this law, by
its own provisions did not go into effect until
the 1st OF July, 1887.
The steady and enormous growth of our mu-
nicipal Indebtedness amply justifes all the
recommendations touching this subject made in
the messages referred to. On the 1st of July,
1884, the county bonds and warrants outstand-
ing aggregated "a, 065 748 %; township bonds and
warrants, 81 CSC, O3090 city bonds and warrants,
rants, Notwithstanding an aggregat NUM-
cipal Indebtedness OF S15.95l, 9S6. On the list
OF July, 1886, the aggregate of this indie btedness
had increased to ST. 779 800 A. and on the 1st of
July, 1888. it had reached the appalling sum of
$3l. 1G7.6 469l with $73, 71203 in sinking funds,
making the net municipal Indebtedness to be
yet provided for, So, 733 93487.
The county bonds outstanding on July l.
1888 aggregated $13, sO7 PCS. 25, and the county
warrants, S73,,9S337; township bonds out
nd To-
Sic, 30S. 80; city bonds outstanding, $5,2443H4 40
and city warrants, 1854, 1885, &c; school district
bonds outstanding, $4,5l3s37.59, and school dis
trict warrants. S41, 1893 65-making a total, as
above stated, Of $31, 107, $3.50. In other words
the municipal Indebtedness Of Kansas has been
doubled since, in January, 1885, I called the at
tention OF the Legislature to this subject and
urged that the most stringent restrictions and
limitations be put upon the debt creating and
tax levying powers OF all municipalities
It seems to me. in view OF the facts and fig
ures presented, that it is the imperative duty of
the Legislature to at once repeal every law
authorizing the creation OF municipal debts for
any purpose whatever, except, perhaps, the
building OF school houses. PAY as YOU go,
ought to be- henceforth. the motto of every
municipality in the State.
RAILROAD BOND VOTING.
Fully four-ffths of all the coun " township
and city bonds issued have been voted 10 aid in
building railroads. It is reasonably certain
that three -fOurths OF the railway mileage con-
| structed during the past four years would have
been built if not single dollar of municipal
| aid had been voted. And it is an unquestiona-
BILE fact that every mile of railway built In
Kansas during the past four years. for which
| there was any legitimate demand or that has
been of real benefit or substantial value either
| to the business OF the State, the prosperity OF
| the people, or the pecuniary welfare of the
| railways or their stockholders would have been
constructed without the stimulus of a dollar O,
| municipal bonds
Kansas long ago passed the period when the
| fictitious stimulus of municipal bonds was nee.
eSsary to secure the building OF legitimate rail.
| way lines. The decade of war ended in 1868
| and that of doubt or experiment closed in 1873.
! From that year to the present time no intelli
| gent citizen OF the United States has ever ques
| toned the resources or doubted the prosperous
development OF Kansas. Every dollar of mu
| nicipal bonds voted, during the past eight years
| to stimulate the btilding of railroads. has been
| q useless and unnecessary public burden
Il