The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-03

year at 20 per cent ad valorem tax, we
have the following, viz:
Balance on hand August
81, ISs9.......... ........ s 6g,4sO G.
Estimated receipts during -
the year,. ...''''''.'. l,oO%io1' &c
Total receipts, with bal
ance Oh hand .......... Sl,SI2,4sO Al
Estimated appropriations, 1904, 97l.20i
showing an excess in the estimated APP
preparations over the receipts for that
year of $l72, 1904.
R. oeipts of both years are based on the
1888 assessed values, amounting to 1851, ;
084, 1904, an increase over the assessed
values for 1887 of $30,672,5 03.
THE SCHOOLS.
The embarrassment caused by the con-
tinued necessity of registering warrants
drawn on the available school fund could
not in the past, and cannot in the future,
be avoided under, the present system of
pportionment and operating the public
schools. Conforming to the laws, the
board of education in July each year
makes the apportionment for the next
year beginning September 1. The schools
open over the state in September. A
period of about four months intervenes
between that date aud the time when the
funds become in any measure available to
meet the expenses. The loan made by the
called session of the Twentieth legisla-
ture of $504,000 afforded temporary re-
lief only. The constant everyday query
from almost every section of the state,
"when will we get our school money" ETC.,
places the comptroller and the state treas
urer in very unenviable position trying
to explain the cause of the delay, and of
fering excuses for the existence of the IN
avoidable trouble. There is no Disgusting
the fact that under the present regime the
system is unbusiness-like and pernicious,
and is badly in need of the imprint of new
and decided legislation.
THE PENITENTIARIEs.
Reference is made to page Sc, table No.
"a, showing the condition of the account
of w. G. Parish, financial agent of the
penitentiarles.
1t will be seen the balance in the hands
of the financial agent August 81, 1887, was
1871, 269.23; receipts at Huntsville, $453,-
405.l9; receipts at Rusk, $54,36691; the
amount drawn from the treasury, $l27,-
$50; making a total of 5000, 1928. OF
this amount $477,372 was expended at
Huntsville, SIP, 12S.43 was expended at
Rusk, leaving balance in the hands of
the financial agent August 81, 1888, Of
$17,29080.
Thus it will be seen that the expenses at
the penitentiaries for the year was $685.
5O0.43.
OCCUPATION TAXES.
The receipts from occupation taxes, col
hryt av JI1lu
to May l, 1883 (ten months), were from
the following occupations:
1914 retail liquor Dealers at $500 EACH $685. 900 co
"a wholesaleIiquor dealers, at $500 eachs lU,200 co
3l5 quart liquor dealers, at 500 each. $500 90
t52 beer dealers, at $50 each .........., $4,000 90
4i1 billiard tables, at $40 each. $3.50 90
All other occupations. ........, ...... 1l6433 50
Total neutrality-suspicious.. s553 313 55
To make the year complete, we estimate
the collections for May and June at. $4,000 90
Making the total collection see. go. S6O3,3l3 55
Special occupation tax collected by this
department. ........................ G5S25 %
Grand total $3.50 1879 81
1 respectfully suggest that the oCcupa-
ton laws be amended so that each person,
or firm of persons pursuing an occupation
that is taxed under our statutes, be re
CURED to register their occupation license
with the county treasurer in the county
where the receipt is issued, and that
county treasurers be required to keep a
suitable book for the registration of such
Licenses as are presented to them for reg
istration. And to perfect uniformity in
these records, 1 further suggest that the
quarterly reports required of tax collec-
tors under Article 4742, Revised Statutes,
should be made to run from May l, to
April 80, conforming to the time in which
tax collectors are given to collect the
taxes and settle their accounts with the
state, and that the registration of the
occupation license by the various county
treasurers be kept separate for each year
from May 1, to April 30). The keeping
of these records in this manner would Of
ten furnish information to counties that
is frequently sought and difficult to OBJ
tain.
GATHERING STATISTICS.
There appears to be gross inequality in
the amounts paid assessors for taking
statistics for the year ending December
81, 1887.
For instance: The amount allowed the
assessor of Galveston county by the com
missloners' court for taking statistics,
$3,206.5O. Galveston county has popu-
lstion of 26,379. The number engaged
in agricultural pursuits is limited. Fan
min county has population of 1882, and
you might say a strictly agricultural
county. One Thousand dollars the COM
missioners' court thought sufficient pay
for the assessor. Hood county paid 8
cents for each assessment taken, Caves
ton 80, and Cameron county paid 81 for
each assessment made by the assessor.
There is a general want of uniformity
in the amounts paid the assessor.
Counties having about the same population
and valuation differ in amounts paid
assessors hundreds of dollars.
Beware of Ointments for Catarrh
THAT Contalna Marnuru