Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1891-01-16
MELLETTE'S MESSAGE.
GOVERNORS ADVICE TO THE
SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Length -Ths Public school systsm-Cen-
troll Of Corporations -Other subjects.
After the senate had adjourned 1t met
with the house and the message Of Gov.
Arthur e. Mellette was presented by
him. The governor was In his best form
and spoke with force and precision, the
following being summary VI the ad-
dress:
The state Finances.
The first and most important subject for
your consideration Is the public finances.
The states financial condition could
scarcely be more embarrassing, and her
revenue system could scarcely he worse.
No greater service could be rendered the
state by this body than the adoption OF a
systematic, comprehensive and efficient
code OF revenue laws, and rigidly restrict
ing current expenditures by adequate PEN
alties to the revenues thus produced.
Without such legislation financial disaster
Is sure to overtake the state to the
irreparable injury of her credit. her
Institutions and her business interests.
Members from counties containing public
institutions and who may consider them
selves agents to procure large appropri-
ations In the interest of their constituencies
rather than In the interest OF the state,
should consider whether they would not
prefer warrant FOR 81, worth 100 cents. tO
Q warrant for 81. worth 100 cents. In the
market, remembering that the latter con :
dition means final ruin to the state and hei
institutions. There Is only one safe policy
for the state or the individual. and that ID
to live within her income. IL IL bad
enough for an individual to mortgage his
farm for the entire value Of his improve
ments, and he surely cannot after tAat af-
ford to borrow for the maintenance OF his
household The state having built her pub
ic ince m tySaIv hnrrnwp6 pA
ital, must at least maintain them out OF the
current revenues.
There are now outstanding against the
state about SAC, 900 in warrants indorsed by
the treasurer. mot paid for want OF funds. y
and thence bearing per cent. interest,
which are already subject to a heavy dis
count In the market, and but for prompt
measures on your part TO prevent it their
amount will rapidly increase and their
value decline correspondlngly. This condi-
tion exists after final resort to borrowing an
additional 800, ,00U during the past year
and increasing the public Indebtedness TO
the maximum limit under the constitution.
1t is impossible longer to dodge the issue: II
Is now retrenchment or disaster"
The governor then gives q statement
Of the receipts and disbursements of the
state from November q. 1859, to November
80. 1890. the receipts showing total OF
e5O0.5l2.10. He then said:
at is apparent ut Y glance that the re-
ceipts In the future will fall far short OF
this
1.-THE first item Of $40, 900. .o7 received from
the territorial treasurer Is lost to the future
revenue.
"It is known tina: the receipts from coun-
ties were produced under the territorial
law by 3-mill levy. while the constitution
limits the annual state tax 10 2 mills on
the dollar. This condition In the future
raI, tkn fn.p,, Il Ia
33A per cent, or $77,1Os.s7. Again. the
railroad tax was produced under the terri
torial law. which placed 331s per cent Of
the entire amount collected In the general
fund OF the state. while under the constitu-
ton but mills on the dollar OF tho assessed
valuation OF the railroads can be paid into
the state treasury. Estimating the as
sessed valuation OF railroads within the
state for the next two years at $4,000, 900,
which Is at the rate Of over $4,000 per mile
Of road and equipments, and Is perhaps As
high a valuation as can be expected, being
more than double the tax procured by q 3
per cent. tax on their gross earnings under
the late territorial statute, a 2-mill tax
will produce e20, 900 to the state revenue
from this source, being a further reduction
In the above receipts on account OF rail-
roads from the amount shown In the table
Of $7l, ,1s0.05.
This statement, showing receipt OF $780,
900 from issue of bonds, by which the pub
lie debt was increased to the limit allowed
by the constitution, must be deducted from
future revenues. as must also the bond
premiums, the two making the further re-
ductiou OF S1,9,s12.50. These amounts
aggregate $o9S, 1924 and show an unavoid :.
able reduction in the future receipts over
last years to that extent. Deducting from
this the amount of railroad taxes paid to
counties as shown in the disbursement
CT atanapt ~ &Rl t0s so Will laaya deR-
cheney for the current year OF S:3' $50. A. 1t
is found upon examination that the dis
bursement statement combines extraOrdi-
nary expenditures, such as payments for
furniture, and joint commission claims Of
about sG2, 900, which will reduce the deficit
for the current year to about Sl75,000.
The same result practically, Is reached
by o different and more exact method. On
examining the future sources OF revenue
from another standpoint, q mill tax On
the states assessment OF $4,000, 900, II all
collected, will produce $22o,000. to which
may be added e20, 900, fees from the auditor
OF state insurance department, and $4,000
fees from the secretary OF state, making
S243, 3,OGO.'
The governor gave u list of specific ap-
preparation made by the first state legisla-
ture, aggregating $417.014.24. and other ap-
propriations amounting to S26,ss5.T In
addition to these he gave list aggreEating
s26. 433. 43 OF such items as the agricultural
society expense, board OF health salaries,
transportation of convicts and insane.
bounty to fre departments. etc., which he
said ''had been paid out OF the general
fund during the year by the treasurer upon
warrants drawn by the auditor without any
special act Of appropriation by the legisla-
ture, under color Of authority from the ter
ritorial statutes" After deducting the
cost of furniture for the state legislature
. nd doer al I'M a Of a La nj
he said:
This deduction leaves $415, ,452.76 a. the
present annual state expenditure. A wc
have before seen there Is but SEAS, 900 to
meet this amount, hence 1t Is necessary for
tho legislature to make retrenchnent OF
si72,A52.76 per annum. In order to bring tho
disbursements within the receipts, the
same, practically, as before shown.
~. To this end 1t Is suggested. that sll
Offices that can be dispensed with. without
detriment to the public service. be abOl-
ished and others consolidated. and SAL
aries diminished until the expense Of ad-
ministration Is reduced to the minimum.
regard being had only to the public needs,
not the welfare OF individuals.
80. Provide In the general appropriation
bill definite sums for the per diem. mileage
and contingent expenses OF each state Of
Acer and state agent, aud OF each DEPART
ment and public institution. including its
supervision and management, thus bringing
under control these now uncertain amounts
embraced In class b and king y ma simum
beyond which no responsibility can attach
TO the state. and supplement this enactment
by pro vision In terms nullifying all territo-
rial statutes 10 fur as they can possibly be
construed rs Appropriately public revenues.
or authosixing any state officer. or agent, or
board tS incur any Indebtedness or expend
any money ON behalf OF the state except as
specifically authorized by the state legisla-
ture, and that the auditor shall not draw,
or the treasurer pay. any warrant upon the
treasury except In pursuance of an apprO-
priation for the specific purpose first made.
and providing severe penalties for its viola
tion This stops the expenditures included
In class a. and such Of them rs are desired
can be placed In the appropriation BILL Tho
people. through you thoir representatives.
have ! right to say how their money shall
be expended, and no self constituted agent
should be allowed to usnrp this supreme
right OF the people without suffering severe
penalties. Until this Is done money Will
run out OF the treasury like water out Of =
sieve, and there will always Be deAciency.
Then after pruning down to the lowest