The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-10-05

Governor hogg to the heads OF de
partments and the state othelai
throughout the state:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
AUSTIN, Tex, Sept. "a 1871
DEAR SIR wish to call your at
tention to the financial strlngency o
the country, and to the CONDITION
Oft state treasury as consequences
About one-third OF the money neces
sary for circulation in the UnlteC
States is lying idle In the tedera
treasury, and most OF the remainder
is withheld from circulation by the
banks. In the great money centerS
depositors have been arbitrarily de-
MED the right by these banks to
withdraw their money except after 6U
DAYS notice, and the enormous federal
taxes. without cessation, are being
daily collected. AS result from
these combined causes the bountl-
ful harvest of the Texas citizens
must remain stored or he bartered
or sold at ruinous sacrlnce.
Though the tax rate of 10 cents on
each 500 valuation oipoperty, levied
TO maintain the state government, IL
very low-less than it has been for
anv considerable time since the war
The people, with plenty to sell, are
unable to raise the money at THIS
time without much distress, with
which to pay their taxes. with
patriotic pride they are unselflshly
doing the best they can by the gov
eminent, but are unable to stand coer'
cion during this crisis.
The first revenues collected are be-
ing paid, under the law, on drafts al
vesdv drawn in favor OF assessors,
amounting to about $3.50, 900, wElch,
added to the other causes, mas 80 re
dnced remittances that cash IN the
treasury is running low.
I'm to date all obligations OF the state
have been promptly paid on demand
1t is desirable by every self respecting
citizen that no default shall be made
by their state government, but as
there is probability that collections
will continue slow for the next ~ or
90 DAYS. a small deficiency may be the
result unless you and other officers
entitled to salaries and fees will wait
for your warrants short while, say
40 or 60 DAYS. If this can be done, the
state will have money sufficient toI
meet all her other obligations and be
snared the necessary humiliation OF
increasing the embarrassment OF the
unfortunate taxpayers at this tlme:
Having confidence in your patriot
ism and friendship to the government
and people, who are in no way CEN
surable for existing conditions,
await your action with s0licltude ana
expected qualification. Very resp CT
fully, }. 5. HoGe, governor.
Well, now that you have read the let
ter, what do you think OF it? A imam
ciai stringency of the country" is an
awful thing! Possibly the Financial
stringency1 of the country is resposi-
BILE for the present impending shortage
in the state treasury, as his excellency
asserts, but let us see. The Twenty
third legislature convened on the 10Th
day of last January. A financial crisis
in the country was then predicted.
But vet. nevertheless, notwlthstand-
ing. the legislature went ahead with
the work of framing its,general appro-
priatlon bill for the support OF the
tate government, and on May III,
1903, Governor Hogg approved the
bill. That bill had the emergency
clause attached, and as soon as 1t was
approved the work of drawing war
rants against 1t began. The above
being facts, of course (O 1t is plainly
evident that the Financial stringency"
of the country is responsible for the
reduced amount Of funds in Mr., Wor.
.tham's hands.
The governor then goes on to say
that Gas result from these combined
lountiful harUa9t nj IHXAS |
must remain stored, etc" ihal wiz
most certainly be news TO the people
of Texas, for most OF them nave peeh
laboring under the delusion that dur
Ing the present year the. cotton crop,
the staple crop of Texas, has oeen lar
below the average.
1t is true, as the governor says, that
che first taxes paid in are, under the
law, going 10 the tax collectors ana
assessors of the various counties HE
STATESMAN reporter was informed
Yesterday at the comptIoller's Office
that little or no money was coming IN,
hut that quite large amount, 1t was
expected, would be coming IN
between the 1st and 10th OF
next month. OF course this
ia conditional on the assessors and col.
Iectors being paid up in full. Ii
enough money is expected in between
those dates to meet the deficiency, Is
il not rather strange that Governor
Hogg, who is expected to know all
the facts in the case, would call on
the states employees to refrain from
drawing their salaries?
AMONG THE CLERKS.
The gentlemen who compose the
clerical iorces of the various depart
ments yesterday had little to say, but
on their faces they wore a look Of
gloom and dependency. All OF them
will certainly claim to be patriotic
and for that matter are believed so tC
be. The reporter yesterday conversed
with quite number of them
but not single one of then
was found who was patriotic
enough to lend his salary to the state
for the next, "say, 40 or 60 dsys.'
They claim that they have their liv
ing expenses to meet, and as they
have made no provision for a lack o
funds, they must have their money
ne 10 ahsolutelv necessary to many o