The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-10-12

laborers have nothing to do with it.
The officers were asked to contribute
nothing nor to make any great sacri-
! fice. From all directions, l am proud
TO say, a hearty. patriotic response
mas reached me from these officials
saying they will cheerfully comply
with the request. If they do then no de-
nciency or suspension OF payments will
occur at the treasury. Have you not
often heard of the "great surplus"
the immense leash BALANCE in the
trea'u ry? No doubt you have. How
has this occurred? Don't you know?
We'll, will tell you: A surplus" or
cash balance" simply means that the
government has collected and holds
In the treasury more money from the
people than is necessary to pay its
expenses. To tide over the hard
months at the beginning of tax col
lections Il state in the past has been
compelled to levy a heavier tax than
was absolutely necessary to maintain
the government. In this way this
surplus or cash balance in the treas.
ury has been collected. 1t is impOssi-
BILE under our system of government to
collect revenues in suitable quantities
monthly through the year 30 as to
meet the current expenses as they &C.
crue. Suppose now that my admin
istration had collected 20 cents on the
500 worth of property, then we could
boast also of "cash balance The
savings in taxes to the people by rea.
son of this reduction during the period
of the three years covered aggregate
over ST, 100000. Don't you see? In,
stead of collecting this amount we
have run the government on differ
ent principle. Let all the money stay
with the people except what is abso.
lutely necessary to support the govern
ment. This is Democracy. This is JUS
tice. This Is the result of low taxes.
This is what the people of Texas want.
This is what they have. You under
stand that no money can be paid into
or out of the treasury on the request
or order of the governor or anyone
else except in obedience to or by OK
press authority given by the legisla-
ture through some law enacted for
that purpose. By message the govern
or simply gives hie opinion
to the legislature on the con-
dition of the government, and adj
vises what laws he thinks best to be
adopted, amended or repealed. He
simply executes and obeyS the laws
when they are adopted. Every two
years the Legislature passes what is
called 1.-the appropriation bill" which
authorizes tn payment of money
from the treasury for specific purposes
and for the amount therein named.
This is the chart, the guide, the
authority by which money is paid out
by the treasurer on warrants drawn
by the comptroller. No one can get q
dollar from the state except on the
written order, called warrant, drawn
by the comptroller on the trtas-
urer. The comptroller cannot draw
warrant for any purpose except by
authority of law. So, after all, the
laws passed by the legislature govern
all the officials and provide for the
collection of taxes and disbursement
of public money. 1t matters not how
much money may be in the treasury,
not dollar of it can be paid out ex-
cept on the express consent,
in the form of law promul.
gated by the legislature composed of
the representatives and senators elect
ed by the people. The last legisla-
ture was one of the most painstaking,
careful, economical bodies that ever
assem- bled at the capitol. While it
remained in session longer than usual,
1 am prepared to say that no material
sacrifice of public interest was the re-
suit. They passed the appropriations
bill under and by the authority of
which the money is being paid out of
the treasury.
AS before said, vetoed about $780,
900 of the items allowed in the bill,
for the reasons given in my message,
This made it possible to run the gov
eminent on the exceedingly low rate
of taxes without having much, if any,
deficiency and no surplus during the
year. AS between deficiency caused
by a low rate of taxation, and sur
plus produced as the result of high
taxes, will face the deficiency every
time. So far as injuring the credit of
the state is concerned, this is all
moonshine.
WHAT DOES SHE WANT WITH CREDIT?
She does not want to borrow any
thing. If she did, the calamity howl
ers who have worn Themselves out
trying to drag her name to ignominy
and shame, have 30 weakened in
veracity that they could not prevent
it. When you hear one of them talk
ing about deficiency in the treasury
or bankruptcy of the state, tell him
that if he has a claim against her, to
present it to our able young treasurer
and see if payment is refused. When
he fails to get his pay then he certain
ly has q right to howl. But when,
before payment is refused him, he
heralds it abroad on the streets, in his
favorite resort, the saloons, and else
where, that the state is bankrupt, do
you suppose that deep down in his
wilful heart there is single spark of
patriotism fol his country lingering
there? Do you suppose that such
chaps would not be glad to see the
state bankrupt? AS vultures relish a
decomposed carcass, the calamity
clackers would love to see the
state government collapse. In
sweet anticipation they have lived
on prophecies of dire results for the
past three years, but the poor things
noust work thair IOOaa. hinged laws