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

AT about 6 O'Clock on the Sth dav NJ
IasI May was handed copy of the
appropriation bill, and was notified
that the Legislature would adjourn the
next day at noon. That evening
TOOK the copy home. and comparing
the appropriations with the revenues
based up n the Is cent rate of taxa
tlon under which the government haC
TO De maintained, l concluded that the
former exceeded the latter by
several hundred thousand col
lars. During that night
scaled down the appropriation bill
about $3.50, 900 with the view of keen
ing the expenses within the limits O
the revenues, and before adjournment
the next day my message to this effect
reached the legislature. Had this moi
been done, a deficiency could not have
been avoided at the present low tsx
rate. Since that time, as before. the
state government has been operated
up TO now without default or defici.
ency. My policy has always been, is
yet and will continue to be, to keen
the state treasury as clear OF surplus
as may De consistent with the neces.
sarv demands of an economical ad
mlnistration OF public affairs. This
can De done only by low rate of tax
aIlon. High taxes produce a surplus
IN Gne government treasury. Low
taxes do not. A surplus is no less
IMAM money contraction and leads TO
heavy appropriations, often to public
extravaganza, the quintessence of
governmental sin.
During the months of September
and October money ia lower in the
state treasury than at any other sea.
son OF the year. This condition is
produced from many causes. Heavy
expenses necessary to carry on the
courts, and especially the district
court, in the prosecution of criminal
cases, wherein the fees of sheriffs,
witnesses, clerks and district attor.
neys must be paid, and in addition to
this under the law the fees due to as.
SCISSORS for making up the rolls in the
early part of the year amounting to
over 100000 which must be paid out
OF the first money received by the COL
lectors, together with the other Or
binary expenses of government make
the draft upon the state treasury
heavier during the first two fall
months than perhaps at any other
season OF the year. During this time
collections for the next year have just
begun after the state treasury has
gone through with the demands of
II months for current and extraordi-
nary expenses. In othel words, DUR
ing August, September and October
the treasury has generally run
lower than at any other times during
the year, and the expenses of at least
two of those months are as heavy, if
not heavier, than any other two
months of the year. There has always
been danger of deficiency, or default
in payments more correctly speaking,
at this particular season, mainly for
the reasons named. Generally by the
middle OF December or first of January
the treasury is flush with money.
Unless conditions grow materially
worse, such will be the status of the
treasury next December and January
Considering the low rate of tax in
existence to support the necessarily
increasing expenses of government in
it's rapid growth, it did not take a
prophet to foresee that perhaps the
money III the treasury at this time of
the y ear might not crafty the heavy
demands ON it. This usual, common
condition OF the treasury viewed in
the light of the financial stringency
now affecting all of the pro.
ducing sections of the United States
led every man friendly to the state
government to apprehend probable
deficiency or shortage in the state
treasury, which, at the worst, could
not last more than 80 or go days; for
at the end of that time the usual tax
returns from the people would abun-
dainty supply the treasury.
WITH oNE-THIRD OF THE MONEY
of the United States locked up idle
and useless in the federal treasury,
and with most of the remainder of the
currency withheld from circulation in
the banks, have long since known
that money would be scarcer this year
during September and Oct Der among
the people than it had been for many
years. The state can not Pr cure re-
venue except by taxation on the peo-
pie. The people can not pay taxes
when their produce will bring but
little or nothing in cash when placed
on The market for sale. Most Of the
farmers of this state have plenty to
eat and to live on at home; and / am
proud to say they are able to hold
their produce from pauperized mar
ket where nothing but sacrifice awaits
them when they enter it. If the pro-
duce of the country were at reason
able price for cash, the people would
have plenty of money, and as conse-
auence the state treasury would be-
flush. AS it is, the taxes are not being
rapidly paid, and as consequence
cash in the treasury is low. Notwith-
standing this, we have plenty OF
money to pay every one who deals
with the state government, and there
will he no default or deficiency in the
treasury unless the officials through
out the state who have fees and sala-
ries due them during these two
months, voluntarily produce that re"
suit. They are well paid for their SER
vices, and they know that their war
rants are perfectly good; tat by or
before the middle Of December every
dollar they m y have due as a fee
or q salary or otherwise will be
...o,o,,+Iy noid than at the state