The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-12-21
WHOLESALE SUITS FOR TAXES.

WHOLESALE SUITS FOR TAXES
If is true that Governor Hogg In
tends to insist on the comptroller IT,
suing inst, uctions to his collectors t(
sue for taxes promptly after Jan. !
does it not seem that the governor
must be involving himself in remark
able Inconsistencies? Three months
ago he Issued a circular letter calling
attention to the terrible hard time:
and the consequent inability of many
taxpayers to settle their taxes, and on
that account beseeehing certain
classes of government officials not to
draw their salaries for awhile. But
this last program, If carried out, will
mean either that the taxpayers
are not as hard up as the
governor at first thought, OF
1t means that the governor is deter
mined 20 have their money whether
the lay payers are hard up or no';;
orwhether or not 1t ruins many good
but poor citizens of Texas. II this Is
so it would seem rather harsh treat
ment by a governor who for so long "a
time has boasted himself the great
friend of the poor man.
But-there is another aspect of the
depleted treasury that should be con-
sidered, and it 10 this: A state govern
ment has no right to scale down its
tax rate TO scratch figure on the the
DRY that all the taxes will be collected.
If the political parties of state were
of nearly equal strength, it would
he wrong for the party in power
to DO such thing simply to
puff itself. But when, as in Texas,
one party is in supreme control there
can be no possible excuse for any one
administration for .vainglory's sake
attempting such thing. The people
expect their government to be econom-
ically administered, but they want
their officers and all state employees
paid living wages and promptly.
They expect to be taxed for this pur-
pose. Now If Texas cuts off at both
ends of her yardstick she will not
measure very accurately. If she in
creases her expenses and at the same
time cuts down her tax rate she may
expect deficiency. 1t is well enough
for a state to have a low rate of taxa
ton as an immigration card, bat it is
better for state to have
the reputation that it always
pays it's debts promptly and
never has warrant going
around hunting for q shaver.
But the unthinking may ask why
increase the tax rate, If the present
rate Is so high suits must be brought
for It's collection? The answer is OBJ
vious. hose who now must be sued
would have to be 80 treated were the
rate half what 1t now is. The tax rate
of Texas is very low, and it would be
but little more burdensome to those
who do aud can pay their taxes II ii
were INCREASED to an amount that
would pay all the states expenses
without shadow Of doubt and with
out having to depend on every little
land owner or man who had dollar
of personal property in the state. A
penny wise and pound foolish
policy does no better for state
than it does for an indl-
vidual, and the sooner Texas
legislatures and government officials
learn this lesson the better will it be
for the state. The STATESMAN very
much sympathizes with those officials
whom the state at this time finds IL
inconvenient to pay, 1t also sympa-
thizes and more with those poor men
who can't pay their taxes and yet
whom the state now proposes to com
pei to pay. Irany of the delinquents
are of the class who are able but un.
willing to pay, then by all means put
the screws most vigorously to them
But against the really poor, in The
midst of these most extraordinarily
hard times, 1t seems to US it would be
a most grievous wrong for the state tc
harshly proceed.