The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-24

hei az insurance companies, levied by tn,
Oh o. n annroyed May IL, 1898, should be in
ucs osed to two and one per cent, respect
er eir Year by year they are absorbing
n of the time of the courts, receiving
naSditional protection of government anC
mmoking increased profits, especially life
Insurance companies. The annual draiI
" ,,anies is noteworthy. The last report OF
iha Commissioner of Insurance upon the
snbiect shows that for the year 1893 the
nremiums received for fire insurance were
S9925, 24137 and the losses paid ~, 627,
I9S SS' and that for the same year the
nremiums received by life insurance COM
ppauies were So, 524, S37.SS and losses paid
S1,O19,510.61. The excess of fire pre-
miums over losses was 81, 297 ,747.49, and
that of life premiums over losses $500.
327.24 an aggregate for the year of
S3.SO3, 075.03. Fire insurance compa-
MES, moreover, are evading the act of
1893 by writing insurance out of the
State on property situated here, particu-
larly on railroad property and cotton, the
premiums upon which are not reported
or taxed. The principles of the act of
May 18th, 1898, should be applied by ap-
propriate legislation to express and tele-
graph companies. Express companies do
not own lines of transportation to be
taxed and the tax upon what property
they own and that paid for occupation
is not commensurate with the volume of
business done and protection of the gov
eminent received. In a lesser degree
these considerations apply to telegraph
companies and the tax now paid on mes
sages, the value of their lines of transmits
sion being small i'll comparison with the
business transacted
\ The highest salary paid any State oihcer
is $4,000 and the average is probably
$4,000. Many district and county officers,
some of whose fees affect the State treas
\ ury and others do not, receive greater
4 compensation than the highest PAD by
the State and in instances Will reach anu
may exceed ten thousand dollars per an
num- This is unjust to the people, Is
fruitful source of political corruption ana
should be promptly corrected. Inc ices
of District Attorneys should be nmlteu
TO $1,000 per annum and those or all
county and precinct officers should not
exceed $4,000 net, the excess to be palG
into the State Treasury to account OF
General Revenue. In proper cases as,
sistants or deputies should be allowed
but the number and compensation, TO De
regulated by population, should De pre-
scribed by law. 1t is believed law
framed on these lines will greatly limit
the drain on the Treasury and add Hoo'-
600 or 100000 annually to the revenue
Whatever the State may fail TO receive
in fees by dereliction of duty VIII be
saved TO the people by removing the pre-
yailing incentive after the limit is reached
Akin to these subjects are the thoughttul
suggestions of the State Revenue Agent
in his annual report, as to the proper
tion of the cost of assessments pald py
the State. To require the state 10 peitl
the entire expense of assessing the pol
tax and two-thirds for ad valorem taxes
,,t,n 10 tn lntprpSIS
volved and a more equitable division
would suggest one-half for poll tax anC
one-third for all others. This would re
duce expenditures of the State at leas
5000 900 per annum. AS authorized ID!
the Act of Congress approved August
18th, 1894 every character OF money
including National bank notes shoulu Ut
FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Intimately connected with the subjects
inst considered are the financial status OF
The public free schools and the genera
fiscal affairs of the State. ASIDE IRON
the inestimable worth of education tC
the cause of civilization and Tree gov
ernment mon which we should act VIZ
are strongly obligated to render ADEQUATE
snnnort TO the free schools. The whole
neonle have declared in the Constructor
that the schools shall be maintalnad 10
Mt least six months of the year, ana TN
nolitical organization responsible for leg
islation is expressly pledged pledge s INA
ISIS constitutional requirement amt s1 Wn
the the School, school year 1892 tn
onnortionment of the school funt
nar canita was $3.50 and the tern
5.25 months, and for the year loS Sz %
the apportionment per capita was pow
and the term STA months. The increase
in the school term is due to the increase o
the levy of local taxes for school purpose
and the transfer OF one per cent. lton I'M nv
nermanent to the available fund. In
pnnortionment for 1S93-94 was $3.50 ant
for tbe wear 1S94-95 ON scholastic pop
uIation of 500, 1852 it is $3.50 per capit'
for S2.42S,132, which will support tn
schools for 4.0S months. The same appoI
tionment has been made by the Board
Education for the year ending Angus
31st, 1895, although against the JudgmeIn
of the Comptroller, who beheyed IN
amount could not safely exceed ~ oo pc
capita, which would only MAINTAIN OIL In
schools POI months. For the year 1919
I'd there was a deficit of 5000, 01S.45 in tn
onnortionment which has not been paid
Int which with a subsequent dehcl'
amounted on August 31st, 1894, to 5000
! 46S.5O. This deficiency was caused o.
the increase of the scholastic populauo
from 63O,SO3 in 1s93.94 to 693,752 i
1S94-95 and arrears of interest on Ian
notes already pointed out. By the estlmqt
which the Superintendent of Public II
struction believes most reliable the totf
receipts for the year ending August BIS
1895. is put at $2,475,58O. The appooll
tionment for that year is $2,42S, IL.
which added to the deficiency named WI
make a total of $3,0S7, 600.5O, which tn
State will have expended or will owe
II the end of the scholastic year. Ihe Dt
nartment of Education and the norma
Il schools, as was the case until 1898, shoul
he maintained out of the available schot
fund. and not the general revenue, and tn
ANIMAL cost of maintaining them shoul
not exceed $4,000. Adding this to. tn
SIM last named and deducting therefor
the annual apportionment of $2,42S, 10
there will remain unpaid at the end of tn
,urrent year at the present rate OF tax;
don the sum of $6S7,020.50. Attentio
sy has already been called to the fact tn
a the State Treasurer on August list, lS9
N estimated the total deficiency in lntere
81 and leases on August 31st, 1898, les
NJ forfeitures on land sales for 1887,
S761. SS9.25 and the Comptroller at S9ot
IL $50. %. and that now the Treasurer EST
~ o. =