The advocate., 1895-01-09


In view OF the necessity Of making prepars-
tiOns for the payment OF such an amount OF
indebtedness within so short time, and In
view OF the further fact that the severe and
long continued industrial depression COM
pel5 all but those in receipt OF fixed incomes
TO carry economy almost to the point OF
paFsimOny and also In view OF the imperative
requirements OF the various public institu.
tiOns, no appropriation should be made at
this session for which the greatest immediate
necessity does not exist Whatever can walt
should be made TO walt until we shall have
paid of our state indebtedness or until times
shall have improved. Especially should no
more be expended on the state house than
may be indispensable to ft up rooms actually
needed, and TO protect the work lready DONE
The disposition to eXpend money for mere
show should not be INDUCED by tue state
when the people are obliged to forego all but
necessities. The Senate Chamber, which re-
mains idle twenty months out OF two years.
would provide cOmmodlous quarters for the
supreme court until the next biennial session,
and were the supreme court removed to the
senate chamber, the rooms now occupied by
that court could be used by the librarian.
Bonds Of the city Of Lawrence to the amount
Of 100000 issued In 1870 to aid In erecting the
state university lie in the state treasury as
part Of the invested permanent school fund OF
the state Nothing has been paid on these
bonds. neither principal nor interest, since
1884. In lS83 the legislature passed an act re-
l6hSluk blb Clty VI LbWEbuG6 AEOAu Tvs A4hDllAby
upon the payment OF the amount paid by
the school fund commissioner for the bonds
and requiring the Board OK Regents to Issue to
the school fund commissioner like amount
OF bonds running twenty years, the interest
thereon to be paid annually from the income
of the university endowment fund. The at
also reduced the rate OF interest until such
release tn per cent. per annum (See session
laws OF 1888, chapter42, page 8i). But, although
nearly twelve yeas have passed. since the
81 hA uEn nktafa at - Int
renee has not accepted It's provisions, and the
bonds remain in the state trea a.ury. AS the
constitution forbld5 dimlnltlon OF the perma-
nent school funditi Ia doubtful whether the pro-
vision reducing the rate OF interest was le-
gal, but the city OF Lawrence not having at
tempted to carry out Its part OF the agreement,
1T hardly fair that the state should be held to
the other part whether originally valid or not.
AS the bonds we're Issued as an inducement to
secure th elOcatiOn OF the university in that
city rather than elsewhere, there ls no good
reason why they should not he paid. The city
OF Lawrence obtained an advantage over com
pettng localities by agreeing to pay tha sum
OF 100000 toward the construction OF the uni
yersity; and Oy every principle OF ialr dealing
II should pay as IL agreed. But II the bonds
are not to be paid, they should be cancelled
and surrendered, and an Appropriation should
b. made to reimburse the school fund which
the constitution declares shall not be inn
paired True this would be eXaCting from the
offer OF which the city OF Lawrence gained an
advantage over the remainder OF the state,
but either the city OF Lawrence or the state
Itself should make fruitful these dead bonds
now lying In the treasury
Fraudulent bonds to the amout OF $4,000
have been lying worthless In the treasury for
twenty years. The school fund should be re.
imbursed to the amount OF the original
cost OF these bonds with interest TO this
time, and the bonds themselves. should
0AQeFDVnn lnOi9lnGiVn
committee recommended thi1 course and 1t
has been recommended regularly since.
WAYS AND MEANS.
At the close OF the last fiscal year, there re.
malned In the state treasury 20 the credit OF
the general revenue fund balance OF $685.
1850. We may reasonably expect that the
fees and state taxes To be received, added TO
this balance. will make the general revenue
available for the current fiscal year about
$2O0O,700. Against this as liabilities, stand
appropriations aRgregsting $l054.75S 60, So
that we may estimate probable bal Lnce OF
some SOO0000, subject to appropriation by the
present session OF the legislature. and which
may be taken into account in providing for
the next state tax levy.
The state treasurer In his recommendations,
calls attention to defects in some appropria.
tton bills heretofore enacted, In not providing
specific conditions under which warrants
were TO be drawn.
More care should be given to the enrolment
OF bill4 An gorgeous and very serious blunder
was made In the enrolment Of the bill passed
by the past Legislature making an approrria.
tlon for the Girls industrial school at Beloit
The enrolled bill made the appropriation
$1,000 instead OF $4,000 and, but for the trans
fer OF 5000 from the governors contingent
fund, the school at BelOit must have been
81 sed for some months in consequence OF this
Dlunder The amounts should be written out
in full, not trusted to figures alone, and Ger.
tainly correct enrolment should be assured in
some way.
AS fixed by the state board OF equalization,
the total value OF the taxable property Of the
state In 1894 was ,722.
The reports from some institutions not hav.
ing been received, 1t Is impossible at this date
to give the aggregate amount Of estimates for
the next two years.
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION.
The treAsurer's report shows that various