Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-04-05

the financial condition OF the state Is OK
critical, and l confess 1 am un-
able to see how its expenses for the COM
ing two years are to be provided for.
Ever since the state was admitted into
the union the appropriations made by
the legislature have exceeded the income,
and bonds had to be issued to make up
the deficiencies, but this year the condl-
ton seems to be more serious than ever.
Not only has the debt limit been reached,
but the statesowes S150,000 of indebted
ness accumulated during the past two
years which it has no means of paying,
and besides this the appropriations made
by the legislature are far in excess of
the provisions made for paying them.
The legislature made q very serious mis-
take in repeating the gross earnings
railroad law. The railroads have never
paid their just share of taxation, and this
year the state will get less than ever
from them. The state revenue from the
railroads from the 3 per cent gross earn
ings tax waA 100000 during the past
two years. A bill was introduced in the
last legislature providing for a 4 per
cent gross earnings tax. This was de-
feated. II this bill had passed and all
the railroads had been brought in under
the gross earnings tax, the state wonld
have received an income of 100000 from
the railroads this year. With this in adj
dition to it's other income the state could
probably meagrely get along and sup
ported it's institutions. But the gross
earnings tax law was repealed and the
state will derive from the regular 4 mill
tax not to exceed approximately $4,000
to $4,000, in lieu of the 100000 which
it would have received under a 4 per
cent gross earnings tax. Grand Forks
county will receive probably $1,000 to
$4,000 from the tax levy on railroads on
a 4 mill levy on an assessment of $500
per mile, in lieu of the $500 it received
last year from the gross earnings. Cas-
country will receive from $4,000 to $22,-
900 from the railroad tax levy on the
same basis in lieu Of $4,000 received
from the gross earnings tax last year,
and other counties through which the
railroads pass will receive an increase of
revenue in the same proportion. This
will render it impossible to pass a gross
earnings law in the future, as the men,
deriving such increased revenue will
oppose a gross earnings law in the inter-
est of their constituents.
Mr. Booker is in error about a bill
been introduced proposing "a
per cent gross earnings tax. No such
bill was introduced, and an amendment
offered to the 3 per cent bill introduced
making the tax 31@ per cent was defeated.
The railroads should be assessed $4,000
or $4,000 instead of $500, as proposed.
The relative business of the govern
ment and express companies in the issu-
nee of money orders, makes an interest
ing comparison. The United States
government began in 1894 the issue Of
money orders, and until 1882 the yearly
receipts steadily increased. The express
in 1882 inaugurated a money
order system, and as it increased the
governments receipts from the same
source dwindled. The joint commission
for Investigating the status of the execu-
tive departments reported in December,
1893, that the government should lower
its rates for money orders and discon-
time their application blank that every
person DESTROYS of getting a money or
der must fill out. The report said the
express companies had been securing
orders for the larger amounts, charging
less than the government, while the gov
eminent had been doing a larger bust
ness in the smaller orders, which was
necessarily done at a loss. The advan-
tage possessed by the express companies
are, first, that a sender of a money order
is not required to Fill an application
blank; second, that the sender gets a
receipt, and, third, the express companies
rates are cheaper than the governments.
Because of these advantages. the bust
ness of the express companies, since the
inauguration Of their money order sys-
tenn grew from less than 100000 orders
the first year to 100000 orders during
1894. It is assumed that each order
averages $40, and the fee on each order
is 8 cents, making an aggregate revenue
of S560,OOO for the express companies.
At the same time the governments money
order system is lot self.supporting, as
recent reports show the expenses to ex.
coed the fees received, although it is ex-
pected that at the end of the present
fiscal year better results will be shown
because of the changes instituted.
Four years ago, there were no tinplate
mills III this country. There are now in
this country, completed and in course Of