The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-01-31
Our State Taxes.

our high state taxes this year, and
there has been an attempt to saddle
the responsibility therefor onto the
republican administration. Although
this claim has been exploded again
and again by facts and figures, yet
the straightforward, impartial state
ment of Governor Rich before the
state grange will give added empha-
sis to the real facts, and we here
reproduce portion of his statement
as to the state finances and the con-
dition of the treasury as follows:
''The main excess of taxes this
year over what they have been in
Legislative years in the past arises
from the fact that sufficient taxes
have not been levied in the past to
pay the expenses of running the
state government.
81 will go over very briefly the
condition of the state finances for
the past eight years. One Of the
most prolific causes of the increased
expense is the care of the insane.
The cost of keeping prisoners has
increased with increased numbers and
the inability to find remunerative en-
ployment. The building of the upper
peninsula hospital for the insane at
Newberry and of the Michigan home
for feeble minded and epileptic at La
peer, land the increased appropriations
for the university, normal school and
mining school have also contributed
to the result. But when the needs of all
the people are taken into considera-
ton, cannot see that there is any
thing wrong in these appropriations,
and but for the added burden to the
already heavily loaded taxpayer, they
have much to recommend them.
"When Governor Luce was inau-
gurated, January 1887, there was a
balance in the state treasury of
$4440, 292 SO. His administration had
to live one year and over on what his
predecessor had provided, and the
balance in the treasury at the close
of his first year was S94, 060,46 The
Legislature of 1887 appropriated for
1887, 81 ,950,0S5, and for 1888, ST.
45S, 466, total for the two years of
S3,40S,5 51. The amount paid for
the care of the insane for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1887, and June
30, 1888, was S527 $40, and for state
institutions, including insane, ST.
1926.
"The appropriations made by the
legislature of 1889 were s., 1855, 205, or
more than 100000 less than in 1887.
The amount appropriated for the in
sane was $1S6,939, and for all state
institutions, S2,346,693. The bal
ance in the treasury December 81,
1890, the close of Governor Luce's
second term, was $603,515, and on
December 81, 1891, the time when
the administration OF Governor Wi
mans would commence to live on
. what it had provided, there was a
balance of $506,l10, or in round
numbers, 100000 less than one
year previous. During this year
there was received from the general
government $4,000, which went in
to the general fund. Taking this
from balance on hand December 81
1891, would leave balance of $50, ITO,
showing substantially the same bal
ance as four years before, in the mid
die of Governor Luce's first term. The
balance on December 81, 1892, the
end of Governor Winan's term was
s345,S7S, or s257, 631 less than at the
close of Governor Luce's term. Be.
sides this reduction in the balance
they had received $4,000 from
the general government, making up
to that time total reduction OF
$677,637.
"The new administration had to
live one year on what had been pro-
vided by its predecessor, and on Dec.
ember 81, 1898, there was balance
of minus 1928, 300, and this after get.
ting in about 100000 advanced by
the Michigan Central and Lake
Shore &. Michigan Southern railroad
companies, and about $4,000 from
Wayne county; and the overdraft
mentioned was paid by the First