Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-12-21
THE STATES FINANCES.
Republican Administration Draw
ing to a Close Has Been
Economical.


The biennial report of Secretary of State
Casson for the two years ended Septem-
Der 80, 1896, is in the hands of the print
er and will be ready for distribution
shortly. It shows the condition of the
several state funds. with a complete
statement of receipts and disbursements
therefrom during this fiscal term, given
IN detail; also an estimate OF receipts
and disbursements for the next two
years, the revenues for that period be-
ing estimated to exceed the expenditures
by $1415.56. this including the balance
in the general fund September 30 last,
which was $49,S15.56.
Economical Administration.
That the finances of the state have
been most carefully and economically
administered is shown by the condition
of the general fund This embraces all
the revenues of the state applicable to
the payment of the ordinary expenses OF
the state government, the sources from
which it is derived being a tax on civil
actions, license of railroad companies,
log driving and booming companies, tele-
graph and telephone companies, insurance
companies and hawkers and peddlers;
fees received from notaries public, from
various state offices and from the sale
from this fund are authorized by per-
manent and temporary appropriations.
The general fund receipts for 1896 eX
ceeded those for 1895 by 1886, 758.O5, be
ing for 1896 So, 124 ,567.57, and for 1895
of 1880, 692.SO. The disbursements,
on the other hand. were 1913, 1862 less
in 1896 than in 1895, the figures being:
1896. $2,111, 37O.51: for 1895. So, 729,-
5O6.73: a total of So, $40, 877.24, or $49,-
815.56 less than the receipts.
How the Democrats Made Showing.
The figures in the last biennial report,
near the close of the Democratic admin
istration, showed q balance in the gener-
al fund of $977,315.71. This showing,
and putting off all payments possible I'M
til after the report was made, and when
the Republicans came into power they
found a deficit of $40 in the general
fund and $1,000 in the school fund. Of
this seemingly handsome balance $751;
SO had been paid out on vouchers issued
in lieu of taxes: nearly $4,000 had gone
to the charitable and penal institutions,
SAC, 1000 to pay the salaries of the SUI
preme court justices and the balance to
pay other debts.
The Republicans. on the other hand,
when this report was made, September
30 last. had outstanding accounts OF not
more than 5000 to meet. 1t was found
necessary to borrow $4,000 from the
trust funds in 1895 and $21O.OOO in 1886,
but all Of this has been paid back and
a balance of $49,S15.56 remained. And
this despite the fact that the receipts
from railroad taxes were several hun
dred dollars less than in previous years,
these taxes being fixed on a percentage
of the gross receipts
The balance III the trust funds has
grown from $79,511 10 in 1894 to $685.
O25.18 in 1896. The receipts for the
past two years were S3.S37 .32O.49; dis
bursements, $3,532, 29531.
The General Fund.
The actual receipts of the general fund
for the past two years were S3913,377.-
O9. of which the largest item was from
the railroads, $2,348. 546.14. The dis
bursements. aggregating $3.50, S77.24,
were as follows:
Salaries and expenses. .......... $685., 985. SO
Permanent appropriations. ..... 9292o.91
State census. .................. 9O,825 45
Legislative expenses. $3.50. 161, S2S.74
Charitable and penal institutions l, 1OS971. IA
Labor about capitol. ............ 100 1853. SO
For sundry purposes. .2,77S692 .92
The legislative expenditures include
$6404.76 for the special session of 1896.
Under sundry expenses are included the
maintenance of the National guard,
1925, 1881 for the two years; the trans
fer in lieu of taxes, $132.510: the pay
ment of trust fund loans, amounting
with interest to $500, 877.19; maintaining
insane in county asylums. SGT ,516.44;
free high schools, 500, 4oo.3s; printing,
$67 ,04O06; payments to county agricul-
tural societies., ,$71, 15701; special appro-
priations. 1886 ,545.S5; bounty on wild
animals. $2O,97S; and several smaller ex-
penditures.
The Trust Funds.
Tho rooo;ntS and Disbursements Of tho
trust funds for the two years were as
follows:
DiSburSe-
Receipts. ments.