The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-02-01

most nuIuoE miNu can ft4uii{ grasp kul
sitpation OF Affairs. II the sliehte3
thought IL given co the governors y
PLANTATION. Inasmuch as certain DENIM
cratic organs have made much capita
out Of the increased state tax levy of The
Republican administration, following
the reign OF Winans and the squnwbucks
the following extracts oil the governors
speech are given that the exact cause o
high state taxes may be known. The
fellow who called "stop thief' occupied
exactly the same position as do the
Democrats who are at present engaged in
loudly lamentIng Republican "extrava-
gance" During the course Of hisremarks
the governor said:
Ii may not be uninteresiing 10 give q
few facts in relation to state finances,
and the cause Of the present high state
tax.
There is one unpleasant thing aboutit.
/ cannot assure you Of any relief this
year, but next year there viii be a
substantial reduction. The state is
growing rapidly, and some increase in
the amount Of state tax is unavoidable,
as the demands OF the state increase.
In the present case / am not going TO
give anything startling or sensational,
or charge anyone with embczzemcnt OF
the peoples money. There have been
charges Of corruption in every legislature
which has met since the admission OF the
state, but there il very little on our
statute books 20 show that any CON
siderable amount OF the peoples money
has been sacrificed The state business
Is not carried on with that strict econ
omy which a prudent man exercises IN
his own business, but it comes as near to
II ms any public business with which am
acquainted. There have been some inn
proyements made in methods. and there
is room for more. which / trust, may
come N the near future.
The main excess OF taxes this year
over what they have been ia 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.
1 will go over very briefly the condi-
ton Of the state finances for the past
eight years. One OF the most prolific
causes Of the increased expense in the
care OF the insane. The cost OF keeping
prisoners has increased with increased
numbers and the inability to find re-
munerative employment. The building
OF the upper peninsula hospital for the
insane at Newberry and OF the Michigan
home for feeble minded and epiIeptic at
Lopecr. and the increased appropria.
tions 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 consideration
/ cannot see that there Is anything
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 inaugurated,
January / i, 1887, there was balance in
the state treasury OF $40, 292. S3. His
had to live one year and
over on what his predecessor had pro
vided, and the balance in the treasury
at The close oi his first year was SOL
O60.d6. Tho legislature for 1887 APP
propriated Tor 1887, S1,050.0S5, and
for 1888, 81 ,45S, 466, total for two
years OF 81, 40S,551. The amount paid
Tor the care OF the insane for the fiscal
years ending June 30, 1887, and June
30, 1883, was $527, $40. and for state
including insane, $1,792,-
29G.
The appropriations made 10y the
legislature OF 1889 were SO, 0S5, 205, or
more than $780, 900 less than in 1887.
The amount appropriated for the insane
was $7S6, 939, and for all state insti-
$2,346,603 The balance in
The treasury December 81, 1890, the
,lose Of Governor Luce's second term,
was S603,5l5, and on December 81,
1891, the time when the administration
II Governor Winans would commence TO
i've on what IL had provided, there was
) balance OF $506,110, or, in round
numbers, 500, 900 less than one year
previous. During this year there was
'cceived from the general government
s420, 900, which went into the general
und. Taking this from the balance on
Iand December 81, 1891, would leave
$50, no showing substantially
he same balance as four years before, in
he middle OF Governor Lucc's first term.
The balance ON December 81, 1892, the
nd OF Governor Winnns, term, was
'345,S7s. or 1907 ,G36 less than at the
lose OF Governor Luce's term. Besides
his reduction in the balance, they had
cccived $4,000 from the general gov. :
rnment, making up TO that time total 1
OF SOFT ,637.
The new administration had 20 live !
me year on what had been provided 10y |