The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-10
CONSISTENT WITH THE FINANCES
OF THE STATE.

OF THE STATE"
Under the head of "Home Indus
tries" Governor Wells in his message
says: Tie necessity of doing all in
our power to encourage the growth and
/ development of our home industries is
apparent to all. We may differ as to
what may be the best methods to pur-
sue to accomplish so Iaudable a pur-
pose, but all will agree that something
should be done" Then under the plea
of furnishing employment for our
young men, providing a home market
for the produce of our farmers that
the freight charges of taking said pro-
] duce to distant markets may be avoid
ed and keeping our money at home,
the Governor recommends to the earn
est consideration of the legislature such
action in favor of bounties and remis-
sion of taxes to new industries as will
be consistent with the views he ex
presses in favor of such policy and
consistent with the finances of the
state"
Happy thought, that consist
ent with the finances Of the state" We
commend its serious consideration to
the Republican members of the legis-
lature. According to the Governor we
inherit a bonded Indebtedness from the
territory Of Utah of 100000; a floating
debt of 100000 more, making the state
! debt 100000 in all.
But that does not begin to tell the
tale of the burden of Indebtedness I'm
der which the people of the state are
sweltering. Salt Lake City and Salt
Lake county Indebtedness amounts to
nearly four millions of dollars, and in
other cities and counties the city.
county and school Indebtedness is high.
We saw an estimate not long ago of
the interest that the people of Utah
were paying on the combined indebted
ness and it amounted in round num-
| bers to $500, 900 per annum. Now in
addition to this burden we must have
increased taxation. to pay the salaries
Of state officers to meet the expenses
of the state legislature, heretofore paid
by the general government; to support
the penitentiary; to pay the expenses
of the courts. We must also increase
our bonded indebtedness in order to
raise the money to meet the expenses
Of the government until the taxes of
1896 become available for such purposes.
Then there are quarters to secure and
furnish for the state officers in addi-
ton to their salaries. The expense of
operating the penitentiary by the gen
eral government has been $40,1S9 per
annum, but the Governor is of the opin-
ion that by rigid economy it can be
run for $4,000 per annum. The uni
versity asks for $13,95O to pay an exist
ing deficiency; for SIT, 500 for the main
tenance of the institution to the end
Of the current school year, and for
900 for its maintenance for the
school year 1867, making total of
s69, 500 that must be appropriated for
the university alone. The amounts
asked for by the agricultural college
and which are essential to its contin-
uance aggregate $4,000. The reform
school reports deficiency of Sc 600.
If the reform school is maintained in
its present location there will be an ap-
preparation of at least $4,000 needed to
meet its expenses for the coming year
The insane asylum requires an appro-
priation of So. 600 There is also a de-
felt and future expenses to meet in
connection with the school for the deaf.
dumb and blind. but how much is not
stated. There is an appropriation for
the care of the capitol grounds recon-
mended; an appropriation Of 5000 for
premiums at fair in 1895, and $4,000
more for the expenses of the Deseret
Agricultural and Manufacturing So
ciety.
There is no way Of meeting these
burdens of the state only by borrow
ing money, and taxing the people to
pay It. Our public institutions ought
not to be and cannot be neglected; and
with these burdens weighing upon the
people, with our large public debt and
its burden Of interest will the Repub-
Hcan legislature increase taxation up
on the people in order to have money
with which to pay bounties to greedy
corporations and syndicate We say
increase the taxes of the people for
this purpose because the legislature
can only borrow money for public pur-
poses. not for private uses; and thanks
to the Democrats in the constitutional
convention and about twelve Repub-
leans, the credit of the state cannot
be used in aid of private enterprises.
Now we ask the legislature if, in view
of all the increased burdens that come
to the people with statehood, and in
view of the financial condition of the
state, it is wise to attempt to raise
money by taxing the people TO pay
bounties for private industries, in
FAINT" or otherwise? If only such action
is taken by the legislature as is con
sistent with the finances of the state"
they will refuse to pass an act max
ing appropriations for bounties. Again
we say the Governor was happy in
limiting his recommendations on the
head Of bounties to such action as will
be Consistent with the finances of the
state" If the legislature Is as happy
in its action as the Governor is in his
Communications, there viii be no ap-
preparations for bounties