Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-10
HARRISBURG.

Monday evening Gov. Hastings sent
a message to the Legislature. the read
ing Of which was listened to with close
attention in both houses. 1t begins as
follows.
L am in receipt OF a concurrent reso-
luton originating in the Senate, dated
May 81. 1897, and coucurred IN by the
House of Representatives on June !,
1897. which Is as follows;
Resolved. if the House Of Repre-
sentatives concur that his excellency
the Governor be requested to commum-
cate to the General Assembly whether
a deficit will exist ut the close Of the
present fiscal year and whether the est
mated revenues for the two ensuing
wears will be sufficient to meet the de-
felt if any exist. as well as the ordinary
expenses of the State government. and
if il his Judgment existing laws are not
sufficient then what subjects OF taxa
tf0a he NAV recommend to the consid-
Grafton of the General Assembly that
will sufficiently increase the revenues
OF the State to the end that no financial
embarrassment may occur.
The information asked for in this
resolution was given to the General As
sembly more than five months ago On
January ). 1891. in my biennial mes
sage | gave you detailed information as
10 the condition Of the State treasury
and an estimate Of the probable income
from all sources for the years 1897 and
1898 | then stated The Auditor Gen
eral and State Treasurer have submit
ted to me q detailed statement of the es-
tirnated revenues for the years 1897 and
1895. Their estimate is based upon the
income for the years 1895 and 1896 and
amounts to 80, 76S, $40 for each OF the
coming two wears This estimate Is
submitted for your information and
guidance in making appropriations COW
ering that period. Notwithstanding
the State debt has been almost entirely
uroyided for. the above figures will in
dicate clearly to you that the appropri-
alton Of public moneys should be reduc-
ed below the amount appropriated by
the last General Assembly, unless some
means can be devised for increasing the
revenues
Since the receipt Of the above reso-
luton Of inquiry, have again called
upon the State Treasurer and Auditor
General for the purpose of ascertainlng
whether after FIVE months had elapsed
from the time of their previous state
rnent. they see reason for any change or
modification Of their judgement. They
inform me that the calculations as given
in January last remain unchanged, and
| concur in their judgment
This estimate of 50, 76S S29 of reve-
nues for each year does not include the
revenues which may be derived from
the direct inheritance tax, lately be
l.. Jf0g - "a on
me measure that has reached me from
vour honorable bodies. 1t is believed
that the direct inheritance tax law viii
Weld abont 81 900, 900 in revenue per
annum.
"On February 2G, 1895, / had the
honor to submit 10 the General Assem-
blv an estimate made by the then
Auditor General and State Treasurer OF
revenues for the years 1895 and 1896.
Auditor General Gregg and State
Treasurer jackson reported that, IN
their Judgment. the revenues would
amount for each of these two years 70
50, 4jj, 725 The report OF
the State Treasurer for the
year 1895 amount to %, 524, 6j4.99.
and for the year 1896, to so, lf6 40. "a,
thus proving that the estimates Of the
Auditor General and State Treasurer
were conservative and approximately
correct Their estimates, in fact would
have exceeded the amount OF the actual
revenues had not the Attorney General
and Auditor General exercised unusual
diligence 10 enforce by legal process,
payments Of overdue taxes. The
records show that there was collected
from delinquent corporations during
the years 1895 and 1896 the sum Of
ss45, ,21166 The collection Of 90 large
an amount, Of couIse, cannot be repeat
ed beca use the taxes are now well col
lected mp to date
He follows this with summary Of
the states finances; says that not
dollar Of the school appropriation for
the year beginning June 1, 1896 has been
paid, reminds the Legislature that it il
their duty, under the Constitution to
find new subjects for taxation, and
advises them to be economical.
Both houses passed a resolution that
night to adjourn July 1st