Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1897-06-03
One of the Problems Not Solved.
Correspondence OF the Ledger. q.

MEXICO, Mo-, May 27.-It was we'll
known whep the Assembly met that
there was deficiency in the treasury
of about 100000. One of the prob
lems to be solved, was how to meet
this deficiency.
The administration proposed as one
of the ways, and the chief one, the
plan suggested, and which has already
been discussed at some length, of en-
dowing the State University. By this
plan of endowment there would be no
necessity of an appropriation to that
institution and thus the State would
be relieved to that extent.
This appropriation was estimatedto
be not less than one hundred thous-
and dollars. Let US look at this prop
osition little. Suppose the endow-
ment bill had passed as estimat-
ed above, there would still have been
deficiency of $500, 600, but the GEN
eral Assembly only appropriated s67,-
900, 80 that the real deficiency would
only have been reduced to 1888 700,
not meeting one-fourth of the in
debtedness, very small item in the
deficiency.
There was a proposition to issue
state bonds and even pressed 30 strong
as to argue that the revenues could
not be raised without it. 4ut men,
bers of the House thought that all the
needs of the State could be met, and
that, too, by the enactment of whole
some laws-laws actually needed and
beneficial to the people, and such laws
as would work no hardship upon any
one. To this end bill was introduced
in the House, and passed'with but lit
tie opposition, to raise the State Ii
cense on saloons from $50 to to 800.
This, from the number of saloons in
the state, would have increased the
revenue S350,000, only lacking fifty
thousand of enough to have met the
entire Indebtedness. Nor need it have
been any hardship to the saloons. The
counties could have reduced their tax
w JuSb Sudl CAuCAt anu hOu hntO UCCA
hurt in their finances. do not know
but that the bill had such provision.
And l understand that it, at least, was
suggested by Judge Seibert, the State
Auditor. Yet, for some reason not
put upon record, the bill failed of
passage in the Senate. The only rea-
son of which can conceive was that
to pass that bill would be to rob them
of very potent weapon to fight for
the passage of some other measure,
the only weapon of defense for which
was deficiency in the treasury.
Another bill that met with little op-
position in the House, and was gen.
orally spoken of as a good measure,
and 1 think would have met the ap-
probation of the tax payers of the
State, was "The General Franchise
Bill" Had this measure become a
law il was estimated that 1t would
have added $500, 900, at the least cal
culation, to the State revenue.
Suppose these two bills had been
passed, admittedly good measures
within themselves, there would have
been added to the revenue of the
State $3.50, 900, thus meeting the entire
deficiency and giving a surplus of
S150,000 for other important purposes.
But when this bill reached the Senate
it. too, was laid on the shelf.
But there was still another measure
for raising revenue and also one for
the general good, known as "The Beer
Inspection Bill" This bill would have
added but little to the cost of beer and
would have insured good article to
the beer drinker, or at least would
have informed him of the kind of beer
he was using. We have a coal oil in
spection bill that brings considerable
revenue, and this is one of the neces-
saries of life, and why not beer in.
spection? Had this bill become
a law it was estimated that it would,
of itself, have added s50O,OO0 to the
revenue.
Here are three measures that had
they become laws the country would
have been bettered and the revenue
to the State would have been in
creased 81 1850, 900. This would not on
ly have met the deficiency but there
would have been large fund that
could have been appropriated for the
benefit of the State University, the
Normal Schools, the Lincoln Institute
and other important purposes.
True, the revenue derived from the
beer inspection bill was, as it passed
the House, to have been given to the
improvement of roads and highways,
very appropriate use of it, provided
it was not needed worse for some
other purpose. This was placed to the
road fund by the House because it was
supposed that the other two measures
would pass the Senate and become
laws, and thus meet the deficiency,
besides furnishing one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars for the benefit
of the schools. When the two first
named measures failed, had the Sem
ate have designed really to relieve the
treasury by passing the beer inspec-
ton bill it could easily have been
amended 80 as to have been added to
the general revenue. 1t seems to me
very apparent that there was no spec
ial desire upon the part of the Senate
to meet the deficiency, or at least one
of the above named measures would
have met its appreciation.
1t has been argued that had the en-
dowment bill become law that
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