Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-01-22
Need for Rigid Economy in E1-
pending the States Finances.
PROPOSAL ToIEvY Ajax ON COAL
An EFort wni be Made to Compel the
Payment Of Five Cents on a Ton At the
Mines-Ths Need for Increased Prison
Accommodation
Especial oorrespondencei)

Of the committees and the selection Of
officers In connection with both branches.
Much is promised in the way of improved
legislation. Many schemes for both public
and private beneft will no doubt early sp-
pear. Several significant reforms will be
proposed and an effort made TO enact them
into laws
Among the most important legislation
that is needed, in the opinion Of some Of
the members of both branches, will be an
act to encourage road Improvements
throughout the state. The agricultural
department has made such strenuous
efforts to favor this enterprise that very
considerable pressure will be brought to
bear from the country districts in this
respect
1t is believed that bill will be offered
early In the session providing for an ap-
preparation that will be sufficient to give
q start in the direction of securing great
improvement to the roHdways Of the state
The bill to be offered will be prepared with
great care, and will embody many valu-
able features in connection with this class
OF work, and will provide q just and
equitable distribution Of the state funds
for this special purpose.
shrinkage Of Public Revenues.
The widespread business depression Of
the past two years has been greatly felt in
the shrinkage of the public revenues, as
we'll as In private business, nor are the
conditions likely to improve within the
next year, unless something is done. This
Is one Of the questions that our lawmak-
ers will have to specially consider. Un-
less there can be some way devised by
which the revenues can be increased the
most rigid economy will be required In
authorizing public expenditures for the
next two fiscal years, or the state treasury
will be bankrupt A general reduction
will have to be made in the appropriations
to the institutions dependent entirely on
the state for support TO keep within the
limits Of the revenues.
The report of State Treasurer Haywood
at the close Of December showed a bal
snoe in the general fund of $8,724, 829.
Against this, the moneys owing the
school districts, hospitals, penitent taries
and the salaries Of state officials must be
paid when they become due. There is
still IS 100000 Of the school appropriation
unpaid; while 81 500 900 must be returned
to the counties In personal property tax.
These two items aggregate alone $780,
WV VI hOhHAy pAtOOOyOOO III OACcbb VI bu0
balance in the treasury.
The increase in the appropriation for
school purposes of from e, ,OOO, 600 in 1890
to %, 500, 900 since, which sum amounts to
more than half Of the revenues of the
state, accounts In large measure for the
drain upon the treasury
The revenues of the next fiscal year, 1t is
claimed, will not be as large as they were
during the past year, when they amounted,
in round numbers, to 10000, 900. OF this,
however, nearly 81 200, 900 was derived by
tho collection Of taxes due the state by de-
linquent corporations, which in some in
stances were in arrears to the state in their
taxes for several years; but the state will
not have this resource to draw upon in
1897
Proposal to Levy a Tax on Coal.
| An effort will be made to enact law
this winter that will put tax on anthra-
cite coal Of five cents per ton at the mines,
the tax to be paid by the mine owners
when the coal is shipped to market. BY
the provision of this bill the payments
would be made TO the state monthly, or
semi-monthly. This would afford Inn
mediate relief to the treasury. Were this
tax levied the amount realized by the state
would aggregate over S250,000.
Another source Of revenue that will be
considered is an effort to increase the tax
on the actual value of the capital stock Of
insurance companies. 1t is proposed 10
increase this tax from three mills, now
paid by them, to eight mills. This would
make the tax uniform.
Several other plans are being considered
which will be presented to the legislature
during the session, by which q greater
revenue can be secured. But with the
best that can be done under prevailing
conditions, the utmost economy will have
| to be exercised.
One Of the most important subjects that
will claim the attention of the present
| Legislature is the overcrowded condition
Of our hospitals for the insane and peni-
tentiaries- This was emphasized by the
| governor In his last annual message. The
condition Of affairs demands the special
attention Of the lawmakinR bodies, rs
some solution will have to be made of this
problem or there will be no further room
to incarcerate the violators Of law. Just
what action will be taken 1t Is difficult 10
foresee.
To build or not to build new penitsn-
tiary, involving an expenditure Of about
5000, 900, and from four to i've years time
consumed to complete the same, are the
questions that are being considered at the
present time. It is thought by some of
the members not to be economy to build
additions to the present buildings, but
that IL would be much better to select some
point In the central part Of the state and
there erect new buildings
Attorney General Needs Deputy.
Attorney General Mccormick, who has
zen most industrious and valuable Of
;ial In this capacity, has given out that
additional deputy is required in his
apartment And he says, furthermore,
that the commonwealth would profit very
largely by the creation of this new Office.
He says; ''In addition 20 the work In
volved In this large volume Of business,
the usual proceedings by mAndamus and
suits against insolVent insurance compa-
niles and building and loan associations,
have greatly increased the work Of the
ONCE"
The collections made during the first
half Of General Mccormick term foot up
SS45,2lLle Of which 81 ,7ss2 % were COM
missions paid by defendants. The gov
srnor will approve OF the creation OF an
additional deputy attorney general. This
is one of the few new offices that the sx-
ecutivs Will allow. He has given notice
that he win permit no more new offices
except chief mine inspector and bureau
OF geology, with competent head, to take
the place OF the geological survey commits
sion, which recently passed out Of exist
enee. The governor Is opposed 10 any In
crease In salaries Of officials
IL has recently come 10 the notice Of
the agricultural department that arm
doing business outside of the state Is
working sly game to market thsir goods