The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-12
STATE TAX RATE TO BE STEEP.
PENSION DEMANDS INCREASING AT
AN ALARMING RATE.

The Legislature TO BE Called Upon to
Provide An Additional $4,000 or
$4,000 to Meet the Demands of the
Pensioners Twelve Hundred New
Applicants For the states Bounty
On the List - Two Thousand Pro-
vided For In the Original Law.
Atlanta. Ga, Aug. 1.-THE legislature
at it's approaching session viii have some
tall financial problems to wrestle with.
Unless some of the laws on the statute
books are wiped out or amended so as to
cut down the expenses of the state gov
eminent, the indications are that the tax
rate will go bobbing upward like the mer,
curry on a July day.
Instead of taxes being lowered to cor
respond with the stringency Of the times
and the general depressed condition Of ar
fairs. as evidenced by the great slump In
the valuation of property as shown by
the controller generals tax books, it
seems that there is no escape from the
highest levy the state has ever had. Pen
sions will cut a figure in the question. It
has developed that the legislature will be
called upon to provide $4,000 or $4,000 more
for the payment of the invalid pensioners,
who are entitled to pay under the present
law. Under the peculiar circumstances
surrounding the situation there IS no way
out Of it but TO raise this extra sum and
pay it to the Old soldiers, unless the
whole law is repealed, and there is some
talk along this line among members and
officials, who have discussed the matter
together at the capitol
When the invalid pension law was pass
ed 500 600 was appropriated, upon the cal
culation that there would not be more than
1900 applicants who would be entitled 20 it.
II soon appeared, however. that this was
not enough and at the last session of the
legislature an additional $4,000 was pro-
vided to take care of 500 more invalids at
$50 per year each. But il seems that even
this extra appropriation which was intend
ed by the legislature to be the limit does
not begin to cover the field. After having
paid the $50 to the first 1000 on the list,
Pension Commissioner Johnson found that
instead Of 800 new applicants subject to
approval as contemplated by the legsla-
ture when the appropriation was made,
there were POO or more on file 1t was
clear that $4,000 would not suffice 10 pay
200 persons $50 each, and so after a con-
ference with Gov. Atkinson, it was deter
mined to split the amount and distribute
the $4,000 as far as il would go at $50 each,
this being a partial payment of the amount
TO which the pensioners are emitted. The
effect of this plan is that all the appn-
cants who received the $50 this year in
stead OF $50 as provided by the act, will eX-
poet the legislature as soon as it assem-
bles TO arrange for the payment of the
balance due them. 1t seems quite sure that
the legislature will have 10 do this, for it
would not be just to give 1900 pensioners
In the same class the full $50 and then put
the remaining 1900 off with half the
amount contemplated by the act
Besides raising this additional money
Tor pensions, the legislature will have TO
do something to provide for the care Of
the convicts IL the present lease system is
modified. The governor and Principal
Keeper Turner, as already stated are in
favor of the state taking charge of the
women conVicts and the juveniles even
If the others are leased out under plans
similar TO the present contract They will
strongly recommend this, and if this is not
done there will be 500 600 or more to raise
to build the penitentiary required for this
purpose, and this is the least expensive
plan for the settlement of the convict
question lhdt mas as Yet been considered
with favor. It would take 81 10000. ii Is es-
ted, for the state to provide for work
ing the convicts herself upon farms as Is
done in Mississippi. To put them on the
public roads il would cost about half that
amount the first year. all of which shows
that the scions will have TO do some tall
thinking when they assemble at the capt.
tol this fall.
The state tax Is already al the high wa
ter mark. and the people are clamoring
for retrenchment. The estimate of the
controller generals office to-day is that
there will be a falling off Of s., 900. 900 in the
returns this year. The slump is that
much now. with fourteen counties vet to
be heard from, and these are as likely to
increase the slump as decrease IT, With
this slump il will take the maximum al
lowed by law 70 raise enough for the gov
eminent.
1t is true that there has been some talk
about lower rate on account OF the word
ing Of the appropriation bill, which does
not seem to provide for the collection of
the million dollars school appropriation
until next year. Controller General
Wright thinks that the law only author
lies the 100000 for schools this year, but
Gov Atkinson, who acts along with the
controller in making the levy takes the
other view. holding that the million dol
lars must be raised this year in order
that It may be available for the payment
of the teachers next year. II this is so.
the legislature viii have to come to the
rescue with new tax rate TO counteract
the slump and provide for the balance
due the invalid soldiers on this years
pensions
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