The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-02-18
A LETTER IN EXPLANATION.
Secretary Casson and Treasurer Peterson
Write on the State Finances.

! Department of State, Madison, WIS.,
Sir: An article in the Milwaukee SEN
tinel of February 4th, showing SEEM
ing increase OF state expenditures for
the biennial period ending September
80, 1896, would seem to call for some
explanation in order that the public
may have clear understanding
Under the system of book keeping in
operation in the Offices Of the secretary
of state and state treasurer, it is neces-
sary that every dollar coming into the
general fund of the state should show
as a receipt, and every dollar disbursed
therefrom as an expenditure. Under
this system the one mill tax for the
year 1894, amounting to 5000, 900, and
portion of the nine-fortieth mill tax
for the support and maintenance OF the
university, amounting to $132, $40, hav-
ing been paid from the general fund
surplus, instead of by levy upon the
taxable property of the state, aggre-
eating ,$732, $50, show in the biennial
report as expenditures of the state
government, when in reality they were
not.
The figures given in the article in the
Sentinel, as taken from the biennial
report of the secretary of the state, are
correct in every particular, but are mis-
leading for the reasons given above.
The increase Of expenditures alleged
for the fiscal years 1895 and 1896 over
| r., of
and 1894 may be accounted for as
follows:
| Increase of eXpendi-
tures Sl,3 42 AS IS
This increase consists OF the following
Payment on trust fund
loans..... $4,000 90
One mill tax paid from
general fund surplus 100000 w
Part of $40 mill tax for
university paid from
general fuad surplus 1900 w
Taking OF census as re-
quired by the consti-
tuition and laws of the
state e0,825 IS
Printing census report 90 %
Increase for mainten-
ance of chronic insane
in county aSylumS,
caused by an in
creased number OF in
sane .. 102, 500 50
Paid to charitable and
penal institutions, M
G.. Clarke, treasurer,
but refunded by SaiG
treasurer to the gen
eral fund, under chap
ter 202 of the laws OF
1895 .............. 1929 II
Money received from
and expended for
charitable and penal
institutions, under
chapter POP of the
laws OF 1925. ll4,oVo 81
Balance .......... 1895 a.
Making total Of 81 357, $751; q 81, 357,381 %
To explain more fully, as it was ap
pretended, during the session Of 1895,
that the general fund receipts would
not be sufficient to meet all the current
expenses of the state and the appro
priations of the legislature, payable
from the general fund, chapter 81 of
the laws of 1895 was enacted, authoriz-
ing a loan from the trust funds OF the
state to the general fund, in case it
became necessary to meet the ordinary
and current expenses of the state gov
eminent and the appropriations of the
legislature, of sum sufficient for that
purpose, to be repaid to the trust
funds from the general fund revenues
of the state for the fiscal year ending
September 80, 1896. Accordingly
$260,O00 was transferred from the trust
funds to the general fund, which
amount was re-transferred to the trust
funds, as provided by law, and was not
an expenditure.
The laws of Wisconsin provide that
there shall be levied annually, one
mill tax for the maintenance of the
common schools of the state, and a
$40 mill tax for the support and main
tenance Of the state university. AS it
appeared that there was sufficient
money in the general fund to pay these
taxes, the sum of $732, $50 which had
heretofore been paid by the counties,
was paid out of the general fund sur
plus instead of by levy of mill tax
upon the counties.
The constitution of the state, re-
inforced by section 99l of the r. S.,
provides for the taking of the state
census every ten years. To carry out
the provisions of this act, and for print
ing the census report, $98, 354.74 was
expended by the state.
Chapter POP of the laws of 1895 abol-
ished the custom of transferring to the
treasurer of the board of control of the
charitable and penal institutions, the
money estimated to be expended in the
succeeding month for the maintenance
of the several institutions, and accord
ingly $40, 2527l, which was transferred
in April for that purpose, was refunded
to the general fund. Under this law
the receipts of the several institutions
were also paid into the state treasury.
to the amount of $1l4. 6068l, which,
prior to the enactment of this law, were
NOT aopOnnfod for IN the rnpaiptS and