Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-18

actua' cash excess OF appropriations
made this year, the people OF the state
should calmly and carefully consider
the irriparable injury done to the states
credit 10y the reputation of the 1923 900
OF debts due from the state to various
parties. Even claims whose business
aud legality have received the approv-
al OF the highest legal tribunal, are re-
jected AS easily as if they had been
fraudulent and devoid of merit. Under
such circumstances how can any cred
itor of the state feel secure? II is safe
to say that hereafter no one will ex.
tend credit to the state. If any ap-
preparation should be found INSULT
cient to meet the necessities of the de-
partment or institution for which the
appropriation was made that depart
ment or institution Will have to s,,s-
pend operations, for no one would extnd
credit when the people of whom credit
Is asked, know that reputation is the
rule of the legislature in dealing with
state debts. Populistic theories re-
garding tine rights of debtors, to escape
the pay ments of their obligations have,
with commendable consistency, been
applied to the state. The logical char
acter OF populistic reasoning is simply
perfect. Ii an individual has a right to
evade payment of hi, debts, the state,
being an aggregation of individuals,
has the same right, but to greater de-
gree than single person; hence while
All individual may resort to almost any
means to evade payment of his debts,
the state is entirely justifiable In whole
sale reputation. Is it any wonder
members of such legislature are com.
PEELED to have the warrants issued for
their pay discounted when the paper
is disposed of.
TAXPAYERS WILL HOWL.
Now let us briefly examine the tax
for state purposes for this year and
next. The total appropriation for the
years, as shown above, is $537 ,OS3 a.
OF this amount $75,OOO.OO for deficien-
cies, reliefs and legislative expenses,
must be met by an issue of warrants
at once. These and all other warrants
bear per cent interest. The $75,OOO
will run about nine minths making an
interest charge on them Of nearly
$500 that should be provided for in
the tax levy. All other warrants will
run on an average seven months MAX
ing an additional item of nearly $40.
600 for interest that must be taken
into consideration il determining the
amount that should be raised by direct
taxation. Then, too, another impor.
tant factor that must not be lost sight
OF In the matter of taxes is the percent
age of delinquency which one year
with another averages about 8 per cent.
From all sources, license, etc, out.
side of taxes, the state will receive
during the next two years about $5O,-
600 (this is based upon receipts from
she same sources in past years. which
deducted from the total appropriations
leaves $487 900 to be raised by taxation
for The expenses of the state not in
Guiding interest on warrants and de-
liiquencies; including these items the !
account stands AS follows in round
numbers:
ApprO' tons less cash rec'ts $487, 900 90 |
Int. on defcv and like " is. $500. 90 +,
Int. on other warrants. .. 1900. 90 |
Ieltn Quency . 30 600 90 |
Grand total 1853, 500. 90 |
THERE WILL BE A DEFICIT.
Now the assessed valuation of the
state is practically S29.OOO,OOO which
makes necessary Il levy "a TO cents
on the hundred do lars, If we expect
to come out even ut the end of the two
years.
The retrencher>, however. levied Il |
tax Of $506,OOO which AS shown above
Is $43, 600 too little, The levy though |
Ii equal to S7i cents on the hundred |
dollars, for general revenue purposes
higher than was ever known before
and yet 80 low that it will leave n de-
felt Of $43. 900 that will have to oe met
by bond ISSUE or some other unusual
means two years hence. 1t Is but prop ,
er that these facts should he made
plain to the people now so that they
may he considered from now until an
other campaign comes around The
demo'pops OF the legislature knew
these facts and In 1895 they should not
tie allowed to plead the baby act and
pretend Ignorance respecting what
was necessary to he done by tile 4,h
Legislature.