The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-01-21
HARRISBURG LETTER
Need for Rigid Economy in Ex-
pending the States Finances.
PROPOSAL TO LEVY Ajax ON COAL
An Effort VIII be Made to Compel the
Payment Of Five Cents on a Ton at the
Mines-The Need for Increased Prison
,ndn AT
Especial Correspondence.)


week is, Of course, the formal election Of
Boies Penrose to succeed ]. Donald CAM
eron in the United States senate. 1t Is
scarcely probable that the legislature will
accomplish little more than the approval
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 benefit will no doubt early ap-
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 improvement
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
a start in the direction Of securing great
improvement to the roadways 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 Us 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 bal
ance in the general fund of 1924 500.
Against this the moneys owing the
eCuOOl ulSOIiCUS, hospiohiS' pchiUch VOL iOS
and the salaries Of state officials must be
paid when they become due There Is
still g, 900, 900 of the school appropriation
unpaid; while 81, SOC, 900 must be returned
to the counties in personal property tax.
These two items aggregate alone a $780,
900, or nearly 81 ,0O0, 900 in excess Of the
balance in the treasury.
The increase In the appropriation for
school purposes of from q 00O, 600 in 1890
to IS, 500, 900 since, which sum amounts to
more than half Of the revenues of tho
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 $4,000, 900. OF this,
however, nearly 81, ,000, 900 was derived by
the collection Of taxes due the state by de-
linquent corporations, which in some in
stances were in arrears to the state in their
taxee 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 q 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
tho provision Of this bill the payments
would be made to the state monthly, or
semi-monthly This would afford i'm
mediate relief to the treasury. Were this
tax levied the amount realized by the state
would aggregate over S250,OOO
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 to
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 o greater
revenue can be secured. But with the
best that can be done under prevailing
: conditions, the utmost economy will hav,
to be exercised
One Of this most important subjects tha
will claim the attention of the presen
legislature Is the overcrowded condition
Of our hospitals for the insane and peni
tentiaries. This was emphasized by tn,
, governor In his last annual message. TIL,
, condition Of affairs demands the specia
attention Of the lawmaking bodies, a
, some solution will have to be made of thi
to incarcerate the violators of law. Jus
what action will be taken 1t is difficult +
1 foresee.
To build or not to build new peniten
tiary, involving an expenditure Of abou
5000, ,OOO and from four to five years tim
D consumed to complete the same, are tn
, questions that are being considered at tn
present time. 1t Is thought by some c
the members not to be economy to bull
D additions to the present buildings, bu
S that 1t would be much better to select som
point in the central part Of the state an
o there erect new buildings.
:, Attorney General Needs q Deputy.
. Attorney General Mccormick, who ha
: ,oen a most industrious and valuable o
icial In this capacity, has given out tha
!, n additional deputy Is required In hi
apartment. And he says, furthermor
hat the commonwealth would profit yer
> largely by the creation of this new offic
: He says; I'm addition to the work IL
volved In this large volume of bushes
the usual proceedings by mandamus an
suits against insolvent insurance comp,
| I,.;l at.