Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-08-11
THURSDAY, AUG. II. 1898,
THE NEED OF RErORM.

The statement of the receipts and dis
bursemOnts of the State Treasury for
July is az follows:
Receipts, S4OS, 1895 disbursements,
S4l7, 55O.O6.
This serves to illustrate what is meant
by the demand for reform instituted by
the Democratic platform adopted ut
Chattanooga, and it also points to the
necessity that the taxpayers Of the
State and all who have tho States true
interests at heart are under to elect
capable men to the next Legislature.
1t will be observed that the disburse-
meuts exceed the receipts by something
more than $4,000. This il true nOtwith-
standing that included in the receipts
is $275,0OO Of borrowed money.
Tho largest item in the disbursements
was S92T, O5s interest on the State debt.
This is nearly S4s, 900 less than the
amount borrowed, which shows that e.
Eliminating the interest charge the State
still ran about 500, 900 behind its current
expenses.
This is a bad state OF affairs and it
must be amended. 1t is dot worth tue
while now TO inquire whose fault 1t has
been that such a wretched condition is
reached. II would not be easy to place
come Of an accumulation of evils. 1t
will prove more profitable now to re-
splYo On reform aud to send meu TO the
Legislature trustworthy and capable
who will see that the proper remedies
are applied.
The State revenue in Tennessee can
easily be made sufficient to meet all
requisite expenses without imposing
any OnerOus tax bur"Un. Our State has
greater resources than other common
wealths that arc not troubled with
treasury deficits and all that is needed
TO properly balance its accounts is wise
management Primarily the L"gisla
turs must act in insCituting better con,
ditiOns. Not in the enactment OF a rev
enue law only, but in the election Of the
State officers and the abolition Of sine
cures and other reductions of oxpensei
must the Legislative wisdom be- exer
Cised.
It is not only necessary that the Statt
revenue be mado to moCt its exprndi
lures, but that ~ M provision DO made
for the extinction Of the State debt ant
the cessation OF the heavy interes
charges which it annually necCssitRtca
This is by no means an impossible task
Tho State of Missouri that was som
years ago burdened with State debt
has by the wise use OF a sinking fun,
brought its debt within such bound
that it can be easily handled. Numei
GUS other instances might be cited, an
what has been done elsewhere can b
done in Tennessee. 1t is all simpl
question of business management
Such matters have suffered neglect i
Tennessee while the politicians in tn
Legislature and elsewhere. scramble
over the tlesh-pOts OF Office.
There must be reform, That is plaiI
Lot the people read tho Treasury STATE
ment we quote in the beginning of tn
article and learn therein the neceSSit
for better management
This reform must come from the Den
ocEaLic party. 1t cannot nationally
expected from any other source. III
Democracy embraces the bulk Of the il
telligont and property holding class
and can alone be- trusted to work II
financial regeneration that is neodet
More vigilance is requirod on the pa
of the business men of the State, and
business men we mean not only tt
merchant class, but the substantial ell
mint generally. They have left pol
tics too much TO the idle and irresponE
BILE, TO those who cared only for placiT
certain men in office. The reforms tn
are needed can be easily accomplish
il tho business men will arouse to tu
sense of their duty and send cOmpetei
men to the Legislature commissioned
execute their wishes.