Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-03-09
GOES TO WORK.
TIE MISSOURI house SETTLES
DOWN TO BUSINESS AND Is
DOING GOOD SERVICE.
ARE REFUSED
A Shortage in the States Finances
Likely and an Effort to be
Made to Increase the Rey-
enue-Saloon License
to be Doubled
Q, T. Aliens
M Letter.
APPROPRIATIONS ARE REFUSED


Correspondents of the Ledger.
JEFFERsoE CTrY, March 2.--At last
the House appears to realize that the
time has come to do its work. 1t has
done good work this week. The gem
eral appropriation bill was ordered TO
engrossment on Tuesday last. Itcon-
tains the usual appropriations for
carrying on the State government for
the years 1ss9-19OO, and they aggre-
gate nearly S500,000 The House de-
olined to put in it an additional ap-
preparation OF s2,400 for the benefit
of the office of Secretary of State,
though the appropriations committee
recommended that 1t be inserted, be-
cause the committee deemed 1t neces-
sary. The House also refused to in
sert In it an additional sum of s., 200
to pay q clerk in the Attorney Gem
erals office. The Attorney General
seems to be one Of the hardest worked
officers Of the State government, and
the appropriations committee was
unanimous in its recommendation that
the said sum be inserted; bat the
House said, tNo."
On Wednesday Mr.. Kiskadden made
a very effective little speech. 1t was
about thus: "Whenever q Railroad
and Warehouse Commissioner is to
be elected, there are an abundance of
candidates ready, willing and anxious
to be sacrificed The position is at
tractive because 1t. pays $4,000 per
year. believe that II the compensa-
tIon was only $4,000 per year, there
would still be an abundance Of oandi-
dates of both parties; therefore, /
offer this amendment reducing the
annual compensation to $1,000" The
amendment was adopted by large
majority.
Heretofore, the opinions OF the
Oourts OF Appeals, when rendered,
have not been cent to the attorneys
In the case unless paid for by them.
The bill, offered BY Mr.. Davis, Of Pike,
requiring the clerks OF said courts to
send type written copies OF each de-
oIsion to the attorneys In each case,
was ordered to engrossment last
Wednesday, which indicates that It
will pass the House. Sending copies
OF decision to the attorneys in the
case means sending them to the
parties interested and relieves them
Of the expense OF getting copies.
The bureau OF mines and mining is
now in charge of the Labor Commits
sioner. 1t has grown during the past
few years to be bureau of much inn
portance and has completely over
sbadowed the Labor Commissioners
office. A bill is pending to separate 1t
from the Labor Commissioners office
and to create a separate department
to be called the bureau of mines and
mine Inspection, and on Wednesday
last the bill was ordered to engross-
ment, after . sharp contest.
Several years ago the tax rate for
State purposes was 20 cents on the
800. II was reduced to Is cents and
then the financial depression came
and down wentthe assessment values.
These two causes have worked to-
gether to produce threatened deficit
in the State treasury. Had "prosper-
ity" come along, as some said it would
under the single gold standard, the
assessment values would not have
gone down and the 15-cent-rate
would have kept the State treasury
well-filled. Now, however, the State
will coon be confronted with an
empty treasury unless something Is
done to "head of" the threatened
deilolt. In due time, it is said by
those who are posted, bills will be
passed TO prevent this threatened de-
fioit, and there will be no raise In the
property tax rate.
Auditor Seibert, whose head Is q
long and reliable one, says the esti-
mated receipts into the treasury dur
ing 1899 and 1900 will aggregate
e4,5OO, 900, and the ordinary expendi-
lures during these same years
will aggregate about s4,7O0,0OO. This
iuoludes the small shortage for ls97-s,
thus indicating q shortage Of s20O, 900
during the years 1893 and 1900. Should
the present Legislature respond favor
ably TO the demand for the enlarge-
ment OF the buildings OF our charitable
Institutions, and something must be
done along this line, then the short
age will increase and will run up TO q
much larger amount, perhaps to
$500, 900. II is the duty Of this Legis-
lature to guard well all appropria-