The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-01-26

tainty be relied upon. see therefore no
reason to expect that our revenues for
the coming fiscal year will exceed the
sum Of III. .ss7. .32s.50. as estimated by the
state treasurer. There may be more and
there may be less. The estimated rev.
enue for the past fiscal year was mill
lion dollars more than the actual reve-
nue. received. I think the only safe way
ixing no more than the revenue esti-
mated. We turn Ahen to our only re-
manning proposition. namely. the re-
duction Of the expenditures.
The estimate Of expenditures for the
fiscal year ending Nov. so, 1899. as made
by the treasurer Of the state, Is $l6,-
164. 1887. This Of course includes the
amount due counties and school dis
tricts and normal schools. which after
deducting the available cash in the
treasury amounts to about $500. 900. as
heretofore mentioned. Some Of these
can undoubtedly be re-
duced: some Of them may be withheld
entirely but the large sums appropri-
ated for educational purposes we can
not withhold. We cannot withhold the
appropriations for the soldiers or
phans, nor the deaf and dumb children.
nor the blind. nor the training schools
for the feeble minded at Elwyn and
Polk. nor for the Industrial schools. The
state has entered upon these projects.
has expended large sums ofmoney In the
erection Of buildings and must continue
to appropriate. Some appropriations
may be withheld from charitable insti-
tutions; but II all Of doubtful merit are
withheld and many others, there will
still not be enough to enter materially
upon the reduction Of the accumulated
Indebtedness. A rigid economy must be
practiced. and It shall be my purpose
in all cases that I can to withhold my
approval Of unnecessary expenditures
and appropriations.
But we must look for other remedies
to meet the existing difficulties. A por-
ton Of the annual appropriation of $5,-
5000 for the common schools Of the
state could be withheld. That could be
reduced. AS I have before stated. 1t Is
far in excess of the amounts appropri-
ated by other states. 1t is far beyond a
due and reasonable proportion Of our
annual revenues. But the state has
entered upon this project, and It might
be unwise to reduce this appropriation.
I would not like to recommend this ex-
cept in case of necessity. I would not
hesitate to do II IL saw no other way
out Of the difficulty. for there Is one
point beyond which could not justify
myself in going. and that is to approve
bills which appropriate more money
than the state Is likely to receive in the
coming fiscal year. The large appropria-
tion to the common schools of Pennsyl-
vania is a matter Of great pride to our
people. 1t has reduced taxation In many
school districts. 1t has increased the at
tendance upon the schools, and in the
opinion of the superintendent Of public
instruction, Is working great good in
the education and training Of the chill
dren.
The legislature Of 1891 passed an act
known as the revenue act to provide
increased revenue for the purpose of
relieving the burdens Of local taxation.
ETC." 1t imposed a tax on money at in
terest. These taxes are annually COL
lected and paid into the treasury OF the
state BY the third section OF this act
three-fourths of the money collected
from each county Is repaid by the state
treasurer to the county. The total fund
collected under this law for 1898 was
$2.722, 245.57, Of which $6s0,561 was re-
tained by the state, and $2041, ,6S4. Is
was repaid by the state treasurer to
the counties from which 1t was col
7 thi,,k ha hnf =
ter bear the burden Of suspending the
third section OF this act. and allowing
the state to retain all of the money
collected for two years than they could
the reduction of the appropriation to
the common schools. Were this done
it would increase the revenue Of the
state over two million dollars annually
and in the two years give the state
over four millions Of dollars. This
would enable the state to meet Its
necessary expenditures and pay its
entire floating debt. therefore recon-
mend to the legislature and urge upon
1t the early passage Of law suspend
ing the third section Of the revenue
law Of 1891 for two years, and directing
that all of this tax be retained by the
state during that time. l see no other
alternative. This must be DONE or else
we must reduce the appropriation for
the common schools.
There is no other plan Of reduction
no matter how economically or rigor-
ously enforced, that can bring the re-
lief which We at present need. Were
this done 1t would result in slightly in
creased county taxes Were the COM
mon school appropriation reduced the
result would be an increase Of school
taxes. The county tax in the various
counties Is now much lighter proper
tionately than the school and municipal
taxes. The people generally through
out the state would feel less the burden
of slightly increased county taxes than
they would the burden Of increased
school and municipal taxes. 1t would
fall with a heavier hand upon the
larger cities In the state. where Is found
the large sums at interest necessarily
resulting from the greatest accumula-
tion of wealth. but these large cities
would suffer equally as much and per-
haps more II a reduction Of the ap-
preparation for the common schools
were made, and their school taxes
necessarily increased. From a careful
consideration of the whole matter, and
an earnest desire to recommend that