The Somerset reporter., 1899-01-05

an amendment since the constitution
WAS adopted. which amendment express
ly declares that the state shall not, ex-
cept for war purposes. incur debts in eX-
Cess Of 5000, 900. and at present We are very
near that limit. l recommend to you
a careful perusal of the reports Of the
state treasurer. in which you will find
itemized statements of all the receipts
and expenditures for the past two years.
BY so doing il will familiariZe you with
many details, and he a valuable aid in
legislating for this and the coming year.
also feel that 1t devolves upon mo
to invite your attention to some Of the
statements and facts contained in those
reports. which may, perhaps, enable you
to better understand and appreciate III"
exact situation. The receipts from a
sources. except loans, for the two years
past. have been $3.254.0429s. The eX
penditures for the same period, includ-
Ing 100000 paid in reduction of the pub
lie debt have been S3.452, 1888. At the
close of the year 1896 there was in the
state treasury the sum OF $203 500. IS. At
the close of the year 1898 there was in the
state treasury the sum of Sl54, 1878
The amount received from state tax
for the years 1897 and 1898 was 81 &C.. e.
3S6.5S. The amount received from say
ings banks during those two years was
$775.S15.s6, one-half of which was re
funded To the cities and towns of the
state for school pu poses. The amount
received from railroads during those two
years was $325 0Sl AS. The amount re
funded to the various cities and towns of
the tax received from railroads. under
the law, was $126. 100.5S. The amount
paid out and expended during the years
1897 and 1898 in excess of receipts, eX-
cept loans, was 1898, 49, So.
The bnlaD1a which * found in the
treasury at the end of the year is soon
dissipated and is rather fictitious than
real as Immediately after, nearly all Of
1t Is due to the various towns on ac-
count of the school fund.
These statements of receipts and eN-
penditures contain none of the liabilities
incurred or money used in equippint
the troops called for 10 fill the quotas oil
the state in the recent war with Spain
Not one cent has been taken from The
treasury for military purposes during
these years except the usual appropria
ton for the National Guard in time of
peace.
There are, therefore considerable sum
due which should he provided fer arF
paid The railroads have willingly fur
nished all the transportation asked for,
and have not yet received any pay This
/ think, is one of the largest claims
be provided for. and should be paid a.
an early day. There are other and pres
ing bills which l know it will be your
pleasure to take measures to meet.
Yet am confident that when the tina
balances are struck. and when the state
shall have received from the genera
government the amount that is actually
due us of which the accounting office
have alread, certified as correct, $SG-
450S0, and there is some $5o0O more ro'
certified as II has not been presented y l.
1t will he found that we have not in
CURED any very large debt over and
above the SUM that is due Us But [.
states creditors should not wait longer
In the meantime. until the United State
government shall pay the state Shout.
settle all It's debts that are just and dn'
which it can do with small temper alt
or permanent loan for war purposes.
have not ae"ertained the exact amour
of outstanding bills that need to be ear
for that win be presented before Ii
proper committee.
Neither the appropriations for war
purposes or any other have been Over
drawn during the past two years. or ap-
Piled to any 9TH, objects than that foi
which they were appropriated or wer'
intended. and there will be found thai =
balance of unexpended appropriations
was carried into the treasury at the clio,
of the year 1897 of $26, 646.11. and al th'
close of the year 1898 of $3S, 045.2S.
The urgent necessity and sound buzz
ness proposition that we should bl"-
our expenditures in times of peace with
in our incomes must be apparent to you
all. There should be reduction Of ap-
preparations in all cases where it ca h'
made without Gripping or injurlns
worthy objects Of state aid until thi'
basis has been reached. Therefore IL
would be well for you to scrutinizc anv
examine not only the measures or re
eolves presented to you creating nfN
avenues to the treasury. but also some /
those acts now on the statute book. and
see If their npcesSi y is plain and urgent,
and If the state is not, in some cases
paying too much for what II receives
No one should obtain for anything done
for or furnished the state one cent bt-
yond a reasonable price
So far as know, and have examined
with care. every department of the ST.
government has been and now is con
Quoted with judicious economy. and With
an earnest purpose to promote the publ
good. That there is tendencN Ia
crease expenditures in al, on neallN ai
of them is obvious when We culnlal
what they cost today and what th"N II +
for, with what was appropriated i '
remembered the duties and demands or
them have largely increased within the
past twenty years.
| would suggest that actuatel by a
determination 10 use the states money
as you would your own, you de t"rminc
Through the proper committee or cor
inittees. what is absolutely necessary
for the several departments of the state
government, and all its institutions, and
confne all appropriations for them
within that limitation.
There should be no gross sums anpro-
priated to be used in common by several
departments for express bills or for any
other purposes but each shou d havt
assigned for itself such sum and no
more. for contingent and other expenses,
Us you find absolutely necessary.
MILITARY AFFAIRS.
After years of patient waiting and
timely warning and Intellectual negoti-
ating the people of the United States
were compelled in the interests of hu-
mainly and good government to cali
halt, and To put an end TO the despotic
chronic and inhuman conditions. very
injurious and detrimental to their into
ests, that had so long existed in cuba
Congress- in the exercise of its Consti-
tutional prerogative in the month ~
April last solemly declared that a stat.
of war existed between this country am
Spain. Happily. the contest was bril-
sharp and decisive. Signal victori,
crowned our arms on land and So
which have led TO such au hornrah'
settlement and treaty that all for Viii
our government commended ard eNr1
more, has been fully realized The asi
vestige of Spanish misru'e and tv.ars
has been blotted out and forever driN e1
from the American continent. Tho pee
x,fa o,+aruo.bar, tbr,1gbopt m, MIN.