The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-19


In his annual report, Mr.. Phillips L.
Goldsborough, comptroller of the
treasury, says the receipts from tax
collectors were the largest in the his
tory of the State. The aggregate
amout was $1,092, 999,S5, against ST.
019, 631.76 the year previous. This in
crease in the receipt of State taxes is
attributed to the increased tax basis
under the new assessment and to
closer collections. There were also
increases in receipts from other
sources, making the aggregate re
ceips for the year $2,095, 31422. The
comptroller complains of the allow
ance, by the act of 1899, of 25 per cent.
to registers of wills upon the States
| money collected by them This al
lowance he considers unreasonable
| large and advises the repeal of the
statute.
The common free-school fund suf-
fered to some extent by the failure of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co.
to pay dividends on its preferred
per cent stock. The school fund
holds $118,000 of this stock, which it
will sell to the reorganization com
mite for $SS, 800.
There was carried to the sinking
funds a larger sum than usual. The
comptroller is to be commended for
his faithful observance of the consti-
tuition in maintaining the sinking
funds inviolate and pursuing a debt
paying policy. Under the act of 1898
authorizing the consolidated loan, the
sinking fund securities are extinguish-
ed and new fund is now established.
The debt since the first of January is
So, $40, 1868, including 100000 pro-
vided for the Fifth Regiment Armory.
These latte bonds are not yet issued
and when they are issued they will
go into the sinking fund. Six hun
dred thousand dollars of consolidated
bonds have already been purchased
for the fund and a new sinking fund
of 100000 has already been provided
for. The annual interest upon the
public debt will be $1S1 ,67253. Be
fore the refunding operations the in
terest was 1901, 049.5 So. OF this $137,-
O29, 00S came to the sinking fund for
interest on the bonds held there in
trust. The cancellation of those
bonds will not, until the State tax is
reduced, destroy the obligation to
carry the same amount to the sinking
funds. The constitution prohibits
the General Assembly from using the
proceeds of the internal improvement
companies, or of the State tax levied
to pay off the public for any other
purpose until the interest and debt
are fully paid or the sinking fund
shall equal the amount of the out
standing debt. The amount carried
to the sinking fund, therefore, should
be the same, or nearly the same, as
heretofore.
The tax basis of the State is $685.
1926, 096, decrease of $4,639, 176 from
last year, all OF which is due to shrink
age in Baltimore city.
The payments for the public schools
are in excess of those of last year.
The tobacco warehouses, under the
Clagett law, are doing well, but
full year under that law has not vet
elapsed
The comptroller appears to be pay
ing strict attention to the collection
of State taxes with excellent results.
The amount due from collectors de-
creased during the year more than a
hundred thousand dollars. Not only
should prompt collections from the
taxpayers be enforced, but the
prompt payment into the treasury by
collectors. TO hold the money after
it is wrested from the taxpayer is
great wrong to the people and should
not be tolerated.
Mr.. Goldsborough urges the impor-
tance of having a State auditor, and
concludes by high commentator
of his colleague, Mr.. Thomas j. Shry-
ock, the treasurer of the State.
Altogether the report is an excel
lentone and the showing is most credi-
BILE to Mr.. Goldsborough. The only
exception to the general healthy CON
dition of affairs is the oyster fund,
which is sadly deficient, and shows,
if such a showing Mere needed. the