The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-01-25

iaiDty be relied upon see, therefore,
no reason TO expect that our revenues
for the coming Gseal year will exceed
the sum Of Sl1, ,6s7, ,sss 80, as estimate d
by the State Treasurer. There may be
more and there may be less. The esti-
mated revenue for the past fiscal year
was a million dollars more than the
actual revenue received. think the
only safe way will be to legislate with
view OF realizing no more than the
revenue estimated. We turn then 70
our only remaining proposition, name
ly, the reduction Of the expenditures.
The estimate Of expenditures for the
fiscal year ending November 80. 1S9a,
as made by the Treasurer Of the state,
is SIG, l64, 1857. This, OF course, iu-
cIudes the amount due counties and
school districts and normal schools,
which, after dedueting the available
cash in the treasury, amounts to about
81, 500, 600, as heretofore mentioned.
Some of these appropriations can un-
doubtedly be reduced some Of them
may be withheld entirely, but the large
sums appropriated for educational pur-
poses we cannot withhold. We cannot
withhold the appropriations for the SOL
diers' orphans, nor the deaf and dumb
children. nor the blind, nor the train
ing schools for the feeble minded at
Eiwyn and Polk, nor for the industrial
schools. The State has entered upon
these projects, has expended large sums
of money in the erection Of buildings
and must continue to appropriate.
Some appropriations may be withheld
from charitable institutions, but if all
Of doubtful merit are withheld and
many others, there will still not be
enough to enter materially upon the
reduction Of the accumulated indebted
ness. a rigid economy must be prac-
ticed, and it shall be my purpose in all
cases that l can to withhold my ap-
proyal ofunnecessaTy expenditures ard
appropriations.
SCHOOLS OUGUT NOT TO SUFFER-.
'But we must look for other remedies
to meet the existing difficulties. a por-
ton Of the annual appropriation Of 81
5OO,OOO for the common schools of the
State could be withheld. That could
be reduced. As have before stated, it
is far in excess Of the amounts apprO-
priated by other States. It is far be-
yOnd due aud reasonable proportion
Of our annual revenues. But the State
has entered upon this project, and il
might bc uuWisc To- retHcc this appro-
priation. | would not like lo re.on,-
mend this except ia case of necessity.
would not hesitate 10 do il if 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 re-
ceive in the coming fiscal year. The
large appropriation to the common
schools Of Pennsylvania is a matter Of
great pride to our people. II has re-
duced taxation in many school dis
triets. It has increased the attendance
upon the schools, and, in the opinion
of the superintendent Of Public In
struetiOn, is working great good in the
education and training Of the children.
KEEP ALL TAxEs FROM COUNTIES.
"The Legislature Of 1891 passed an
act, known as the Revenue Act 10 pro-
vide increased revenue for the purpose
of relieving the burdens Of local taxs-
ton, etc IL imposed a tax ON money
at interest. These taxes are annually
collected and paid into the Treasury Of
the State. BY the third section Of this
act three-fourths Of the money collect
ed from each county IS repaid By the
state Treasurer to the county. The to-
tai fund collected under this law for
lsSS was 81, - 2l5-55, Of which S6s0.-
56l.39 was retained by the State, and
3, ,04l ,6S4 IS was repaid by the state
Treasurer to the counties from which it
was collected. think the people could
better bear the burden Of suspending
the third section Of this act, and allow
ing 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 Ct dollars. This would
enable the State to meet its necessary
expenditures and pay its entire floating
debt. I, therefore, recommend to the
Legislature, and urge upon it the early
passage Of law suspending 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. / 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-
ouolN eu4bICruf LA4AI C-&AA DAlllS tlc re-
lief which We at present need. Were
this done, it 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 munich
pal taxes. The people throughout the
State generally would feel less the bur-
den OF slightly increased county taxes
than they would the burden Of inereas-
ed school and municipal taxes. IL
would fall with a heavier hand upon
the larger cities in the State, where are
found the large sums at interest neees-
sarily resulting from the greatest aeeu-
mutation of wealth; but these large cit
les would suffer equally as much and
perhaps more if a reduction Of the ap-
preparation for the common schools
were made, and their school taxes nee
essarily increased. From n careful con-
sideration Of the whole matter, and ana
earnest desire to recommend that which
in my jugdment Is most feasible, can
fho.. 49,. or,1.