The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-09-28


than real. The state treasurer's state-
ment for the fiscal year ending July
81, does show that there was So, 109. 49,. 50
in the state treasury, and his state
ment also shows that almost 81 ,00O, 900
of that amount belongs to the perma-
nent and general school fund, and that
$4,000 will be distributed among the
school districts of the state next month
will come right back to the people. But
here are the figures that show to what
funds the amount in the treasury be-
longs:
General revenue. ..........., STA, Ill II
Soldiers relief 81 $40 90
Funding tax. ............. So, 602 10
Permanent school. ......... 237, 245 66
General school. .............. 751 ,65620
Permanent university. 9.S51.
General university . 81, SOC 90
internal improvement. ....... S,7463
Internal Improvement land. 68. 1873 %
state institutions. ............ 99,60719
swamp land..:... 19,35S79
Grain Inspection. 21,5752S
All of these funds, except the general
revenue fund, are trust funds in the
hands of the state treasurer, eachsfu
held for a separate and distinct pur-
pose; for instance, the permanent
school and university funds are de-
rived from the sale of school and uni
versity lands and must be permanently
invested. This is constitutional pro-
viso.
True, there was $744, 111.74 in the rev.
enue fund on July 81, but in all proba-
bil1ty that fund will be overdrawn on
January first next. All the running ex-
penses of the state, government are
paid out of the revenue fund The
heavy tax collections are all in by the
first OF August, and the revenue fund
viii not be replenished to any great
extent until the railroad taxes com
mence to come in after Jan. l. At the
end of every calendar year there is a
deficit in the revenue fund Let me
Illustrate: On Aug. 1, 1897, there was
S5l4,39S.S5 in the revenue fund, and on
Dec. 81 of the same year it was OVER
drawn to the extent of $1S5, 1921; on
Aug. l, 1898, there was $543, 66029 in the
revenue fund and on Dec 81 of the
same year it was overdrawn to the
amount of $S0,877.34; on Aug. /, 1899.
there was $6S7,027.52 in the revenue
fund and on the following December it
was overdrawn in the amount of
500, 925. 80
The overdraft is provided for by sec
ton 1853, Stat. MINI. 1894. Last year I
reduced the tax levy one-tenth of
mill below the rate fixed by the legisIa-
ture, and this year intend to reduce
the rate still another tenth of mill.
but below that it would not be safe to
go. The increased revenue derived
from railroad insurance and other cor
porations made it possible to reduce
the tax levy. It would be poor policy
to fix the tax levy so low that there
would not be enough revenue raised to
meet the current expenses of the state
The time is fast approaching, in my
judgment, when hardly any direct tax
will be necessary for the. support Of the
state government The taxes derived
from railroad, insurance and other cor
porations will be sufficient to meet all.
or nearly all, the expenditures for
purely state purposes. I repeat what I
said in my report to the legislature of
1895: 1.-THE modern tendency in taxa
ton by states is to lessen the tax rate
upon realty and derive increased reve-
nue. from taxes upon corporations, in
heritances, etc. Foreign corporations
doing business in this state, and domes-
tic corporations may be required to pay
an annual tax or license into the state
revenue"
Tax Laws.
Referring to the matter of taxation,
have been firmly convinced for some
years past that our tax laws need re-
vision to the end that the burden of
taxation be more equitably distributed.
Under present conditions persons of
small means who. can least afford it.
pay more than their proportionate
share of the taxes, while many wealthy
and unscrupulous tax-dodging corpora
tions and individuals escape by paying
1.-THE of what they ought to pay. /
am a firm believer in a permanent
board Of tax commissioners for this
state, and I shall strenuously recon-
mend in my next report to the legisla-
ture the creation of such board. In
the State of Michigan the board of tax
commissioners have succeeded in
placing on the tax rolls this year
$780, 100000 worth of property which
has heretofore escaped taxation.
State Board of Control
also believe in non-partisan board
of control for all the charitable and
correctional institutions of the state.
Such board, composed of practical
! business men, not mere politicians. de-
voting its entire time to the care and
supervision of state institutions. viewed
| from an economic or humanitarian
standpoint, in my opinion, is highly de-