The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-24

save them from want" also advised
that the act of a former Legislature
adding, on paper, to the
common school fund $780,
900, but providing no means of pay
ing it be repealed. After much dis
cussion the pension laws were left in
tact and the direct appropriation from
the state treasury for the support of
the common schools was fixed at $780,,
600 in addition to the poll taxes, the
specific taxes, the hire of convicts, the
half rental of the state road, etc. Thus
we were enabled to reduce the tax rate
for the year 1899 from $621 to S.. sc,
and for the year 1900 to $500
But at your last session so many eX-
traordinary demands were made upon
the treasury by the various institutions
supported partly or wholly by the state.
that you, to meet these demands, raised
the tax rate from $500 to $5.44. and
this increase of "a mills will
fall short by $74,0OO of raising revenue
sufficient to meet the appropriations
made at your last session, notwith-
standing the taxable values of the state
have increased in the last three years
more than $49,0OO,000. We are
thus confronted with de-
ficjency in revenue of $74,000 in ad
dition to the pensions allowed INDECENT
more than million which will
be due the teachers of the COM
mon schools at the end of the present
year, which can be met only in the
unsatisfactory way of the past, by ap-
plying the money which ought to go
to pay them next year to the payment
of arrrearages due them for work done
in this. While the state has seldom.
if ever. been more prosperous and
haY credit nf ~ nfh har
state has ever been better the system
heretofore employed in the manage
ment of her fiscal affairs, so far as
it relates to the common schools and
pensions, is not satisfactory. We
should be honest and candid with the
teachers and pensioners and taXpay-
ers. No statute should be allowed to
remain on the books declaring that
teachers shall be paid monthly or even
quarterly, when no money is provided
to pay them. 1t is misleading. unfair
and unjust.
The enactment that INDECENT widows
of deceased Confederate soldiers shall
be paid a pension of $50 a year when
no money has been provided to pay
them, is a delusion and disappoint-
ment. When promises to pay money
are made, no matter to whom. the
money should be provided to meet
pay as you 60" But how can we do
this? There are but two ways, either
increase taxes or reduce appropria-
tions. The former remedy is not to be
thought of. Taxes should not be in
creased for any purpose whatever. ex-
cept those named in the constitution.
We must therefore reduce appropria-
tions from the public treasury
We cannot reduce appropriations to
pay the principal and interest on the
public debt. for these are fixed charges
that must be met at whatever sacri-
fee We cannot retrench in appropria-
tions for the support of the civil estab-
lishment, for the government OF no
other state IN the Union OF the size and
Importance Of Georgia, is administered
at less cost. We cannot afford TO
starye out institutions for the blind,
the deaf. the insane, for this would be
cruel and inhuman. In a word there
are but two appropriations we can re-
duce so as 20 make any material re-
duction I'm the tax rate-the one for
schools the other FOR pensions. These
two objects absorb nearly two.thirds
of the entire income Of the state You
may abolish every salary DO the state
and require every officer. legislative,
executive aud judicial. 20 work for
nothing. and yeu would not reduce 70