The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1902-09-04

ltf2 Genus on the uuAuiVu uN''''"
valuation If the people shall determine
at the coming election to continue the
existing investment OF our school
funds
1t should be a matter Of pride 10
every Missourian that this vast bond
ed debt has already been practically
extlnguished. while at the same time
the credit OF the S. ate has been fully
:sstored so that Missouri bonds have
commanded premiums in every market
OF the world.
No wi;hstandlng tho reduction Cf
the tax rate to an amount one-halt that
levied by the Republican party,
state has not only been able to prac-
tea ly pay off its bonded debt. but y
has contributed annually one third OF
its entire state revenue To the support
Of the public schools while at the
sare time incre; sll ( cur state insti-
tGtions from eight In number to TWEEN
~ well equipred and pro8l essv We instl-
mtions. Our state university, nor
nal schools, tie School Of Mines and
oil our e,eemosynary and penal lnstitu-
lions have been the subjects OF gener-
Gus care by the state. and are in, erior
to none of their KIND In any state of
the Union.
The Democratic party has also in
creased the state CAP, tai school fund
to S4.397 ,SS9.42, which is two-thirds
larger than when the Republican party
was driven from power, This in
crease includes 5000 coo restored to
the schco. fund. which had been di-
verted to unlawful uses by the Re
| publican party. Not only are we all
to note this gratifying increase of the
state school fund proper, but the en-
/ tire pc. manent SC, OIL fund, state,
county and municipal, now amounts
to the splendid total of sl2,69O,I5S,iO
/ II may be also well to note in this con-
nection that under the existing school
fund system several Republican COUn-
ties receive annual y from the state
! for the education of their children
very much more money than they
pFy into the sta'e treasury for all pu-
poses.
The Democratic party has also
pissed laws for tho taNat on of fprc,9n
insurance companies, and the payment
of inCo poration and other fees into
the state treasury. thus providing an
nualy a fund of more than a half mil
! lion of dol ars. which is sufficient to
pay the ont re expenses of the executive
departments Of the state governmt nj.
-ffffriS rrrvurr- arn4 y +nrGld
by laws requiring the interest on the
-, 1hnnt
$40 900 annual Y. To be covered into
the state treasury.
But | have not yet nO'ed all Of the
record of the Dem Dcrat c party in lc-
spect to its Il anc al man igem mt,
The Republican party, as hereto
fore s ated. did not 'evf dollar or
taxes upon RAILROADS, althCu ugh the tax
late upon all other forms of property
was Oppressive and eNorbitant. Tie
Democratic party has increased the
asses .ment of railroads from nothing,
as it was under Republican rule, to
now nearly ninety millions of dollars
annually This assessment is 4H per
cent higher than the assessment in
Republican Illinois. co per cent higher
than the asse sment in Repuhl II
Kansas. and 1870 per cent higher than
the assessment made by the RepublI'
can state of Iowa.
Again, since the law was enacted re-
curing the State Board of Equaliza
ton to assess street railway property,
that Beard has more than treblcd tho
assessment of this property as it was
made by the Republican officials OF
the city of ST. Louis.
The Democratic party. upon its ac-
cessiOn to power. promptly rppna cd
the Draconian code Of pres"riptlvr
election laws. and substituted there
for fair and mrar ial election laws
which give tn the Republican party
the same number of Judges. the same
number of Clrras. the SIRE number #
challengers and other like prlyneges
that the Democracy have in the con
tlOl of our election machinery.
1t is the OCCASION of exutant pride
that the fiscal affairs of the state.
under Democratic control. have he' n
so faithfully managed that the people
have never lost dollar of pm lie
money. | assert without equ!v0ca-
ton or mental reservat on. and after
personal examinat on of the books,
that there has been no ovpr-payme. 1T
of bonds. no payment of bonds twice
and no over-payment Of interest on
the bonds, as char ged by reckless Re
publican leaders. The records of tie
Aditor's office show that every dollar
of outstanding school certificates is
represented by an equivalent number
of state bonds cancelled. Any state
ment to the contrary is absolutely UNI
true.
Books Correctly Kept.
The books CT the S ate are correct
" kept. as shown by the sworn state
ment of the Auditor. and confirmed by
experts Ct United int gritty and er "a,
rcnown in their chosen profession The
credit of Missouri was never higher
than at this moment. and her resourr es
are ample to meet all the obligation
incident to the development of this
great and growing state.
During the Period Of Democratic as
cendancy s4l.ll2. 990.64 has been ex
pended in the redut ton of the bonded