Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-01-29
ABOUT STATE FINANCES.
Letter From G. 7. Allen Gives Figures
of Missouri's Debt and Taxation
State in Good Shape


and for what purposes it is paid ont.
Every citizen who owns any proper
ty, real, personal or mixed, is required
to contribute to the support of tht
State government, which protects hin
and family in the enjoyment Of life
liberty and property.
All property In the State, real, per
sonal and mixed, including franchises
is taxed 25 cents on the one hundred
dollars valuation to create a State rev
enue fund. OF this Is cent levy, II
cents goes to pay interest on the State
debt and to pay of said debt, and the
other Is cents goes to the State reye.
nue. fund proper; and then 5 cents o.
this 10 cents goes to the common
school fund. So 10 cents is left to helI
run the State government.
JUST here let ms say that the asses.
sorts work Is the beginning point in
the work Of supporting a state. If Obj
fails to do his duty faithfully, square.
ly, honestly and impartially every tax
payer suffers. II he assesses one mans
property too low, or another's toe
high, or perhaps does both, he wrongs
every property owner in the State.
Upon an honest, fair and faithful val
uation Of property for taxation de-
ponds equality of taxation, which every
assessor should make an honest ef-
fort to reach, for it is the foundation
stone upon which rests the justice OF
a state government.
In two years, from Jan. /, 1901, to
Dec. 81, 1902, 1t took 81, 1872, 615. AS to
meet all demands against the State.
First-to pay interest on State debt
and to pay of bonds, So, 297, 1854
Second Ito support the common
schools, 81, 1872, 3O4. 20.
Third = to run the State Govern
ment, 50, 602, 662. 76.
Making agrand total Of 81, 1872, 675. 28.
Look at these figures carefully.
More than a million dollars each year
to get rid OF a debt, a bonded debt
placed upon the people by-well, let
that pass Nearly a million a year to
support the common schools, besides
the 1878, $50 interest in certificates of
indebtedness, and local district and
city school taxes and county fund.-
More than a million and O half per
year to pay the expenses Of the State
Government! Nearly two hundred
thousand to meet the expenses of one
Legislaturel
These figures should be burned into
the memories of Taxpayers, not be-
cause they are exhorbitant charges, or
because economy has not marked the
State administration for years past,
but because they should impress all
with the Importance of electing men
to State Offices, Legislatures, etc, who
are fitted for the various places-not
because they are good fellows" fine
story-tellers or yarn-spinners, or need
some help to support his family.
Whence came all this money during
the years 1901 and 1902. The State
has no money except that some one
pays into the State Treasury, and no
one ever pays a cent into that treas
ury unless he is required by law to do
so.
There are many sources from which
this fund of near 8 millions of dollars
comes:
Frst-Tax of % cts.on the 500 val
uation of all sorts Of property, includ-
ing bank stock, merchants, railroads,
sc.
Second-Tax on express companies.
Third - Tax on foreign insurance
companies.
Fourth = License tax on auction
GERS, brokers, dramshops, peddlers,
fines, billiard and other tables.
Fifth-Incorporation fees.
Seventh-Interest of States money
deposited In banks.
Eighth-Fees paid for commissions
issued by Secretary Of State and
Auditor.
Ninth = Fees for commissions of
notaries public.
Tenth-From sale of Revised Stat
utes and Session Acts.
Eleventh-For beer inspection.
Twelfth = Special license tax on
distilled liquors.
Thirteenth-From fees collected by
Excise Commissioner.
Fourteenth-From all other sources.
Property tax does not furnish all the
money needed to pay expenses of the
State Government to support the
schools, sc. 1t is worth while to no
tice that during the two years, 1901
and19O2 that:
Interest on deposits supplied $780,
1872. 80.
From Excise Commissioners fees
came s51,27sa2O.
From incorporation taxes came 1884,
475.09 |.
From foreign insurance tax came
s3l5, 29e.
From tax on express companies
came ST., 6S1. 81.
From beer inspection came $770,.
6I3.7 I.
And from various other sources
named among the fourteen came the
balance besides the "a, 1872, HAST, which
came from the tax on property. In
other words, nearly one half of the
81, 1872, 675.4s collected and expended,
came from other resources than the
property tax of 25cts en- the 800 valua,
ton.
1t will be observed that our bonded
debt will be 0 paid off-the last
bond, most probably, within sixty oil
ninty days, when 1t is said a great
Jubilee Hallelujah Mass meeting Of
the tax payers Of the State will BIZ
held in this city to witness the burning
of the last State bond. Then the
100000 appropriation for the
Worlds Fair will have to be paid of.
and that will soon be done. After that
the only interest the State will have
to pay will be that accruing on the
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