The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-10-07
THREE STATE ISSUES
State Finances, State Schools and
State Good Roads Law.
DEMOCRATS CAN REVIEW THEM

Phases of the Campaign, Are Ready
to Meet Opponents On Any Ground.
Especial Correspondence
Harrisburg, Oct. 6.-The Democrats
who have been complaining because the
Republicans of Pennsylvania are de-
termined to impress upon the voters of
the commonwealth the influence which
a large Republican majority in this
state next month will have upon pub
lie sentiment for the coming national
election demand that state issues be
discussed in the present canvass.
The Republican party managers last
week announced that they were quite
ready to meet the Democracy upon any
so-called state ISSUE" and they now
call upon the Democrats to direct pub
lie attention to the condition of the
state finances as the most important
state issue that can be considered at
this time.
The Republican spellbinders point to
the report of the state treasurer, made
at the end of the month of September,
showing a balance of S13, 939, 1871 "a in
the general fund of the state treasury,
with every dollar of this money abso-
lutely protected and drawing interest
under the reform legislation passed by
a Republican general assembly.
GOOD FINANCE AN ISSUE.
This vast sum, available for state
purposes, the public schools and the
charities and other laudable objects,
represents in a large measur the col
lection of taxes from corporations. A
considerable portion of this money had
to be collected by suits against delin-
quent corporations through the attor-
ney general and the auditor general of
the state, both good Republicans.
Republicans Of this state have for
years pointed with pride to the fact
that Pennsylvania has never lost n
dollar through any Republican official
and that today, as the result of contin-
ued Republican administration, her
financial condition is better than that
of any other state in the union.
That she has any public debt what
ever is due entirely to the fact that the
bonds representing the same are not
due and cannot be called in. There is
today in hand specially available for
the payment of this public debt a sun
considerably more than required to
meet this obligation.
Pennsylvania is therefore "out of
debt and she has a large balance on
hand to her credit.
Attempts have been made by the
Democrats to create the impression that
the large balance in the state treasury
is being held from its natural chan
mel. Such is not the case. All appro-
p%riations made by the last legislature
are being paid promptly and as soon
as other payments shall become due
they will be met with the same prompt
ness.
The revenues of the state have been
extraordinarily large during the last
two or three years. 1t is not generally
known, but it is a fact, that under the
laws of this state the greater the
prosperity of the business interests of
the commonwealth the greater will be
the income to the state treasury.
Everything has been booming re-
Gently and the revenues of the state
have gone up accordingly.
GOOD SCHOOLS AN ISSUE.
The assured revenues of the next two
years are sufficient to meet all the APP
preparations made by the last legisla-
ture and to pay for the magnificent
state capitol now under construction
and leave a balance of several millions
in the state treasury.
In the expenditures provided for
during the ext two years there has
been allotted to the public schools the
sum of 81, 900, 900, which is far greater
than the appropriation of any other
state in the union for a like purpose,
and there is a new appropriation of
1000, 900 for public roads to be ex-
pended under the direction of the
newly created state highway depart
ment, which is destined to give Penn
sylvania the best system of good pub
lie roads in the country.
GOOD ROADS AN ISSUE.
This good roads" legislation pre-
sents another state issue to which
the attention of the Democrats eager
for a state issue" campaign is called.
The Republican party stands for this
legislation passed at the resent ses-
sion of the general assembly, which is
destined to give a fixed and we'll
considered policy for the betterment of
the roads and the highways of the
state, so that the means of transporta-
ton between the farm and the neigh
boring market may be improved.
AS soon as the provisions of the new
good roads law shall become better
known it is predicted that it will in
crease in popular favor and there will
be a demand for its enforcement with
additional appropriations, which will
ONE at the next session of the iegisla-
ture in accordance with the plans of
its Republican advocates and cham
pions.