The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-08


| The per cent. bonds aggregating
S267, zoo. were issued to the educational
! funds in lieu of the Z per cent bonds,
which matured Jan. !. 1901. and were
destroyed on that date
Continuing, the Governor says: I
am mindful that the demands of the
state institutions are great; that the
/ spirit of further improvement OF our
| public buildings is urgent; that the
| naural increase of expenditures re
! quired in all the departments of state
| owing to the rapid growth and devel-
! opment of our state, deserve serious
! consideration at your hands, ali of
| which suggest the most rigid econo-
my in every branch of legislation, and
in the expenditure of public funds"
indian War Claim.
The message deals exhaustively with
! the history of the above claim, and
compliments very highly Florida's dele
\ CATION in Congress for its successful
prosecution of the claim. This account
between the general government and
the state of Florida, was Incorporated
into an act of Congress for the al
/ 1owance for certain claims for stores
and supplies, reported by the Court
| of Claims, under the provisions OF an
| act approved March 3, 1888. After re-
! viewing the case in all its phases, the
Governor says: The reopening of the
| case by the Controller of the United
States, resulted in our securing an adj
ditional $13,248, thus enabling the State
| Treasurer to reconcile the account by
items, and prfecting settlement, max
ing a total of 1922, 1916; cash received
after paying the bonds, 1892, 900, and
the interest thereon, $264,212.66, max
ing the total of 81, 0S9 1866" The $l32,-
900 seven per cent. bonds were duly
cancelled and it is recommended that
they be destroyed under legislative ac-
ton.
General Revenue Fund.
This fund is handled by the Govern
or in an able manner. The fund con-
sists of the annual tax levy, and reve-
nues from other sources The expendi-
lures in this fund cover the general
expenditures of the state, including
appropriations made by the Legisla
ture. The tax levy for the general
revenue fund for 1902 was two and one
half mills on the dollar, and it is hoped
that this will be reduced in the near
future.
Pensions.
Under Chapter 1894, acts of 1901, an
annual tax levy of l mill on the dollar
was collected for pensions. The pen
sioners increased from 75S in 1901, to
1,S43 in 1902 and the list is steadily
increasing, requiring an annual ex-
penditure of $176,92S. The one mill tax
y
l is short of the amount required by
$50, 9006S In view of this the Cow
ernor recommends a mill tax to
meet the demands on this fund. He
: also recommends that the pension law
be amended in behalf of widows of
Confederate soldiers who died in bat
tie, or of wounds received in battle.
. The school Fund.
The message shows that the prin-
,av. .f T1Axs
81, 1902, consisted of $S31.0OO invested
2 in bonds of the several states, and
81, So uninvested This fund is de-
rived from the sale of lands granted
= by the United States to the state for
the support of public schools. The re-
port of the Commissioner If Agricul-
ture shows that there were on Jan.
5 L. 1908, 21S, 461. Il acres of said lands yet
uEsold. 1t is also shown that the prin-
cipal of the Agricultural College fund
consists of $153, 800 of state bonds, and
/ that the principal of the seminary fund
/ consists OF SOS, 500 invested in state
= bonds, and S91276 uninvested. The
lands granted to the state by the
' United States. from the sale of which
the principal of the Agricultural Col
lege fund was derived, have all been
; sold but of the lands granted for the
support of the two seminaries, one
east and the other west of the Suwan-
} nee river, there remained unsold 3D.
. 0S1 81 acres on Jan. l. 1908. The inter-
, est from the bonds of the Agricultural
) College fund is used in support OF the
: college at Lake City The interest
from the bonds of the seminary fund
is equally divided between the East
, Florida Seminary at Gainesville. and
t the Florida State College at Tallahas-
: see.
state Officers Reports.
, 4A he
reports of the various state officers,
and recommends their careful consid-
Grafton. He calls attention to the me-
cessity of having an assistant state
librarian to take care of the many val
liable books and documents owned by
the state. He also recommends that
provision be made for the employ
ment, under the Secretary of State,
of a superintendent or custodian of the
Capitol building and grounds, calling
attention to the necessity of having
some responsible person at all times
in charge of the states property
Special attention is called to the
work Of the state auditor. The message
urges that provision be made for cler-
ical assistance for that officer, and that
his travelling expenses be paid out of
the hire of state convicts. The in
creasing duties of the state officers re-
ceives consideration, and suggestions
/ are made for the providing of clerical
! assistance.
Equalization Board.
A state board of equalization is rec
commended to equalize and determine
! the value of real estate between the
counties. Laws are urged to enable
those charged with the assessment of
property to comply with the statutory
; requirement TO assess property at its
true value. In handling the question
of taxes on franchise the Governor
quotes a recent decision of the United
States Supreme Court, and says: 1T
is not a question of ownership, but a
question of values that should share
in the burdens of government. If a
certain class of property is permitted
; by law to charge the people of the
; state a rate for the use of this prop
erty, upon which certain valuation
has been placed, then the people have
a right to expect a valuation of this
property equal to that fixed by the
owners" In concluding, the Governor
says: II therefore recommend that
, law be enacted on this subject"