The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-09
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of

The Sixty-third General Assembly OF lhuI-
ana conyenes at time OF universal pros
perity. Peace, happiness and contentmenI
more generally prevail than at the con-
vening of any other session OF the Cen
monwealth. and / join with the people OF
the State in returning thanks TO the glVer
of all gifts for the generous bounty lie mas
bestowed upon US all.
and mutually satisfied; industrial and man
ufscturing enterprises are converting our
res5ources into products which are being
carried into every avenue OF trade ana
commerce: the farm and factory are rich
~ productive; railroad construction Is open
ing rev territory. and applied electricity
Is connecting our cities ana towns INTO ciosc
neighborhoods.
As a result of your deliberations be-
speak a session fruitful of just and con-
sentative legislation along the lines or the
States needs. Indianas foremost position
among the States of the Union has largely
resulted from the progressive ana con
eervative legislation of the General AS
eemblies. You are commissioned dlrecuy
by the people TO enact laws for their gov
eminent and protection. and am sure that
you win reflect by your actions the VIII OF
the people.
ministration of State affairs. but partisan
politics, as a motive, has no place In us
management or control The best PONIES d,,tS
and the protection OF the interests OF those
whom we serve. Without any abatement OF
ao pc of
by giving II our patriotic services, TO the
end that Indiana may continue to be one OF
the most progressive and prosperous States
OF the Union.
States Finances
The financial condition of the common
wealth Is one that can justly claim the
pride of every good citizen. Each indi-
Sidual taxpayer In Indiana is stockholder
in the great business affairs that SO largely
form the responsible duties of state adj
mjnistration- Not only in the receipt ana
disbursement of taxes and fees is there
care and judgment to be exercised. but a
paramount obligation of loyalty to the re-
quirements of the statutes must be en-
forced. Any haphazard. tentative policy OF
dealing with the finances of the public is a
monstrous wrong. and can but result In
extravaganza, waste and official scandal.
The fact that the money In the state, 8
treasury is the contribution OF the people
for the purpose Of good government is, or
itself sufficient reason why a jealous
guardianship should be associated with its
disbursement and, as business PROPOSE
ton. there can be no justification or toll
Grafton in not requiring fidelity in account
ings. detail in itemization, and strict
construction of the appropriation acts as to
the latitude of expenditures. Public fiscal
methods should be the exemplar not only OF
eclectic principles and practices, put IN
all that is so diversely associated with
careful, conservative and cleanly business
management. Other States have separate
bureaus and retinues of officers and clerks
for Insurance, building and loan. banking.
lands, railroads and varied departments of
governmental oversight, that furnish mea-
ger duties and substantial salary lists, but
Indiana saves this unnecessary expense
by merging under central authority these
subordinate divisions, thus not only saving
thousands of dollars in superfluOus eX-
penses. but giving the public much better
and more methodicaI service. The Incl
dental factors that have given to the tax
payers substantial records of the admir-
able and purely business financial status of
our beloved State, liberal appropria-
tons for the maintenance of every state
institution. the practice of economy. uni
form fiscal methods the exclusion of par
si:nOny and waste due to careless discipline,
the identity of the dollar in accounting
ployment OF all surplus revenues to debt
reduction instead of permitting the same
TO needlessly swell the idle balance in the
The tax rate in Indiana is one of the
lowest OF any of the States of the Union
to" permanent improvements and yearly
maintenance, are taken into account, was
never as light as at present The State
revenue and benevolent institution 1evies
of Ii cents are really all that go into the
general fund. The school revenue Is re-
Distracted on a statutory basis; the slight
specific levy for the State debt can be
used only for it's prescribed purpose. and
the 2-3 cents to the educational institu-
tions aggregates the % % cents of the
: States share of taxes. The average rate
will be seen the burdens of taxation are
local. Permit me to suggest that the
tax levies is associated with township
county and city governments. There never
was greater demand for careful and
economical business administration Of loca
public trusts than at present. The careless
or shiftless handling OF public revenues
Inevitably produces extravaganza and def
icits, and In this age of practical economics
there Is no room or reason for PRODUCTIVITY
political pensions selfish interest
The aggregate taxes of the State revenue
and benevolent institutions in 1902 were
$201s. 1850. The amount of fees paid into
the treasury by the state officers was 1892
035-02. making an aggregate Of SAB, Us. %
which. with incidental minor collections
from receipts and earnings of the different
institutions OF the State, constituted the
general fund. The total tax duplicates Of
the State Is Sl39 1881 .491; the amount OF
mortgage exemptions is S'5 1863. $50; tbs
ar cunt of delinquent taxes is 81 633, 499. 81
especially direct the attention of the Leg
tslature to this excessive delinquency. The
Legislature of 1897 sought to correct thi:
great wrong I'm Increasing the county treas
urer's commission on delinquent collection!
from to per cent, but this has no
proven entirely efficient. That Delinquent
taxes can be collected needs only the scan
ming of settlement sheets in counties wher.
oficial duty has been performed. Too Otter
the cause for not compelling delinquent!
10 pay is the fear of political consequence
in denomination or election. If the Legis
lature, In its wisdom, can enact a remed,
st should be done. l suggest that the Law
now limited to Marion county be applied Z
the whole State, namely, to allow tn
county treasurer to pay so cents as a de
mand fee for collecting delinquent taxes
on personal property, or for collecting de
linquent or poll tax. This law has proven
most efficient means for collecting delin
quent taxes from those who own no rea
estate.
The debt-reducing policy has been steadil,
pursued. and / am gratified to announc
that since the last biennial session of tn
Legislature the following payments hav
been made:
June =. 1901, per cent. school re-
FUNDING bonds. Observation-Disclosures. $500 0C
jan 2. 1902. per cent school re-
funding bonds. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 81 90
July rs. 1902. per cent. school re-
funding bonds ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 600 90
jan 5. 1903. per cent. school re-
FUNDING ds......................... 1000
iotaf 81, Sll %,
OF this amount s79s. 96s.s4 accrued fror
the srecial levy. and the balance, or s.. O13
US SO. was derived from the general funC
1856, $500 OF which being the amount G
the war claim for interest and discount
collected from the general government. TIL
annual interest charge is $95, $50. TIL
unpaid balance OF the State debt is 81 6S7
6i512. which Is represented as follows:
per cent. refunding bonds, 1889. 81 l13. COO
3E per cent. temporary loan. 1885. 5S5,000l
3i1 per cent. temporary funding
lOdu- 1880 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 50g.O10t
5 per cent. Purdue University, 1900 340,O
per cent Indiana University,
1857 ........................... 1H.Ooo,
State stock certficates............. 5.6l51