The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-09-18

FAYoRs RADICAL CHANGES;
lHe / Discusses Intellieently Topics
Which Arc OF Interest. In
crease lin Levy or re- :.
st TSIlicc AEIxpensca.

In response to the request of tho
/ commission to suggest to the leglsla-
sture remedies for the weakness in the
y tax system, Mr.. Jesse r.. CAN'T,
L secretary OF state, has made some in.
.sYestigations which have convinced
d himself Of tho necessity for change
.aIn the laws. Ills very full report will
@ be sent to the commissioners before
their meeting in Columbia next
A Thursday. After reviewing the situa-
Il tiOn;in this State, he quotes copiously
from the messages Of Gov. Nash OF
Ohio, Gov. Odell Of New York, Gov.
Van SAINT Of Minnesota, Ex-Gov.
Tyler of Virginia, Gov. Beckham OF
kentucky, Ex-Gov. VOORHEES, of New
Jersey and Gov. Murphy of ejew Jer-
sey, all Of whom approve franchise
tax.
In his letter to the commissioners,
e Senators Mower and Manning and
Representatives Moses, Thomas and
Y Tatum, Mr.. CAN'T says in part:
= The first inquiry which must ad-
dress itself to you is that of.tilc iinan-
, cial condition Of the State, compared
with It's condition III former years.
He then submits table compiled
from the official reports for the past
4 SIX years, showing the gross amount
realized from the State levy, the cash
on hand available and to the credit of
the general fund ab the close Of each
4. Of said years, and the outstanding
obligations OF the governor and treas.
urer borrowed to meet current ipdebt-
cdneSs. This table shows that no tis-
cal year was ended with an outstand-
ing Indebtedness until 1901, when the
State was in arrears Sl45,OOO, an
I amount which was Increased tn $685.
j 1852 by the beginning OF the current
year.
Mr. CAN'T continues:
1T will thus be seen that until two
years ago the State, while not on Il
cash basis, generally received the new
years taxes in time to meet all re-
quired payments when due, although
on some occasions the treasurer was
compelled to resort to the cXpedient
Of Ovcrdrawing his account with the
banks. 1t shows that on the 1st of
January last, although more taxes
levied for the new year had been col
lected than ever before, the treasurer
had outstanding notes for money bor-
rOwed to meet current expenditures
aggregating S29G,S52 IG. 1t can be
said, however, in partial explanation
OF this condition, that for 1898, S92,-
600, and in 1899, SlOO, 900, was re-
ceiyed by the treasurer from the dis
pcnSdry, and that the present condi-
tion Of the treasury is not entirely due
to an increase in the appropriations.
For the present fiscal year, not.
withstanding the fact that SSS, 900
was received from the United States
govcrnmentand used in payment OF
the appropriation for pensions, S275,-
600 has already been borrowed by the
treasurer, which will doubtless be in
creased to S375,O0O, the full amount
permitted by law to be borrowed, be-
fore tue close Of the fiscal year.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
The appropriations which it is
usual to make exceed 81, 1925, 900 each
year; the receipts Of the State barely
exceed S1,OOO,OOO.
1T will thus be seen that not only
Is the States finances in comparably
worse conditions than six years ago,
THAT each year adds to our difficulties
floating indebtedness exceeding
100000. In his message to the gen
eral assembly in 1898, Gov. Ellcrbc,
who had been comptroller general,
and consequently was qualified to
speak with authority as to the condi-
tion of the State, asserted that THE
finances of the States are in very
unsatisfactory condition. \
BY refusing to borrow 500, 600, as is
often done, though have not saved
thc State any great amount in the
way OF interest charges, | have re-
fused to sanction what appears to me
to be bad precedent" In his mes
sage to the general assembly of 1899,
he said: '"rhc finances Of the State
are still in very unsatisfactory CON
dltion The appropriations
must be cut down or the tax levy
raised" Gov. Ellerbc referred to the
necessity Of the State treasurer to
oycrdraw his accounts with the banks
during the summer months until the
collection of the new years taxes in
the fall could reimburse them, or to
borrow money sometimes for that pur-
pose. When he refused to borrow
money, it was with no idea that the
note would be outstanding at the close
OF the year. but would be settled from
taxes soon to be collected. The State
he deemed to have a deficit OF SlOo,-
600, because it would have required
practically that amount at that time
to meet the current years appropria-
tiOnS from the taxes assessed for the
{ expenses OF the current year. On this
basis the deficit was, in round num-
bcrs, $440,000 on Jan | last. and
1t will reach approximately 5000, OO0
by the next meeting of the general as
sembly.
The finances Of the State arc un-
questionably in a deplorable condition,
and that some remedy must be found,
and that at once, is unqucstionable.
-Four alternate remedies suggest
themselves:
First, Reduction ia appropria-
tions.
Second. An increase in the levy.
Third. Anincrcase in assessments.
Fourth. New sources of revenue.
REDUCE APPROPRIATIONS.
Is it possible to reduce appropria-
tions to a sufficient amount to come
wltnin tic present availnblc income Of
the state?