The Somerset reporter., 1905-01-05

Madison Center.
The holidays are over and people have
settled down TO bust 1ess.
Mrs. Samuel Calf, who has been on a
visi ing tour for several months, has re-
turned home.
Robert Hayden OF Athens was the CUES t
OF his mother, Mrs. w. d. Hayden, last
week, while serving as grand juror at
Skowheg IN. He was accompanied by
his daughter, Miss Annie.
Mrs. Charles Cor on of Mercer was the
guest Of Olive Hayden last Tuesday.
A New Years present to Ray Spear
and wife, daughter, born Sunday.
The Seventy-secOnd Legislature
CONTINUED from First Page,
case, the legislature would give the
matter most careful consideration
and the people Of the State would
surely have full knowledge of the
facts and motives governing leg
islative action, and would render their
Judgment accordingly. The question
of changing the tax rate Is purely a
business one. depending for Its solu-
ton upon existing conditions. and If
we are agreed upon this proposition 1t
Is simply truism to say that the au-
thority to effect the change is In your
hands and yours alone. | am of the
opinion that the revenues of the State
have grown to that point where II
prudence Is observed, and yet not
parsimony, you can safely reduce the
present tax rate and at the same time
cause no unjust or unreasonable les
SEEMING of public efficiency. | believe
too. that such action on your part
would meet with the prompt, cordial
and very general appreciation of the
people of the State.
| recommend, therefore. that the
State tax be reduced from two and
three-quarters mills to two and one
quarter mills. The following figures
are presented by the Treasurer of
he State. They are presented in
this brief and concise form to show
the essential features of the financial
condition of the State,-a most graf
flying result of the financial policy
pui sued by the last administration
and to indicate as well, theseconomic
reasons upon which is based the rec
ommendation for a reduced tax rate.
Cash balance on hand January list,
1905, $244S39.91; bonded debt Janu-
airy 1st, 1905, Sl403, 100000, and, in
this place, it should be stated that
during the last two years, the bonded
Indebtedness has been reduced $780,
10000. While, since 1889 and prior to
1902, $4,000 of the State bonds have
matured each year, yet under the pro-
visions of Act of 1903. authority was
given to the Treasurer with the ad-
vice and consent of the Governor and
Council, to purchase additional bonds.
II such a course was deemed advis-
able, and all bond purchases during
the past two years In excess of the
$4,000 maturing annually for the past
three years, have been made under
this Act.
The last State valuation upon which
the take rate Of two and three-quarters
mills was assessed was $685., 228, 897.-
90, and yielded for two years a rev.
enue of $1.940,9 51.54. The present or
new State valuation is 1856, 514014.00.
showing gain in valuation of
$14,285.11700.
A tax rate of two and one-quarter
mills on this new valuation will yield
for two years a revenue of 1883.
O9136.
The total receipts for the years 1903
and 1904, including $228. 1864, the
amount received from the United
States Government, were $4.S58 359.30.
The total expenditures for the years
1903 and 1904 were $5,052, 4l207.
The estimated regular receipts for
1905 are $2,249, 707.00; the estimated
regular receipts for 1906 are $2.116,
100000.
The estimated regular expenditures
for 1905 are 1897 100000, the esti-
mated regular expenditures for 1906
are 1907 100000.
Among the convictions held by our
people which seem to be in entire
accord with the theory and principles
of self-government, is the belief that
every citizen is entitled to know the
exact amount Of the compensation re
celved by State and County officials for
the services they are called upon to
perform, and that this knowledge
should be obtained from open records.
The law provides In many instances
that those officials shall charge and
collect fees In return for public acts
and services rendered by them, and
that all or part Of the fees so collected
shall be retained by them as a pay
ment for such services. This plan of
compensation may have had some
merit In the past, and there may be
some cases where its continued use is
justified now. but upon the whole 1t
seems to be contrary to the spirit of
our institutions and to the wishes of
our people. The reasons for this are
obvious. The official Is public serv-
ant, with no authority other than that
derived directly or indirectly from the
people, and all money coming Into his