Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-01-16

The third biennial message of Cover
nor r. M. La Toilette to the Wiscon-
sin legislature was delivered in per-
son Thursday morning. 1t comprises
a volume of 121 pages, one of the larg-
est ever submitted by any governor
to any legislature 1t is in part as
follows:
State Finances.
At the close of the last term Of the
preceding administration, there were
remaining unpaid, appropriations pass
ed by the legislature Of 1899, aggregat-
ing $3.50. 840.84 After making allow
ances for current expenses due and I'M
maid and for railroad license fees
maid in advance of the time lawfully
fixed. the new administration, in 1901,
started with a net balance OF only
S412544 in the general fund of the
state treasury, and this legacy from
the former administration of $780,
S4O.84 in unpaid appropriations. On
January 1. 1903, and after all deferred
obligations of the preceding administra-
ton had been paid together with all
appropriations made by the legislature
of 1901. there remained in the general
fund a balance of $235,884.54. Upon
the LIST day of January, 1905, the bal
ance in the general fund was $685.
753.17. The general fund should pc
credited with $4,000, transferred, as
am advised, to meet a deficiency III
the university appropriation. Against
this balance warrants to the amount
of S2.246.32 were outstanding and I'M
paid. Thus there was in the general
fund at the beginning of the calendar
wear S407, 506.85. This sum is more
than ample to meet the current and
legislative expenses, until such time as
the taxes due from the railroads and
other accruing revenues, are received.
The balance now in the general
fund, while extremely gratifying, con-
vevs no information of the extraord1-
nary condition of the state finances
which has prevailed during the past
two years. a condition which enabled
the state officers authorized by law to
omit all taxes for state purposes for
the years 1903 and 1904. The only
tax levied during these two years was
for the support of the common schools
This can in no sense be regarded as a
state tax, since no part OF 1T is used to
defray the expenses OF state govern
ment. All of the money collected I'M
der the mill tax, as amended, and IN
addition 100000 from the general
fund. is distributed among the coun
ties cities. and villages Of the state
and is used for the support OF the
common schools. This is the first time
in the history of Wisconsin that the
condition of the general fund has been
such as to warrant the complete re
mission of all taxes for administrative
purposes. This was possible because
of the increased revenues OF the state
resulting from a rigid enforcement OF
statutes requiring payment OF certain
fees to the state; by collection from
the federal government of civil wal
claims amounting to $460,436.20 and by
the increase of taxes upon the rail
road property in the state.
BY reason of unavoidable delay II
completing the assessment OF the rail-
road property in the state for tax
alton on the ad valorem basis, the
amount Of increase of railroad over
the license fees, for the past year
could not be collected at the usua
time. Of the total amount OF taxes tc
be collected under the assessment fol
the past year, there remained due
January 1, 1905, $545,942, which, il
paid, would have increased the gen
eral fund balance upon that date te
1898, 946.57. Owing to the possibility
of similar delay in the assessment
and collection of railroad taxes for tine
wear 1905, no increase in such taxes
over the license fees has been includ
ed in the calculation.
The State Treasury.
Existing laws are wholly inadequate
to insure the safe keeping and in
adequate to insure the safe keeping
and integrity of the funds and securi
ties of the state in the state treasury
These funds and securities at times
amount to a number of millions O.
dollars and always are of great none
tary value. There are now in IT.
vaults approximately $1,222,75O in ne
gotiabIe bonds payable to bearer.
dishonest official in the absence OF
legal check or restraint upon hin
might easily deplete the treasury ant
cripple the conduct of the public bus
mess. The legislature cannot &C
too swiftly in correcting these de
fects.
Inheritance Tax.
1t is still too early to form a jus
estimate of the revenues to the state
from the inheritance tax, under tn'
law of 1908. Enough is easily learn
ed, however, to warrant the belle
that some effective supervision on be
half of the state is necessary to insure
to the state it's lawful revenues. Loca