The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-11

Gentlemen of the Senate and House
pr Representatives:
The constitution imposes upon the
executive share in your delfbefa-
lions. 1t devolves upon him the duty
Of giving You information touching
the condition of the state" of recon
rnendfng for your consideration such
legislation "as he shall Judge" the
welfare of the state demands, and of
approving or disappearing your every
enactment. To this extent he shares
your responsibility and becomes part
Of the legislative department 1t is
therefore important that relations OF
confidence and mutual helpfulness ex-
ist between you and him and that he
have your counsel and good will I'm
pressed with the belief that nothing
short of this will enable either you or
myself to discharge in full measure
our duty to the people whose servants
we are, I tender you my confidence
and good Will without reserve or quail
ifcation, and pledge yoI the limit of
my power in every matter of public
concern which may engage your eff
forts.
FIndnCeS-1n ne state IUdHCeS are
especially satisfactory. The revenues
accruing to the general fund for the
fiscal year ending October 81, 1905,
exclusive of transfer funds, aggregat-
ed 1855 ,S44.3s. During the same
year the expenditures were 1885,
250.91, leaving an excess of receipts
OF 50,593.47, and a treasury balance
OF $3.50. S98.S4. In this balance no adj
vanced payments from county treas
urers is included. On the 31st day of
October, 1904, the balance in the treas
ury was $50, 601.93. but to obtain this
balance advanced payments from
county treasures had been called, and
the revenue for 1905 anticipated in
the sum of $154,740. But for these
advanced payments there would have
been no treasury balance, but, instead,
a deficit Of s94, 1897. 1t is gratifying
70 know that at the close of the fiscal
year this deficit was recouped and a
clear balance of $3.50, 99S.s4 left in the
treasury, and that this was done with
out calling single advanced payment
or anticipating the revenue Of the
next year a single dollar.
For the fiscal year ending October
81, 1906, the revenues of the general
fund, exclusive of transfer funds, ag-
gregated $4,200,164 The disburse-
ments were s3,S0o,037.91. leaving an
excess of receipts over disbursements
Of $500. 1852. and treasury balance
OF 3507, $500, In which there were
no advanced payments whatever and
TO obtain which the revenues of the
present year were neither impaired
nor anticipated. The revenues accru-
ing to the general fund last year were
Increased. however, not only from
natural causes due to the increase
I'm the value of taxables in the state,
but from the transfer OF the three
cent sinking fund levy to the general
levy; also from covering back into
the treasury several substantial sums
which had been Heretofore unlawfully
withheld therefrom by delinquent Off
Gals. Neither the revenues accruing
to the general fund for the present
fiscal year, nor for the year 1908 nor
1909. will equal those of last year.
Those of this year. however. have
been already augmented by the pay
ment of $22, 356.40 of insurance taxes
by insurance companies which have
been due the state since the expira-
ton of the term of James H. Rice
as auditor of state-more than twenty
years. A conservative estimate of
the revenues of the general fund for
each of the three years named, is
$3,726,650. Appropriations already
made and available for the present (
fiscal year will leave a treasury bal (
ance of $3.50. 30929 at the end of the I
year. This sum. therefore. measures I
the limit of additional appropriations 4
which may be made available for the /
present fiscal year without necessitat-
ing the collection of advance pay
ments from county treasurers and
Impairment of next years
revenues. a result which, in my judy
ment, should be avoided with scrupu-
Ious care. If the income of the gener-
al fund for the fiscal year ending /
October 81. 1908, meets the estimate
made and the regular appropriations
for the year are not increased beyond
what now seems to be necessary ag-
sregate for the transaction of the
states business. there will be 81 ,010,-
200 available for specific appropria-
lions for said year.
For the fiscal year ending October
81, 1909. there will be substantially
4 like balance available for specific
except as it may be
impaired by the expenses of the Sixty
sixth general assembly, now estimated
1t S125.000- 1t seems. therefore. that
n round numbers. $4,000 must be
he limit of specific appropriations for
he coming biennial period, if we are
% keep within the revenues of the
state and are to avoid the impair
nent of the revenues of the next bien-
lial period. To do this it will be nee
,ssary to transfer the three-cent sink
ng fund levy from the sinking fund
o the general fund for the year 1908,
IS was done for each of the years
905. 1906 and 1907 Within the last
wo years We have paid S4O7 900 OH
he principal of the state debt. there
~ cancelling all of the debt that is
low payable. This leaves but $780,
100 of foreign bonded Indebtedness