The Somerset reporter., 1907-01-10

duty the real purpose of the agitation
is more likely to suffer defeat
While then the present system and
method of taxation OF the property
within the State is not altogether
ideal and will undoubtedly meet with
revision at your hands, there can be
no question as to the care ana skill
exercised by .he Board OF Sfate Asses
sors IN determining values for taxa
ton purposes under the existing laws.
And no better or more eloquent state
meut can be made of the wealth OF
the State and the growth OF that
wealth than is furnished by the State
Assessors in their report for the year
just closed From this report 1t VIII
b. seen that since 1904 the State Valu-
alton Of Real Estate has increased
sI54A5N.i6l. Personal Estates S4,6lG-
Ion Wild Lands s7,422, 500, and
Growth on Public Lots s245,72G. In
1901 the Total valuation was $366,5l4,-
Oh. in 1906 1t is s394.732 500, gain in
two years OF $2S.21S,976 Under the
local valuation placed on property in
the cities, towns and plantations in
the state. the average rate OF taxation
on $1,000 was $20.57 in 1904, $2l.03 in
1906 and S20.S7 in 1906.
The finances of the State are in ex-
cellent condition, as the following
summary and comparison will show;
Cash balance on hand Jan. /
1907 ................... 598,ooo
Bonded debt jan /, 1907 -. 81 093000
Since 1901 $4,000 Of the State
bonds have matured each year, but
under the provisions of Chapter g,
Private and Special Laws OF 1903,
part of this issue having been previ-
ously purchased, there was left to ma
ture 10000 for the year 1905 and 500
600 for the year 1906, which were re
deemed at maturity, and under au-
thority of the act above quoted, an
additional purchase of $28000O was
made. so that during the last two
years the bonded Indebtedness has
been reduced $4,000.
The last State valuation upon which
a tax rate of : IL mills was assessed,
wes $2GG Zt4 Oh, yielding, for the two
years. together with the tax Of one
cent on each poll, revenue Of
81 .83G, 34G20.
The present valuation is s39I.132,-
800, showing an increase Of $2S,2l6,-
97G.
a tax rate of IL mills levied on
this new valuation together with the
poll tax, will yield for the two years,
revenue Of $1,977474oG
The total receipts for the
years 1906 and 1916
were ................=S5. 292 ,3GS.73
The total expenditures for
the same Years were. 1883 ,3@tG2
The estimated ordinary re-
ceipts for 1907 are. $3.50 500
The estimated ordinary re
ceipts for 1905 are. 2.a5o,O0O00
The estimated ordinary
expenditures for 800
are ................... 2.9o2,70S.42
The estimated ordinary
expenditures for l9oS
are Observation-Disclosures. 2120O000e
It should be borne in mind while
contemplating these figures and re
suits, that the last Legislature re
duced the rate OF the State tax from
two and threequarters mills to two
and one-half mills, and | may mention
that at no time during the last two
years has it been found necessary TO
make temporary loan
II will be noticed that the cash bal
ance now on hand Is unusually large.
II was expected that before the close
of the year 1906 an additional pur-
chase of the States bonds would be
made amounting to not less than
$3.50 900, and thus show a reduction
of the bonded Indebtedness during the
last two years of nearly 100000. Ne
gotiations to this end were progress.
ing satisfactorily when they were
abruptly terminated by the death OF
one of the parties in interest. These
negotiations. however, are about to be
resumed, and | have every reason to
believe that before the expiration of
another month the bonds will be in
the possession OF the State
| have been afforded the privilege
to visit intimately all the institutions
supported and managed by the State
and have visited many of the others
in which the State has vital, al
though indirect, interest No one
can become at all familiar with them
without being tremendously i'm
pressed by the magnitude and Charac-
ter of the good work they are doing
or without wishing that the opportun-
tiles they so splendidly utilize might
be further enlarged and sustained.
They are a credit 10 the State and
tribute to every sentiment of human
ity and progress cherished by her
people 1t would be better for the in
stitutions and for all of us If our citi-
zens generally would acquire closer
knowledge of their methods of admin
istration and their omplishments,
for the pride and satisfaction such
knowledge would surely bring would
not only be a deserved appreciation OF
the devoted and unselfsh services of
the men and women charged with
their direct control. but would remove
forever all doubt as to the wisdom of
their existence and the urgency of
their needs.
The States business transacted
through and in its several Depart
ments and Institutions has steadily
increased. The reasons for this are
obvious. New legislation is constant.
~ creating additional powers and re-
sponsbilties of a public nature, and
the obligation to exercise them In a
manner that shall be in accord with
the spirit Of the laws and the wishes
of the people has entailed larger ex.
penditures and more careful and de
tailed supervision No better proof
of this change and growth can be pre-
scented than is shown by cOmpari-
son of the reports issued by the De
partments today with those Of twenty
five or even ten years ago. These
later reports of the States steward
ship are now so elaborate and exhaus-
tive that a further description and
analysis of the scope and practical