The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-11-04

in 1907; the assessment on large
majority of them will be less than
for last year Many have contested
the assessment of Comptroller Cen
eral w. A. Wright, fixed in nearly
every instance at the figures of last
year and have carried the uuarrels
to arbitration boards In no case
has a board of arbitration fixed an
assessment at a figure higher than
that prevailing for 1907, and in a
large majority of the eases passed on
the ultimately fixed valuation has
been much lower than that of last
year.
The Central of Georgia railroad
alone will pay taxes on more than
$1,00O,000 less property this eyar.
The income from the ad valorem
method of taxation viii be Just about
the same as in 1907. There will be
little if any increase in special tax
es. Nothing has been collected from
saloons, and after April l nothing
will come in from the hire of con-
| vfcts. The states income will be so
much less and it's obligations so much
greater than for 1907 that Mr.
Brown viii have to face an unprece-
! dented deficit, unles an unexpected
remedy is found
No Relief From Beer Tax.
There is no hope from the new
near beer license act. If the income
from that source is even large. and
indications up to the present do not
/ bear out such a conjecture, it will
have to be expended on convicts and
cannot go into the general Golfers.
Appropriations have been made for
1908 on the basis OF present tax
levies. The expenditures were in
creased in the hope that ad valorem
( tax returns would grow to meet them.
As is shown there will be no in
crease this year. Prospects for 1909
are even less promising. Ii cotton
remains down in price the tax di-
gest is apt to be lowered during the
coming year, because of the deprecia-
! ton in farm property.
Will Exhaust Resources.
If Governor Smith sees fit to meet
all the states obligations as they fall
due during his half of the coming
year-and such would be in the
realms of both right and propriety
he will exhaust, according to state
officials who know, not only the avail
! able accumulated resources of the
/ treasury, but the borrowing power of
| the state.
/ The recent legislature re-enacted
the annual pension payment plan.
These obligations, amounting to near
! ly a million dollars, will fall due be-
/ fore the governors term expires, and
he viii doubtless try and meet them.
About years back pay from the
state will be due the public school
teachers. No doubt but that he will
endeavor to meet them as far as pos
sible. Should he endeavOr even by
/ borrowing the 100000 permitted by
the constitution, to meet all the Obli-
cations falling due before the expira-
! ton of his term, it is doubtful if
the governor could succeed.
The bulk of taxes for 1908 will
come in during December and Jan
uary. Practically all will have been
paid by the time the life of the pres
ent administration expires. 1t will
be December, 1909, before any APP
preciable amount of revenue will
Empty Treasury in Sight.
1t is possible, in fact highly proba-
Bile, that when the next general as
sembly inducts Joseph M. Brown into
office it will be with an empty treas
ury, with many pressing bills unpaid
and, maybe, with the borrowing pow
er Of the state already employed tc
the constitutional limit-with the
running expenses of the state govern.
ment to be met for the succeeding sl
months and practically not single
unexhausted definite source of rev
enue available
Then it will be up to the genera
= assembly to aid the governor in hand
ling what will be a complex situation
= And difficulties will be met there
The constitution limits the tax rate
/ to mills, at which it is now fixed
1t also limits the borrowing power
f of the governor. Neither can b.
/ changed except by approval of tn,
{ people, and to obtain that would re
= quire three or four months.
f Out of the situation is apt to grow
a new form of special taxation
. 1t is the comptroller generals es
innate that it would require an az
yalorem tax levy Of Il mills to plac,
the state on reasonably sound finan
} cal footing in 1909.
9 But the levy cannot 90 beyond
mills.
? THE WORM TURNED AT LAST.