Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-12-17
STATE TREASURY IS EMPTY AND
PROBABLY WILL BE UNTIL
FIRST OF FEBRUARY.
MAY APPEAL TO THE RAILWAYS.
Governor Is Notified by Treasurer Dahl
That Salaries May Remain Unpaid
During January.
NO INCOME UNTIL TAXES ARE DUE

MADISON, Wis, Dee. Al Special
Wisconsin is up against it; it is facing
a deficiency in the state treasury of d
half million dollars. There will be prac-
tically no funds for salaries and carry
ing on of the states business for the
month of January, or until taxes are
due. the first part of February.
In anticipation of this situation State
Treasurer a. II. Dahl today sent Gov
Davidson a letter apprising him of the
embarrassing position thus created. The
treasurer makes no recommendations to
the governor as IL how to meet the
situation, and is himself not certain how
the state can proceed.
y hurried session of the Legislature
would not help things, as the taxes for
this year have already been levied; it
could not make an appropriation since
there IS no money to appropriate, and it
could not authorize the borrowing of
sufficient money since the state is lin
tied IN borrowing to the sum of 100000
There are various special funds i'll the
treasury OF varying amounts, mostly
small ones, but these cannot be turned
INTO the general fund.
Must Practice Economy.
SO far as the state treasurer can now
see, 1t may be necessary to Practice the
most rigid economy during January, to
hold back all warrants, salaries and
building expenses as far as possible. and
possibly to borrow 100000, the limit
the state can go. Perhaps. too, the eX-
pedlent may be reSOrted to of asking the
railways to start paying their taxes as
soon as possible, although these are not
due until February 10, the last Legis-
Iature having extended the time for such
payments five days. 1t is pointed out as
Illuminating to the state to eat out of the
hands of the railways after belaboring
them so hard for the past decade
Treasurer DahPs letter to Gov David
son follows:
MADISON, Wis, Dec. 10, 'O9.-Gov. J. 0.
Davidson, Madison. Wis.-Dear Sir: I deem
condition of the treasury at this time and
TO suggest that steps be taken, if p3ssi-
BE, to meet the shortage now in sight.
There was in the general fund on December
10, 1909, $253, 1926 as against SCOT, G61 80
on the same date last year
The estimated receipts for the balance
of this month and January are S1O5,365:
makes total of 1888, 1920.
Disbursements Exceed Cash.
The estimated expenditures for the bal
ance of this month and January, based on
the disbursements of December and Janu-
flrE OF last year (after dcducting $4,000
from the disbursements of January last be
ing the amount paid to the members of the
Legislature for salary and expenses, are
$737 .124, or $371.762 more than the cash on
hand and estimated revenues up to February
1, 1910
The total cash in the general fund at
this time is not sufficient to take care of
the payroll for January; there will be no
funds to take up warrants for all miscel-
Eaneous accounts and for the payroII for
February unless steps are taken to replen-
fsh the general fund until the railroad taxes
Are collected on February II next. | called
Fhe attention of the Legislature to the fact
that the amount of disbursements was
steadily increasing, while the revenues did
not increase propcrtonately, and that I'M
less economy was practiced the general
fgnnd OF the state would be approximately
100000 short by February 10 next.
AS far as | know the Legislature passed
no measure that will increase the revenues
but a bill was passed appropriating 81 OOO.-
OOO to be expended for the new capitol this
year instead of 100000 as heretofore pro.
vided by law