The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-01-16
SATURDAY. JANUARY IS. 1909.
PROMINENT YEATUREs or
wARHER's MESSAGE.
n Concise Form Prepared Which Gives
the Average Reader . Good
Understanding.

In his third inaugural message, which
was delivered before the two houses OF
che legislature in joint convention re-
Gently. Governor Warner discussed the
subject of state finances at great
length. He conclusively showed that
the failure of the last legislature to
provide for the raising by taxation a
sufficient revenue to meet the general
expenses Of the state and the conse-
queat shortage IN the state treasury
was due to the failure of the Auditor
General, in November, 1905 and 1907, to
follow the long established custom of
years and the plain provision of the
statute and distribute practically the
entire sum remaining in the primary
school interest bond. The governors
investigation showed that for thirteen
years previous to 1906, all but the odd
cents of the per capita amount in this
fund was distributed among the coun-
ties Of the state, the average balance
remaining after the November appor-
tiennent being only $4,000. In strong
contrast with this situation was the ac-
tion of the Auditor General in with
holding from distribution 1922, 1867
of this fund in 1906 and $l,667, 494 in
1907, notwithstanding the provision of
the law requiring that the entire fund
be distributed. When the legislature
o. 1907 asked for the balance in the
state treasury at the close of 1906, in
order that it might intelligently make
up the general budget to be raised by
taxation, it was informed that the bal
ance was approximately $1,000, 600.
Nothing was said about 81, 222, 486. 81 of
this amount being primary school mon
ey, and neither the legislature nor the
governor had any knowledge Of this
fact. The Legislature very properly
proceeded on the understanding that
the full balance reported was available
for use in computing the amount to be
raised by taxation. Had it been known
that 81 ,222, 4s6.57 of the balance report
ed was primary school interest money,
the general budget to be raised by tax
alton would certainly have been in
creased by that sum and the present
treasury shortage avoided. The gov
ernor also showed that the Auditor
Generals estimates submitted to the
last six legislatures exceeded by 81, 069,-
746.23 the aggregate tax levied by
those legislatures, showing that it has
long been the wise and necessary prac-
tice Of successive legislatures to dis
count the estimates furnished them.
The statement was made that during
the biennial period ending December
Is, 1908, the total receipts of the prim-
airy school interest fund were $9,327,-
s47.72, and during the same period
there was paid from this fund to the
counties total Of $9,891 ,O76.2S, or
$3.50, 22S.56 more than the revenue of |
the fund. The aggregate of state tax
es levied and collected during the same
two years was but $685., 813.42, and
the back taxes collected was s37l, PA
Sc. The expenditures Of the state on
account of the educational, penal, char
table and reformatory institutions dur
ing the same period amounted to
Sc, 793. 224.S3.
The message dealt fully with the
charges made against State Treasurer
Glazier and the resignation of that Of
fetal. OF the 1856, 5s7. 70 of state funds
on deposit with the Chelsea Savings
Bank at the time IL failed, the state has