The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-07-25
SHOWS GROWTH OF STATE
State Ofieial Defends Expenditures of
State Under Administration Of Gov.
McGovern and Takes Wind Out of
Democratic Orators Sails.

ADVANCE expected charges Of extrava-
CANT expenditures of recent state adj
ministrations. He points to the eff
fciency of the present administration,
and, reviewing the expenditures, chal-
enges inquiry as to where there has
been extravaganza OF waste, in the In
creasing cost Of state government,
which is chiefly seen in the expendi-
lures for educational, penal and chart
table purposes, and for the new state
capitol. He says;
''The state treasury balance on
June 30, 1912, was $2,032, 14319. This
is a larger amount than was ever be-
fore found on hand by the state at this
time of the year. The commission APP
pointed under the statute for that pur-
pose seeks to maintain a close work
ing balance in the state treasury and
in doing so has within the past ten
years RENTED $6,669, 194.09 Of taxes
authorized to be collected from the
different counties Of the state for the
new capitol building and other pur-
poses, These large expenditures have
caused the commission to retain at
amount than would otherwise be kept
to meet many such contingencies. In
recent years the state has occasionally
pai1 back TO the counties of the state
larger amount than it collected, This
was because the receipts from rail
roads, back taxes, and other items JUS
tilted this remission by the state
board, which board includes the gov
ernor and the secretary of state among
its members.
Sources of State Income.
''The state receipts are based upon
collections from corporations, license
fees and other statutory receipts to-
gether with a direct levy of state
taxes. This direct tax levy has al
ways been for educational purposes, to
refund special charges which the state
has advanced to the counties for
loans made by the state, for the care
of insane and also for a tax of $780,
600 annually authorized to be levied
for state administration. The law
authorizes an annual expenditure of
100000 for the new capitol, but $780,
600 of this amount is taken from the
general fund. In other words, consid-
ering state tax remissions approx
mately 100000 of the state capitol
building expense viii be paid for from
the receipts that come from corpora
lions and similar sources and not, by
direct tax.
"During the past ten years not one
dollar in tax has been levied for state
administrative purposes, but on the
contrary the state through remission
and otherwise has been called upon to
pay out of the treasurv moneys to
run educational institutions of the
various counties and other charges
which are properly local in character.
Increase in Expenditures.
"A brief comparison of increase in
state expenses will make the matter
better understood. The state expen2
ditures increased from $4,035,997 in
1900 to $9,7S2, 459 in 1910, or during
a period of ten years it more than
doubled, although during part of
that time the state taxes were remit
ted because of large treasury receipts
The total expense of all the com
missions apart from the service they
render the state is approximately not
more than per cent of all the annual
disbursements. The saving in freight
charges to the people each year.
through the state railway commission
would pay the expenses of all the COM
missions Tor several years.
Zone other item is important to
consider. Of the $9,7S2, 459 total ex.
penditures in 1910, $2,346,ooO, % per
cent Of the total, was paid back di-
rectly to the counties in the form of
common school apportionment and re-
funded street railway taxes, leaving
the amount of state disbursements
aside from this refund at 1886, 459.
Where Most of the Money Goes.
I'm 1900 the state paid $1,177, 1851
for charitable and penal purposes or
nearly 80 per cent of the total state
expense. In 1910, or ten years later,
the state spent $1,82l,41S for the
same purpose or less than 20 per cent
Of the total state tax for that year, a
reduction of one-third in ten years.
The administrative expense in 1900
was about 8 per cent of the total state
expense. In 1910 after adding the
cost of all the commissions, this item,
including per cent for commissions,
was less than per cent of the total
expense.
The cost of state capitol, perma-