The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-06-30

the treasury from this scource. TAX
ing the amount received in 1908 as
the basis of the value of the hire oil
convicts which, of course, is much
less than they would bring now, the
! treasury of the state will have lost
from the beginning of the year 1905
to the end of the year 1918, the sum
| Of $1,71S,696.15.
In calling your attention to any OF
| the facts presented, l do not mean t.
| criticize the legislative acts, or tc
doubt the wisdom of any Of them
! That is beside the question. The i'm
mense sum that would have been re
! ceiyed into the state treasury has
| been expended wisely upon the public
highways. and aside from the moral
aspect of the question, has enhanced
the material prosperity and landed
values many times the amount. The
state has been splendidly repaid
morally and financially, by the
change.
In fact, by calling the attention OF
the people to the causes Of the fin
ancial deficit, they will readily sup
port you in any wise measures to re-
NEEDY the difficulty. When they are TAX
en- into your confidence, and are in
formed how the public moneys were
expended for their benefit, and the
causes of the shrinkage in public
revenue. they will cheerfully respond
to every statesmanlike effort you may
make to solve the problem.
In 1907 the liquor tax amounted Il
| $934,2S2 IS. In 1908, ON account OF the
prohibition law, the total sum res
ceived from the liquor tax from
near beer licenses and from locker
clubs, amounted to $48,73S.O3, or a
loss of $295, 544.72.
Since then, taking the report OF
the comptroller general of 1913 as
measure, the sum received from near
been licenses, and from locker clubs
amounted to $27S,000 per annum, max
ing deficit of about $4,000 per an
mum.
In 1912 the legislature abolished
the dog tax amounting to $4,000 pei
year, being the amount which II
would require the tax on $26,OOO,O0C
of property to produce.
For many of the foregoing figures
am indebted to the able chairman o;
the house appropriations committee
of 1911-1912.
In 1904 the people adopted an
amendment to the constitution limit
ing the tax rate to five mills, thus
declaring by their sovereign act In
favor of economy in public expendi
ture and recording their judgment
that such levy would be sufficient fol
the states discharge of all public
functions. The tax levy for the sup
port of public schools for that yeal
was 1-70100 mills.
Yet, l am officially Informed by the
comptroller general, that in 1872, tf't
appropriations exceeded the anticipat
ed revenue $339,000,and the actual re
venue 100000, and as you will tnd
by the report of that same officer OF
your desks, the excess of eXpendl
lures over anticipated income in 191;
is $251,653, requiring $46,312,4OO tax
able property to produce it.
Thus you will perceive, that u
meet the deficit of these two years
alone, taking the anticipated revenue
as basis, an increase of the proper
ty of the state subject to ad valoren
taxation must be $114,112, 400.
You will have observed that the
same legislature which appropriated
s339,O0O in excess of its anticipated
revenue, during the same session Gu
off $126,0O0 thereof.
Statistics, to be read and digest
ed, must not be voluminous and | az
not burden you with them. Suffice
it to say, that the appropriations o.
1911 exceeded the revenues, and yor
will observe that while approprla
lions were being increased sources
of revenue were being lessened anc
no provision was being made to sup
ply the deficit The candle was being
burned at both ends.
legislative Conditions
Having been a member OF the legls
lature for seventeen years l can sym
pathize with the members of the
general assembly in yielding to the
pressing claims made for approprla
tons. Every heart is responsive tc
the sentiment that our greatest
wealth is in our children, and no one
wishes to bear the responsibility OF
shutting the door of opportunity te
our boys and girls by denying them
the privileges of education.
Every patriotic feeling is aroused
nv the suggestion that great state
should render comfortable the declln
ing days of the old confederate vete
rams who had imperilled their all II
her hour of desperate need.
And eloquent, irresistible appeals
can be made for all the objects o.
expenditure which promise rich har
vest of return from every dollar
granted by a meagre appropriation.
Your appropriations committees
carefully balancing the receipts ane
disbursements, and recognizing the
primal duty of being just be'ore be
ing generous, report bill approprlat
ing all that the states revenue VII
permit. Some gentleman arises II
enthusiastic advocacy of an amend
ment TO increase a quarter OF mil
lion dollars, or more, the allowance
for some popular purpose, and WOE
to him who makes the prosalc sug
gestion that the state has not the
money! He is stamped in the legls
1ature and at home as the enemy O
the people, and he sits down, weaken
cd in his influence and mlsconstrue(
bv his constituents, for having per
formed his sworn duty.
The System Wrong.
The system is wrong. 1t Is con
trarv to the theory Of our govern
o,,ocvutbnro ondn9VOTc II