Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-11-06
RICHARDS 1NSUERS BIRNE.

Under date Of October 10Th, Hon. r.. o.. Richards has
written the following letter to Governor Byrnc, in regard
to the Governors claims Of falechooI in Mr.. Richards
figures on state expenditures:
have just noticed in the Pierre Daily Dakotan, pub
ished last evening, yonr statement in regard to matter of
state expenditures which hav" had printed under the head
of State Expenditures, a Comparison of State Taxes for
the Years 1902 to 1912 and appropriations for 1913-'14,
Information Obtained From the State AUDITORS Office
The Daily Dakotan report, You as saving Every
phase of the statement was falls" and misleading. The i'm
preston intended to b" given b! tn" entire statement is
absolutely FALSE Under ordinary circumstances, as a
rule, pay no attention to criticisms; but when one occ,py-
ing the position of your Excclcncy rniravor, to brand me
as a falsifrr, feel called on to defend my character. The
figures which caused to be printed in statement, upon
which You comment as misrepresentation are in fact true,
as furnished to me by the state b~ookkeeper, the state aud
ltor. have SIMPLY quoted the figures given me upon in
quiry at tn" Stat" auditors office. therefore desire to ask
you to favor me with answers eyes" or ''No' as to the
following questoins. Al! you need to do to answer these
questions correctly in this manner is to step into the state
auditors office and ascertain the facts.
~Flrst-Replying to my inquiry, did the
state auditors office inform me- in writing
that the state taxes for 1903 and 1904, under
Governor Herried, were .....:.......... 81, 9,8s7.00
S~econd-Repying to my inquiry, did
the same Office inform me in writing that
the state taxes for 1905 and 1906, under
Governor Elrod, were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 81, 1913, $4,000
anu Inat the total lof these Tour years Was. s., So. 5000
Thlrd-Replying to my inquiry, did the
same Office inform me in writing that the
state taxes for 1909 and 1910, under Cover
nor ,vsessey, were :. ....:..:..... .$2,624,917.m
the same Office inform me in the same man
nr that the state taxes for 1911 and 1912,
uuueE governor NGSSey, were &, 1877 IRA on
and that the total for these four years was. -. S. 1881 90
Flfth-Repylng to my inquiry, did tie
same Office inform me in writing that the
increase III state taxes in the last mentioned
four year period, over the first mentioned
four year period, was $2.s1S.S31O 90
Sixth-Replying to my inquiry, did the
same ofhce inform me in writing that the APP
preparation OF state moneys for the years
1913 and 1914, under your administration,
was. $3,537 ,741.59
~Seventh-Replying to my inquiry, did the state aud.
ltor's office, under date Of October Is, 1913, write me the
following information:
ssThe following statement of liabilities and rasonrosu
IS substantially correct, minor changes in the amount of
state tax may be made when the several county auditors
complete their tax lists and make their reports TO this Of
ice, but such changes cannot materially effect the total
either way.
Liabilities.
Appropriations payable during fiscal wear
ending June 80, 1914 ST 81 1885
Revenue Warrants Outstanding 100000
county Treasurer's Fees, 4 per cent of
Attachments, Refunds, Etc, S per cent (esti-
mated) d, 59,772.75
1896, o29.86
One Mill State Tax ..s.......... n. 81 95,455,24
Cash in General Fund July !, 1913 .,........ 3S5,925.S9
Miscellaneous General Fund Collections out
side of Taxes (estimated) ............ 400,O00.OO
Total Resources .... .... $19sl, 3sl.13
Apparent Deficit 8. IS 413,64s.73S
Eighth--Upon inquiry, did you find that these figures
were furnished to me by the state auditors offceg Are
the same substantially correct according to the records Of
said office and not Misrepresentation and false?
Ninth-Were not $%370,0000O emergency warrants due
October LIST, 1913, extended to Apsil /, 1914, at 51-2 per
cent?
Tentlr-If the estimated deficit occurs, have YOU not
to Issue more emergency warrants to pay current expenses?
Trusting YOU will favor me with your truthful answer.
81 SIMPLY 81 YES or No to the foregoing question, I am,
Very truly yours,
R.O. Richards.
TINE is COMING..
Are YOU keeping Your railroad fecelptsg Do You ask
fora receipt when YOU pay three cents a mile5for a ride on
d. raiIroadg They will be worth half 9 cent a mile OF 9
cent some dayif the supreme court fnlesson the South Ia
kota rate eases as it did AZ the Minnesota action INVOLVING
the same issues.
The same applies to freight shipments II the next
state and already some big sums Of money are u sight for
Tie shippers who will be entitled to refund. Firms Of ex-
perts id rate matters are either buying up the receipts Tor
freight paid 81 else taking them on a basis of commission
on the refundn1ents secured andSone firm already controls
$125O0O Of such refunds. The same sort of refund isapos.