Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-06-29

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beer licenses and from locker clubs,
amounted to $4S, 73S.O3, or a loss OF
5zS5, 544.42.
Since then, taking the report of the
Comptroller General of 1913, as a
measure, the 50 .Nreceived from near
beer licenses, from locker clubs,
amounted to s. 5000 per annum,
making deficit bout 100000 per
annum. 4 Chm,
In 1912, the LIE, rectoHe abolished
the Dog Tax amoJptlng to s130,0OO.OO
per year, being the amount which it
would require the tax on SIG, 200, 100000
of property to produce,
For many of the foregoing figures |
am indebted to the able Chairman of
the House Appropriation COMMITTEES
of 1911-1912.
In 1904 the people adopted an
amendment to the Constitution limit.
ing the tax rate to five mills, thus de.
claring by their sovereign act in favor
of economy in public expenditure and
recording their judgment that such
ASNy "Ould NC oUDlSlCIlL lOl llAC 0IdlC .
discharge of all public functions. The
tax levy for the support of public
schools for that year was one and sew.
enty one-hundredths mills.
Yet, am officially informed by the
Comptroller General that in 1912 the
appropriations exceeded the anticipa-
ted revenue $339,00OO0, and the act
ual revenue 202,000.00, and as you
will find by the report of that same
officer on your desks, the excess o.
expenditures over anticipated income
in 1913 is 1921, $4,000, requiring $46,.
312 10000 taxable property to produce
it.
Thus you will perceive, that to NEE,
the deficit of these two years alone
taking the anticipated revenue as q
basis, an increase of the property OF
the State subject to ad valorem taxa
ton must be $114,112, 10000.
You will have observed that the
same Legislature which appropriate
$685., 100000 in excess of its anticipated
revenue, during the same session Gu
OIL 9lZO,U UU.UU thereon.
Legislative Conditions.
Having been member of the Les
islature for seventeen years l ca
sympathize with the members of tn
General Assembly in yielding to tn
pressing claims made for appropria
tions. Every heart is responsive tt
the sentiment that our greatest wealth
is in our children, and no one wishes
to bear the responsibility of shutting
the door of opportunity to our boys
and girls by denying them the privil-
eyes of education.
Every patriotic feeling is aroused
by the suggestion that a great State
should render comfortable the declin-
ing days of the old Confederate Vet
Grams who had imperiled their all in
her hour of desperate need.
And eloquent, irresistible appeals
can be made for all the objects of ex-
penditure which promise a rich har-
vest of return from every dollar
granted by a meagre appropriation.
Your Appropriation Committees,
carefully balancing the receipts and
disbursements, and recognizing the
primal duty of being just before being
generous, report bill appropriating
all that the States revene will permit.
Some gentleman arises in enthusiastic
advocacy of an amendment to increase
a quarter of million dollars, or more,
the allowance for some popular pur
pose, and woe to him who makes the
prosaic suggestion that the State has
not the money! He is stamped in the
Legislature and at home as the enemy
of the people, and he sits down, weak
ened in his influence and miscon.
strued by his constituents, for having
performed his sworn duty.
The System Wrong.
The system is wrong. 1t is con
trary to the theory of our government,
vide method of checks and balances
1t is not so with the present state OF
our law.
Prior to the Constitutional Amend.
ment of 1904, limiting the tax rate to
five mills, the Governor and Comptrol.
Ter General met and levied a tax SUI
ficient to pay all appropriations. If the
appropriations were large, the tax
rate was increased, and the constitu
ents at home being called upon for a
heavier drain from their purses,
taught a wholesome lesson to theh
representatives by refusing to re-elect
them. The public expenditure was
therefore a matter of constant public
supervision. This acted as a check,
and reminded the Legislators tina,
heavy appropriations meant increased
burdens on the people.
Now, the Legislature can appro.
pirate what it pleases, and the tax
rate remains the same. A million,
more or less, does not mean a cent
more from the taxpayer. The Legis.
lator has made himself favorite with
constituency by voting for every popu.
lar appropriation and nothing suffers
but the States credit. When the crisis
arrives, no one can put his hand upon
the one who caused it. He has yield.
ed to the insistence of those who have