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


money lender. / respectfully submit
that this is wrong.
Up to the 18th day of June, 1918
not one dollar had been paid on thI
$2,550,000.O0 appropriated to Publ,
| Schools.
To the taxpayer who may demur, |
submit that if the Constitutional
Amendments limiting appropriations
be adopted in accordance with my
recommendations the l IL mills ex.
ira taxes to be divided between two
years, will be the most economical and
the wisest investment he can make,
| If they be not approved, the State may
expect a heavy increase of the deficit
until sheer necessity will require a
burdensome tax levy or a drastic tax
ing law, resulting not only in a drain
upon the people, but in injury to the
reputation, enterprise and develop
ment of the State.
Should the Legislature deem it wise
to submit an extra levy of one mill for
only one year. the sum raised
would approximate sS62,000.0O and
would be of great aid in expediting
the payment of teachers, although it
would not permit their monthly pay
ment, in view of the present deficit in
the Treasury.
Pensions and Schools.
The appropriation for Pensions for
1918 amounts to $1,1S0,000. This is
| 49, o+;ooI1x, +I,o Iorooct cuno ouar grant
ed to aid those to whom we are all
debtors. The justice of their claims,
their heroism, their sacrifice, and their
valor, constitute the proud heritage OF
us all. With each succeeding yeal
their number is diminishing, and each
year this may be expected to decrease,
The direct appropriation for Public
Schools for 1918 is $1,962, 251.OO, which
is supplemented by the special funds
provided by the Constitution. In the
report of the Comptroller General you
will observe that excepting Public
Schools and Pensions, one-third of one
mill ad valorem tax added to the Other
revenues of the State would support
| every other State institution, including
| the entire civil establishment and the
| State Sanatorium, which alone annu-
ally demands nearly $600,000.00.
You will observe by the Comptroller
Genarars report that a tax of 2 IL
mills, supplemented by the Copstitu
tional appropriations to education, will
raise the amount allowed to the Public
| Schools for 1913 being the largest
amount ever granted Tor the purpose
A direct tax of / IL mills will provide
Pensions allowed for 1918, being like
wise practically the largest sum ever
appropriated.
| Recommendation
1 recommend that you propose Con
| stitutional Amendments which shall
provide that the appropriation fol
schools shall not exceed 2 IL mills in
| addition to the Constitutional appro-
priation; and shall not exceed 1 IL
mills, or exceed $1,1S0,000.00, annually
| for Pensions.
In the event these amendments are
ratified. you will have submitted to
the people a practical plan for pae
serving the States credit. You will
have applied to the States affairs the
same plan now in force under the Con-
stitution in reference to counties,
which are required to specify the pur
poses for which levy is made. The
diminution of the pension fund may
be expected, because of the rapid di-
intuition of the pensioners.
The State must be like the father
who educates his children according
| to his means and certainly every one
must pronounce you generous when
the apportionment of the rate has been
upon the basis of the highest appro-
| priation yet made. And this generos
| ity is emphasized by the fact that dur
ing the years for which the appropria
lions were made, the appropriations
exceeded the revenue practically a
half million dollars.
In this connection, it may be asked
why a similar apportionment for every
| public purpose should not be made.
| The answer is obvious. In the case Of
the State Sanitarium, whose demands
are next largest in amount to schools
and pensions, the State must provide
for the insane, and no Constitutional
limit can nationally be made. The
J sinking fund, the interest on the pub,
lie debt, the new provision to be made
for refunding the bonded debt in 1915,
cannot likewise be imperiled by the
possible diminution of values through
a panic or other financial distress
The same is true of the Legislative
expenses, salaries Of State House Off
GERS, Judges, etc. Other items of ex-
penditure are almost neglible, and the
minute fraction of mill could not
appropriately be made the subject OF
a Constitutional Amendment. In fact
the courts and the entire civil estab
lishment could be maintained with
out the imposition of one dollar ad
valorem tax.
Revenue.
1t will be apparent to those who have
had legislative service, that unless
some check of the nature proposed be
made, the increase of revenue will be