The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-02-20
A TRUE LIGHT ON
STATE FINANCES
Auditor Of State 0'Drien Gives
the Facts.
REPUBLICANS WERE MASTERS

IL Is Pointed Out conclusiveiy How
For Sixteen Years the Republican
State Administration Had Conduct
ed the Affairs of the State on the
Theory That You Could Spend More
Money Than Your Income Without
Creating a Deficiency.
In his recent notable address before
the Indiana Democratic Editorial AS
seciation Mr. William III. O'Brien, au-
ditor OF state, presented the first fully
comprehensive statement given TO the
public in years in relation TO state
finances, serving completely to refute
the oft repeated declarations OF the
Republican press of the state that the
Republican administration never had
been under the necessity OF calling on
the county treasurers for advance
settlements. Mr. O'Brien said;
The tax rate is always an interest
Ing question 10 the man who pays
and just now we are hearing much
talk about the increase In state taxes
The opposition press charge the Dem
ecratic administration with increasing
state taxes, then romance on In
creased salaries, and then stop. The
reason for the increase In the ta,
rate Is that the Republicans, who con
trolled the finances OF the state FOL
sixteen years. were not only waste
ful In their appropriations but the,
did not have the moral courage tt
cope with the condition they had ere
atcd
When the Democratic party came
into full possession of the state ad
ministration. after the 1910 election
they were confronted with both the
ory and condition. For sixteer
years the Republican state admins
tration had conducted the affairs o
the state upon the theory that yol
could spend more money than YOU
income, without creating a deficiency
The condition was treasury empt!
and rs dry as Dead Sea apple. al
outlined In the inaugural message o
Governor Hanly To- the legislature OF
January 4. 1905. when he said tha
Revenues for the present year have
been anticipated TO the extent of 1929,
600 .O3," and said further: This con
dition OF the finances VIII become nj
actual embarrassmert 60 the trsasur.
before the end OF The current year
II can be met only y" borrowing ont
right. or by anticipating the revenue
for the next fiscal year At tha
time Mr. Hauly was pretty god Re
publican authority.
Marshalrs Note Of Warning.
Before the end o, tn Gs'l ear o
| 1905. the state had received advanc
II payments from the - mite GeSrcs 4
ing sg9i .It9o3 Aeter tour NOR
years OF Republican cstray gaace IN
sane condition existed whom tos
efnor Marshall wes inlu2l cd nn
he sounded note OF warning 10 th
IL General Assembly In 1893
i I'm May. 1908. In the closing year O
Governor ranly'a admlnistrat 'on. tn
state was begging advance payment
! from the counties In order 20 NEE
| It's current NhlktllNHNf III 'ltNA .HiHA''
when the Republicans were la ful
vl control. the Indianapolis News sale
with reference 60 n demand by th
state upon Marion County for $4,000
and threatencH legal proceedings I
get it; The state In sorcly In nee
j of money and this IL the reason dral
tic efforts are TO be made TO collec
the $1,000 II IL declared that th
state will not have enough TO TAX
care OF this monihr pay roll unles
the advance payment Ia made"
The state tax leyica from 1926 I
1909. inclusive, amounted TO sever
teen cents annually on each ono huI
dred dollars OF valuation OF taxable
for the state general fund, beneyt
lent instltutlons fund and the stat
sinking fund In 1910 the sinhn
fund, on the recommendation OF Coy
cruor Marshall waa reduced l 81
cents, making the net annual tax les
les up To 1914. for the three fund
named Is hl0 cents The sinkln
fund OF three cents established b
the Democratic legislature OF lS9'
WIS used for the payment OF the stat
debt up 90 the Year 1901, In fac
every dollar OF the state bonded del
paid I'm the last twenty years wa
paid under n Democratic law. and On
only years In that period passed Will
ont ANY payment on the debt wa
when the Republican law with l,
transfer attachment was In force. an
which waa not enacted for debt.payin
purposes. In 1905. and during th
succeeding two years of the Hanl
administration. tho sinking fund &
three cents was transferred. In its ~
tirety 90 he state general fund, thu
pfovidIns ono million aud n half do
lars for the payment OF the currcn
exp.na,s vi The astfayagant Repul
iltan administration. In 1908 the sinl
INK lbnd OF three cents was restore,
but the law making the levy autho