The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-02-20

for the yIv.r..> ~, --O5, IJlJ ana
part of 1911 to the state general fund
for the payment of current expenses,
and bv reason of the provisions of
this law the state house Republicans,
in the expiring hours OF their admin
istration in 1910, transferred $780,
66O.61 TO the general fund for the pay
ment of current expenses OF the state,
in order to conceal a deficiency in the
general fund of S690,000 The legis-
lature OF 1911, in fixing the sinking
fund levy, provided that IL should be
held sacred for the payment of the
state debt, and this provision in the
law has always been the policy of the
Democratic party. The money col
'acted for the sinking fund in 1912
sDd 1918 was used for the payment OF
the state debt, and not dollar OF
the sinking fund, since the Democratic
debt-paying law was enacted, has
been transferred to the general fund
for the payment OF current expenses.
Democrats Adopt Business Methods.
If the system inaugurated by the
, state house Republicans had been fol
lowed by the present administration
the sinking fund would have been
spent for general expenses: no part OF
the state debt would. have been paid;
, and there would have been no need
, for temporary loans to be made by the
Democratic Administration. But the
Democratic administration preferred
TO transact the affairs OF the state In
: a business-like mannef.
| The reduction of the tax rate In the
, year 1910 of l $40 cents made total
saving for the years 1910. 1911, 1912
and 1913 of six cents on every one
hundred dollars OF taxable property In
!. the state and one cent upon the pres
, ent valuation of taxables VIII yield
, revenue OF 1856. 10000. SO that In the
last four years the Democratic state
administration has, saved ak cents on
!. every one hundred dollars OF taxablesl
which would amount TO s1.ll0.00Q;
that Is, the taxpayers have retained
In their pockets si.l10000 instead oi
K paying that amount into the state
i treasury.
r The all.Democratic administration
!. has paid off $j20,000 OF the bonded
v Indebtedness OF the state. and s103,000
, OF the state board OF agricultures
colosseum Indebtedness, making I'm al
total reduction In the state debt ol
$623. 900. IL does not take skilled
: mathematician, who figures with an
honest pencil. long to learn that the
= taxpayers have been benefited by the
I present administration In the i'm
y provement OF the finances OF the state
). by tho reduction In taxes. and the pay
! ments on the state debt OF more thar
u Sl.733,0O0.
l The total foreign nded debt oi
:, the state IL now 81 0eO. and the Raj
, ston administration viii pay all of this
. debt before January /, 1915, so that
: the only debt remaining after the frsi
!. day OF January, 1918, will be the do
= nestle debt established for the invest
ment OF the permanent endowment
funds OF the educational institutions
= and the vincennes University bonds
y due In 1917.
I Inheritance OF Embarrassment.
= The Ralston administration inner
4 ited the embarrassed financial condi
/, ton OF tho state. and did not create
II. Governor Ralston did not sidestel
or hesitate when the financial crisis
OF the state confronted him, but wen
" TO It. and had the honesty and cour
Z age 10 grapple with the situation, ans
/ the policy OF will pay tomorrow vii
. soon be no more.
a. The Legislature OF 1918, upon IN,
y. recommendation OF Governor Ralston
d hat the courage 90 meet the condition
q and provide remedy. and make n tn
levy sufficient TO meet the obligation
}, OF the state In business.like way
g The fact In that for twenty year
II every political subdivision In th
4 state, 20 the smallest unit. has beer
h, managed with more buaneas concerI
II and Judgment than the finances O
H. the state--due 90 the lack OF backbon
a 90 provide sufficient revenue TO NEE
70 the expenses OF the state government
o The educational institutions fun
d was established In 1897. and the "a
\ rate was lG6s. cents. In 1909 th
I rate was increased TO 27b cents, an
- this rate remained until 1914, whc
% the ratio was fixed M seven t7) cents
" and out OF the money provided by thi
INV the fuucNtluHHi lnhiiAh'iohe ~ VI
20 future must pay all their maintenance
n charges the cost OF new building
u and new equipments OF every kline
- Under the old system the tax rat
would yield about one'half the nece'
~ rary funds for the institutions. an
X the balance was taken from the gef
V era fund which made II necessary I
- draw continuously upon future rey'
' nuca.
Is Tho Benevolent Institutions Fun
~ was established In 1891. and dnrin
y nil these years since that date ha
- stood still until 1913. when the rat
~ was fixed ~ 10 cents, The lnstit,
u tions have Increased IN number th
~ population OF each institution has II
- creased IN great numbers the cost {
~ living has Increased. hut there ha
u never been any provision made IA
~ these new conditions. The old "a
= rate of Ave ca cents Yields 1851 0O
~ annually. and the expenses OF IN
s maintenance of the benevolent inst
~ tutlons total 81 $50 9.00o-the dehcene
y of about 100000 vas taken ont of th
d general fund And the result OF II a