Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-01-11

solved by figures o. speech, nor In
the review Of past records Of splen.
did achievements. The benefits OF
government carry with them certain
burdens which. II equi,ably distri-
bnted. make the sacrifice Of each
individual citizen insignificant Ia
comparison with the advantages he
receives.
The money required TO maintain
the government must be provided by
those who enjoy its benefits and prof.
1T by Its protection. II seems TO me
a plain dictate of honesty and good
government that public expenditure
should be limited to public necessity
and should be measured by the same
rules Of strict economy As are re-
quired In private business. Appli-
cation Of business principles to pub.
lie affairs is the surest method OF
giving equal and exact justice, and
this Is the chief end Of government.
l shall o recommend legislation
on a few specific subjects. those
which teen to me to be pressing for
solution at this time and of para
mount Importance. shall be glad
If in your wisdom You can find bet.
ter remedial measures that will
serve the same end.
Fiscal Affairs Of the State.
At the outset We must acknowledge
openly and sQuarely that this state
cannot be maintained on our pres
ent revenue. The first and most i'm.
portant question which confronts us
Is the problem of raising enough rev.
enue to properly conduct the activi-
ties Of the state. There is a demand
for immediate and positive legisla.
ton to provide for the three thou.
sand prisoners which are now con
fined In our state ~penitentiary. We
can no longer continue to neglect the
enlarging Of our eleemosynary institu-
tions. We must provide larger ap.
preparations for Il educational in
stitutions, and such provision must
not only be adequate but available.
We can no longer continue a policy
which forces various Institutions for
months during the year either TO hor-
o. money at exorbitant rates of in.
terest or to close their doors.
The people of Missouri expect US
to work out a feasible plan that will
provide the revenue necessary TO
mai-tain Jul institutions without EN-.
barrassment and without stint. In
order to do this there must be a
change in the present financial plan.
The last legislature, after cutting
appropriations as far as possible and
still maintain the standard OF our in.
situations, over appropriated the hien-
NAL revenue S5.361, 995. %. The gov,
ernor vetoed and held up during this
period approximately two and a
half million dollars Of this amount.
The institutions Of the state, how.
ever. could not he closed. The rev
cnue. has not been sufficient; and on
December 31st. 1916. the unpaid bills
in the auditors office amounted to
S1,15o,45S.90 {. In addition to this there
was an amount due the Confederate
soldiers and owners of livestock
slaughtered to prevent the spread of
contagious diseases, 1898, $50. SO. Ana
to this must be added salaries and
obligations incurred in 1916, but not
filed with the auditor on the 3fst of
December, 1916. which would prob.
ably amount to S250,0Od. Thus these
three items together will make 4 total
deficit of approximately 81 500, 900,
for which you must provide. This.
with our annual decrease in revenue
from liquor license, and a decrease
annually of $400. 900 due to abolishing
the contract system In the peniten-
siary. brings us face to face with a
crisis.
This situation cannot continue. We
must completely remodel and rehabili.
tate the finances Of this state imme-
Giately. The revenue Of Nineteen Hun
dred and Seventeen on the present
basis will be approximately five and
three-quarters million dollars. If we
deduct the deficit and the a%ppropria-
tons necessary for educational pur.
poses, which last year aggregated
about three million dollars land this
year should be more), the entire rey.
enue for 1917 will be absorbed. ex.
cept approximately II million dol
lars.
Oar general ven fund costs the
people Of Missouri about $1.70 per
capita. In Illinois the per capita rate
is $3.50. The average per capita tax
Of the United States is $500.
II we raised $500 per capita, we
would have $~1G.750,o00 annual rev.
enue to finance the state.
We should have an additional rev.
enue Of $1,500.000 for the public
schools of Missouri: $500, 900 to
cover the present deficiency; $750,00O
to completely reform the penal insti.
tutions. which ! will later discuss at
greater length.
l believe this additional annual rev
enue required can be best raised by
imposing taxes on the following ba.
sis. which I recommend for your con.
sideration:
(a) The raising of the col
lateral inheritance tax from
9 per cent to ~ per cont. which
would return. an estimated In.
crease OF lbO.UV
Y (h) A general Inheritance tax.
which should yield an estimated
Increase Of .....:......:........ 1000. oOt
(c) Tax on capital and surplus
franchise taxi ..........,...... 100000
td) A state income tax. to
federal rate ..'"...........,... 100000
(e) Raise saloon licenses to n