Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-06
THURSDAY, JANUARY G, 1921.
Something 20 Think ABOUT


The final message Of Governor Town
,end. which was read at the session OF the
legislature. this afternoon, and which
will he found in full elsewhere in this is
S,e is without doubt the most interesting
State nsper ever laid before the people oi
Delaware. II is especially interesting 10
the forceful presentation IT makes OF the
nresent extent of the functions of our
State administration, and in this respect
we believe. will prove a revelation TO
many citizens. who. while aware in gen
eraI way of what has been going on, VIII
he amazed at the wide range of our adj
rninistrative performances and the
magnitude Of our financial operations.
Asis natural. the message is very large
~ a review OF the governors adminlsua-
ton during the past four wears, which
have been amor the most eventtul years
If our States history, not only by reason
Of the grave emergencies created by the
World War which Delaware had 20 do ITS
mart 10 meet. bat by the WIDE expansion
of the states assumption ofpubhc work
and public duties. consequent upon the
generous presentation Of financial aid by
prixstc citizens for the promotion of
causes that lie very close to the best
interests Of our people. And the duties thus
assumed and performed have inN olved ex-
penditurss that seem amazing when the
small size Of our State is considered, es-
peciallv when contrasted with the very
moderate outlsys that were suthciett Tor
all purposes held 10 be essential up to a
few years ago.
We believe the brief summary Of State
finances presented by the governor in his
message vii, be revelation to most OF our
citizens who have not had an intimate
knowledge Of the details Of State admins
tration. The financial statement for the
wear 1920 is not vet svailable, as the
States fiscal year begins January 10 OF
each year, but the figures for 1919 10
many viii prove a great surprise. The
total receipts of the year were s., ,434, ISL
as; total expenditures, 81 600, ,l4l.2s ex-
cess OF receipts over expenditures, SSS4,-
040.70. This large sum, however, does
not represent the balance in the treasury
January 10. 1920, as there were aecumu-
lated cash balances for previous years, 81
that the total at that date was much larger
than the excess of receipts over expendi-
tures. And the cash balance IN the treas
ury today, the governor says, Is more
than 81 10000. The cash balance at the
beginning Of bis term, four years sgo, was
s194. JOG. IS, 50 that this decidedly healthy
element Of State fnanciering itself
increased 81 ,506.5s dur
:Dg the past four years. The statement
that the interest on State deposits for the
past two years amounted TO s76, ,249,95 Is
very interesting IN this connection.
But, DO matter how encouraging this |
financial situation may be IN general, |
there is another, and avery important mat
ter to be considered Ordinarily, 1t is |
not wise policy for a State to impose /
taxation, in any form, to an extent more /
than sufficient TO meet an the expenses OF /
administration and leave safe and COM
Portable balance ID the treasury at the end /
Of each fiscal yeaI. That is sound and /
practical financiering But the increase /
Of balance in the State treasury from I
little less than $500 900 four years ago to
about 81, 700, 900 today isfairly astound- |
ing, and shows that a far greater SUM Of |
money has been demanded by the State /
for the purposes Of administration than /
was necessary
1t is hardly possible at this time TO con-
sider thoroughly and IN detail this very
and important element CT our
States financial arrangements. but 1T is
not unjust 10 say that the showing very /
strongly intinates that the State is draw
ng from its various sources Of revenue
much more money than is needed for the
purposes Of administration Surely, there /
s ample room for a material reduction in
iaxation, say, for illustration an aboli-
,ion of the yexatious and apparently un-
State income tax. The governor
mentions this item, later in his message,
,ut in the form of recommendation that |
egislation be enacted for a closer collec-
ion Of this revenue, there having been
eports of remissDess in this respect. But
there is no recommendation for its aboli-
ION, nor for the curtailment Of any other
TEN Of the States tax impositions, which
he governor clearly shows to be much
arger than are necessary. And it is not
o be denied that there is no greater in
'ucemn TO extravagapt legislation than
treasury fairly overfowing with money,
S the treasury of our State is today.
Another very interesting feature of the
Message is reference to the extent to
ghichI our State has been favored by pri-
ate benefaction. The money thus given
Of various purposes-for education, pub I
C roads, child welfare, State Program and
he farm for the feeble-ninded-- |
ates about sl0,0oO0Oo The gifts by Mr..
'lcrres. du Pont for educational purposes