XIV REPORT Or THE COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY.

it does appear that the State is doing its full measure, if not
more, towards maintaining the Public Schools of the State.
Anything further than this, in my judgment, should be provided
for by local revenues. Indeed, I am fully convinced that: the
entire State Public School Tax, now 15 cents, and 1 3/4 cents for
School Books, should be reduced to 15 cents, and from the
revenue thus produced deduct first the sum of $100,000 for Free
School Books, distributing the same as now provided by law, the
remaining sum, which will be over $1,000,000, to be distributed
in accordance with Chapter 584 of the Acts of 1904. This would
reduce the State tax rate 1 3/4 cents without injury to Baltimore
City or any County in the State; indeed Baltimore City
contributed to these two funds $141,896.68 more than it received.
The advocates of the new School Law asked for such a tax
rate as. would produce $1,000,000 per annum. Fifteen cents
will not only do this but care for the Free School Books as well,
and I therefore recommend your Honorable body to pass such
a bill, and thus relieve the taxpayers of this 1% cents.

PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.

The Legislature of 1904, by Chapter 225, provided for the
improvement of the public highways by an Act entitled "An Act
for the improvement of the public highways of the State and to
provide the means therefor."

Unfortunately for the success of the measure, the only means
provided therefor was a direct appropriation from the State
Treasury as follows:

"Section 16. And be it enacted, That the sum of two
hundred thousand dollars annually, or so much thereof as may
be necessary, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of any
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the
purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act."

I have endeavored in these remarks to present to you the full
and true condition of the Treasury of the State. From such
presentation, it becomes very manifest that the Treasury cannot
stand this very large appropriation, and the Commission was