Salt Lake Tribune | 1911-03-11 | Page 6 | The Harriman Payment

THE HAEHIIVIAN-PAYMENT. The payment by Mrs. Harriman of the (inheritance tax due to tho State of Utah from the Harriman estate, is a good deal liko a magnificent windfall. Although Attorney-General Barnes is entitled to credit for his efforts to present pre-sent this matter iu its proper form to those who should pay it, it is creditable lo Mrs. Harriman i bat, as soon as sho found that this liability really attached to the estate, sho promptly made out her check, thus paying tho amount due. This sum, $79S,546.S5, will be of sub stantial help lo the Stale of Utah. The agreement that sets aside $750,000 of this money to bo applied on the building build-ing of the Slate Capitol, is advantageous advantage-ous to the taxpaying public. It will relieve re-lieve tho need of tho bond issue for a good whilo to come, and that bond is-suo is-suo will not be made until further nioncy is required on construction account. ac-count. The remainder of this inheritance in-heritance tax, amounting to $48,546.S5, will be immediately available for tho current expenses of tho State, and will be a welconio help in bringiug togethor the estimated expense of the State for the next two years and the estimated revenue. The tendency all the time is to add to tho appropriations, Irusting to luck and good fortune, to square tho expense account with iho revenue at the end of the biennial period. There is some uncertainly, lo be sure, an uncertainty that when resolved, is reasonably sure to be resolved in favor of the State, with respect to income from the in-heriianeo in-heriianeo tax. Now that this tax is fairly begun to be operativo, substantial substan-tial sums are likely to bo received on account of it from time to time.' It is safer, however, for tho Legislature lo do the best, it can in making the revenue rev-enue and expense accounts meet, without with-out depending upon uncertainties like this. The desercpancy between the two is not at. all serious this year, and tho legislature should have little difficulty in arriving at a fairly accurate balanco between tho two.