Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-31
WEALTH, DEBT AND TAXATION.
The Broad Scope OF One Division In
the Census Bureau.

The work Of the ninth division Of the census
bursau-termed in the official reports the
division Of wealth, debt and taxation in
Guides a thorough investigation, personally and
by letter, into the financial condition of every
incorporated place in the United States and
the territories. An inquiry IS 10 annual re-
ceipts and expenditure of all unincorp oraied
places comes within the general scope of the
work. The term financial condition en-
braces, for municipalities having population
of $500 in 1880 or in subsequent. censuses, a
full statement Of receipts and expenditures
during the past ten years under the most i'm
portan. headings. A complete exhibit is also
being called for and prepared with reference
to taxation, assessed valuation, e.ti-
mated true valuation, bonded debt,
floating debt, sinking fund. cash in treasury
and other available resources and annual inter-
est charge. An exhaustive bulletin 10 being
prepared showing the bonded debt, floating
debt, total debt. sinking fund. cash in treasury,
total available resources, net debt, assets in
excess OF expenditures and annual interest
charge, summarized and in detail, for $50 large
cities and towns. usually termed municipali-
ties This will be followed very shortly BY q
supplementary bulletin showing the financial
condition in detail OF at least eco additional
municipalities. A third bulletin concerning
the finances Of municipalities is nearly ready,
giving a full showing of receipts and eIpendi-
lures, with comparisons for 1880 and 1890, Of
the 300 largest cities in the United States
Then will come a statement as to tho valuation
and taIat.o OF these places. The figures for
bonded debt OF cities, &c, will be accompanied
by an exhibit giving the purposes for which
bonds were issued, when they mature, rates Of
interest and everything else pertaining to the
general subject calculated TO be OF service.
INDEBTEDNESS AND RESOURCES or COUNTIES.
bulletin, with maps, has already been is
sued to show in summarized form the indebted
ness and resources Of counties by states
Within the ne 1t few weeks bulletin will be
published giving the debts and credits Of
counties a. units in detail, figures for 1880
being placed alongside of those for 1890 az q
basis of comparison. More than 2, 800 counties
have been corresponded with to get the results
and there is now only one delinquent county
IN the whole country. Concerning the NUM-
CAPABILITIES Just referred to correspondence has
been carried on for year at least with nearly
1,200 executive and department officers OF
cities and large towns, the net results being
that there are very f0w delinquonts indeed.
The other sections Of the work represent seven
distinct classes Of inquiry: Urban divisions"
villages and towns" school DISTRICTS" ''as-
sessed valuation" estimated true valuation"
"colorGd holdings" taxation" Under one
or other of these headings correspondence is
now in progress with. in round numbers
100000 places Giving them in detail there arc
about 1000 rural divisions; about $4,000 viii
lages and townS Incorporated and unincorpo-
rated; about 152, GOO school districts. Valuation
and taxation schc dulles have been sent to at
least O.000 places. From each OF these places O
statement Is called for
TO SHOW THE FINANCIAL CONDITION
Wherever receipts and expenditures can be
given the opportunity for sending in the facts
has been furnished. schedules and circulars
with proper instructions having been for
warded As the information comes in for each
section it is tabuiated md prepared for
press. The sorting out of mail matter by
minor subdivisions. such as counties, rural and
urban divisions, Is being carried ON vigorously
by clover and industrious body Of computers,
copyists and clerks. At the present rate of
working. with the facilities at his disposal Mr.
Campbell Copeland thinks it more than likely
that the volumes containing complete and
accurate statement Of the financial condition,
taxation and valuation of every community
no matter how small or how large-in the
United States and the territories will be ready
for press in the latter part Of 1891. An in
quiry into the local government of counties,
municipalities, towns, villages, boroughs town
ships and school districts is now in progress.
This class OF wor. being done under Mr.. Cope
land personal supervision and direction, is in
tended particularly to show the conditions I'M
der which communities are permitted to con-
tract liabilities. The statutes Of the states aud
other official documents Of like character have
been carefully examined in this connection
Mr.. Copeland believes that he will be able to
finish the preparation Of the text-whch will
include a comparison Of the financial and mu-
nicIpal regulations in the states with those OF
foreign countrles-in time to issue the result
IN book form simultaneously with the final vol
umes on wealth, debt and taxation.