St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1891-04-25
THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE
STATE.
New Delta, April II.

New Delta, April II.
The year 1888 ended the era of fl
naneial insolvency of the State gov
ernment in Louisiana. The warrants
of 1889 were paid in full, the revenue
equaling the expenditures. In 1880
the legislative expenses aggregating
about $l5O,OO0 were added to the
regular appropriation bill, and yet the
warrants win all be paid if they have
not already been met. For the first
time sincesthe war all the warrants Of
a legislative year have been paid in
full.
And with 1891 there will commence
the accumulation Of surplus in the
treasury. The collections Of delinquent
licenses and taxes for 1889 and 1890
henceforth viii have no appropriations
standing against them. These viii
amount to over SIS, 600 and may reach
100000. The revenue of 1891 will,
no doubt, be larger than last year as
the percentage of tax collections is
growing each year. In licenses there
will be an increase OF over $50, 600.
The addition of the foreign insurance
companies to the list of license payers.
owing to the recent decision of the
Supreme Court and the increased IL
quor license, has added some $40, 900
to the collections OF the first city dis
trict alone.
1t is evident then that at the end of
the present administration there will
be a surplus in the State treasury
of over a quarter OF a million Of dol
lars.
Nor. has this favorable condition Of
affairs been brought about by any
stinting OF the public institutions. The
Insane Asylum managers have, after
the support of the institution, putting
the buildings in thorough repair and
making many needed Improvements,
put aside $4,000 with which to con-
struct additional buildings to accom-
Inodate all the insane persons IN the
State for several years to come. Those
buildings are now nearly completed and
ready for Occupancy.
The administ rators of the Charity
Hospital OF New Orleans had, at the
end Of the year, cash balance on hand
Of Sl2, 600, after having put aside S2O,-
600 for the erection Of building for
the outdoor clinic.
The Blind Asylum is in a flourish
ing condition, and with its new build
ing erected out of trust funds, is an
honor to the State. The State Col
lege, the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, in
fact all the public institutions are we'll
provided for.
The schools have been given morc
money, and parish appropriations in
that direction are on the increase. In
the line Of leYee building the record
for 1890 has never been equalled, and
the loss from overflow has been COM
paratively small. More money was
spent for levees than during any two
years in the history Of the State. The
State appropriation for leyees during
1890 increased with the revenue, and
the magnificent efforts Of the levee
districts were supplemented by the
most liberal aid from the Federal
treasury we have ever had. And with
the funds now in sight there will be
an enormous amount of work done
during the year 1891.
The State has been improving stead
ily for several years, and the revenue
on the six mill tax basis is destined to
grow from year to year. The value OF
country property has become more
stable, and in many sections has great
" improved. A steady increase in
values in that direction is assured, and
the ratio of increase will be augment
ed with the more perfect protection
against overflow now reasonably GER
tain of accomplishment.