The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-03
The Most OF Them Are in Pretty
Fair Condition in That
Respect
Nontana's Condition Is as Whole
some as That OF Any OF
Them.
Information obtained Directly From stale
Trsasurers-An Iateressing and
Suggestive Comparison.


times 10 issue a loan OF NNsNNNsuNN ana
still stared In the face by probably larg
deficit, the individual states are mainly Il
good financial condition. The 10 or 10 year
Of prosperity that preceded the present De
preston enabled those states that wen
deeply in debt to pay IN part and nearly al
TO reduce the rate Of Interest.
IL thus happens that many Of the state
approached the panic Of last year with com
paratively small debts at low rates OF inter
est and with a handsome cash balance il
the treasury. This year will sweep awal
many Of these balances, but the return @
prosperity will not find the individual state
deeply embarrassed.
The western and southern states, which
have felt the strain more severely than tn
New England and the middle Atlanta
states are able TO report a fair hnaneia
condition. California has usually ESCAPED
the worst results Of panics. She had on The
1st of February. 1894. more than S2,S5O.0O'
in her treasury. and her debt was littl,
less than s223000O at 6 per cent, "A mod
crate rate OF interest on the Pacific coast
when the debt was contracted. CALIFORNIA;
neighhor, the fading state Of Nevada, be
gan the last fiscal year with 500 600 in her
treasury, aud she carried most Of il TO the
opening OF the current fiscal year. Her bal
ance at the opening OF the year was nearly
~ much as her total expenditures for the
year before Her bonded debt is $500 600,
mostly at per cent, aud the state holds
for the benefit of several public funds over
100000 in her own and United States
bonds
Oregon has no bonded debt, and her float
ing debt of Sl25 zoo is in treasury warrants,
-, =.
An. II all can be collected. which is un-
likely, the revenue for the year will be
S525, 900. Meanwhile. because Of slowness
in collection, the treasury is low. Few
states. however. are better equipped TO
meet hard times.
Most of the new far western states have
started the world well from a financial
point OF view. Montana has no bonded
debt, and her floating debt is only $4,000
She has $4,000 in the treasury for general
purposes and Si2s, 600 to the credit Of sew
eral public funds Her annual income is
$4,000, and her condition seems as whole
some A. that Of any state, old or new. Wy
oniing has a bonded debt Of only $4,000 at
o per cent, an income of over $4,000, and
early in the present year she had nearly
1900 in the treasury.
North Dakota is not so fortunate, being
without cash in the treasury save $50 900
pledged to several funds. and having a
debt Of $500, 600 at 8 per cent. Her annual
income, however, is nearly equal to her
whole bonded debt. and she has already a
handsome school fund that will one day ex-
coed 50, 900, coo In value. Washington also
has an empty treasury, but her bonded debt
Is low, only 500, 900 at the low rate Of 81 per
cent. Her floating debt is $40 600 in war
rants issued in anticipation Of revenue, and
taxes are coming in slowly. She has ap-
propriated nearly 100000 on the fiscal
term Of two years ending March 81. 1895.
The credit Of the state has been and is eX-
cellent.
OF the territories, Utah and New Mexico.
each ambitious Of statehood. have consid-
cradle debts, and the former has long been
struggling with an annual deficiency Of
over $4,000. Her bonded debt is 500. 600.
at per cent. New Mexico is over 500, 600
at about 6b per cent on the average, and .
her floating debt is S060,OJ0. She began the
present year with Sl42, 600 in the treasury.
Kansas Is sample state Of the middle
west, where stagnatiOn seems to have done
its worst, but Kansas seems in good fnan-
cial condition so far as the state govern
ment is concerned. She had on Jan. %, 1894.
nearly 100000 in the treasury, with no
floating debt, and bonded debt Of about
g 500, 900, mostly at per cent Her neigh
Dor, Iowa, has no debt, funded or floating.
Sl52,OOO in the treasury and an income 81
tejO,OOO Missouri has heavy debt Of ST.
$4,000, mostly at 81 per cent. She is also
indebted TO her seminary and school fund
TO the amount Of nearly e. 40 900, mt 8 and
D per cent. Her reconstruction requires. how
= Han hat Rlar IL 4
bonds per annum, and the present rate Of
taxation will enable her % pay from 500 GOO
20 100000 per annum. There was ia the
state treasury on Jan. "a over 81 10000.
Kentucky is one Of the most fortunate of
the southwestern states Her debt OF 1878
go is mostly az per cent, and her sinking
fund exceeds the debt $4,000 while he-
treasury balance Jan. was s55O0O0 Ohio
i in like happy condition. Her entire
debt 81 tl,slOOO will be paid by July 1.
1900 IL is az per cent She has no floating
debt and a cash balance in the treasury of
more than SGO0.O00, Indiana began the wear
with more than sl,0000OO lon the treasury
and no floating debt Her BONDED debt Is
$4,000 at 30 per cent. Michigan is with
out debt Of any sort, but her treasury Is
low, partly because Of bad times, hut chief
ly because she is near The end Of her tax
year
New Hampshire s. distinguished among
the New England states for financial svs-
TEN that makes her "a borrower for Xix
months Of the year OF the other states
Vermont has 81 debt OF less than s.00po
and little balance of 5000 ia the treas
ury. Connecticut began her fiscal wear
with Sl,no.o0J in the treasury. aud Maine
had on hand Jan. I. 1904 s.asO00. Each has
a moderate debt lL extremely low rates Of
interest
New York has a cash balance of over al
2'OOlO and proportiouately one Of the small.
est 81 state debts Pennsylvania net DELFT
II e .40IVoat per cent, and her hulancein
tie treasury 90 the close Of the last wear was
more than a.. 5000
Delawarc'- assets are nearly S2OO 600 I'm .
excess OF her Liabilities and She has "a trens.
ury balanceof fi9.JuO. with no 1oatiup debt. F
Although three or four southern state-.
notably Virginia. North and south Caro-
Ina and Louisiana, are still struggling nm
der what they have uot rcpudiated of their
debts, going back 10 the recou.truction
period, the financial condition of the south
ern state governments D.. ON the whole. .
good. Maryland began the year with near
BY folnuoo ln her treasury and % uer debt Of
& 06D,W0 10 will Doe cleared off ina 1901
Georgia and Florida. among far -oufbern
states, have each enough cash iu hand 10
meet all appropriations. The former has a
debt Of e, ljoUu0, at an average rate Of a.
per cent. The latter has "a funded debt of
500 90, 40 o per cent, and a floating debt of