Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-09
.AUDITOR,S REPORT.

bama is of unusual interest, in view of the condition of our state finances. The credit of the state has been attacked by certain obscure and noisy politicians, but there is not shadow of evidence to support charge that we are not abun- dantly able and willing to meet every obligation The shrinkage of values and the lowering of the tax rate brought about q deficit which the state can easily remedy when the legislature meets next December There is no occasion for alarm or apprehensio, on tie part of any bondholder 0i other creditor. The people of Alabama will pay every debt, and no man or men can get into power in this state who are not earnestly determined to maintain our credit and pay every ob- lgation. It appears from the auditors report for the year ending September 30, 1895, that the receipts into the treasury from all sources, including a temporary loan of $l00000 procured by Governor Jones and also temporary loan of $100,- 900 negotiated by Governor Oates in the city of New York on the first of August
 1895, amounts to $2O3S, ,64S.95. The total diSbursements for all purposes for the same period, including the payment of $100,000, temporary loan paid in February last, amount to $2 2,047 ,96641, showing an excess in disbursements over receipts of a fraction over 5000. These figures, how ever, Include the receipts and disDurse- ments of three special funds, viz the convict fund, the agricultural fund and the fund for the relief of disabled needy Confederate soldiers, the receipts and dis bursements of which can in no way affect the receipts and disbursements of the general fund. To arrive at a true condi- tion of the general fund it will be neces- sary to deduct the receipts and disburse- ments of the special funds from the totals noted above. The receipts into these funds for the fiscal year are as follows:
 tonVlet iund ........'....' '$lG5 @ 2S3 l6 Confederate soldiers fund ......... IT S13.43
 Total ...... ......... ............. .S2Q2 i33 96
 Disbursements for the same period:
 Agricultural fund....... ............ 2S,303. .21 Confederate soldiers fund..s...... 123, 1j5. 51
 Total ...... ............. .$3OS 6SS.3l
 It will be seen that there is a difference of SIG 254 8 of disbursements of these funds over receipts. which more than covers the apparent discrepancy in the general statement referred to above
 There is, however, due the public schools of the statc as is shown in the general statement, $167 19337, which amount ex- ceeds the sum due the same fund at the beginning of the fiscal year by $69 929 72
 There were disbursements out of the gent aal fund during the past fiscal year as. follows: 1000 deficiency appropria- ton Nor feeding and removing prisoners, in b,If which there was no appropriation; $36, 900 surplus of solicitors fees; $50,O00 eX
 penses of the legislature and other appro- priations amounting to $10,000. aggre- gating S150,000, which sum it will not be necessary to disburse during the incom- ing fiscal year. From the last sum, if we deduct the $69, 900 excess over the amount due the school fund a year ago, we have a margin of $S1, 900 over the probable dis bursements for the incoming year, to use in getting rid of the annual recurring de- fiCiency in the general fund. There will also be available for this purpose, ap- proximately, $10O000 from the increased half-mill tax rate. which applies to the taxes now being paid in. This gives us the probable sum of $1S1 ,000 to be applied during the next fiscal year to the annual recurring deficiency in the general fund.