Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-01-23

challenges the attention Of the press amp
public A brief history Of the causes
that led to the deficiency cannot fail TO
prove interesting.
It will be remembered that in Janu-
airy, 1890, at the threshold Of Governor
Stones administration, the state treas
urer was found to be short in his &C
counts something over 1915, 600, and to
supply this deficiency the Legislature au-
thorized the sale of $500, 900 of 4 per
cent bonds, at not less than 90 cents on
the dollar. As the limit was fixed at
95 cents buyers demanded them at that
price. but the governor and treasurer
did not consider it for the states best
interest to sell its bonds at discount,
and none of them wore sold, but u small
loan was negotiated for short time
which cost the state only $500 interest,
which amount. principal and interest;
was paid ont Of the receipts Of 1900, and
in 1891 1856, 900, including interest, of
8 per cent bonds wcro called in and paid
off. During the biennial term of 1890
and 1901 other extraordinary expendi-
lures we're required aud made, includ
| ing the erection of the two wings of the
state lunatic asylum for colored pa
tients amounting to more than $50, 900,
and the expenses incurred by the consti
tutional convention held in the year
1890.
| Governor Stone, in hisIpessage to the
Legislature. in Janaaf 1891 shows
5that the receipts at The state treasury
for the years 1890 and 1891 were $186, AGO
in excess of disbursements, although
the tax levy was only three and a half
mills on the dollar worth of property.
1t thus appears that up to 1892, when
the legislature was required to put in
force the mandates of the constitution
Of 1s9), notwithstanding the heavy def
cheney in the treasury, and the extraor-
binary disbursements during the bien-
NAL term, the financial condition of the
state was highly satisfactory, and every
demand upon the treasury was promptly
met.
Prior to 1899 about $500, 600 were paid
out of the state treasury for the support
of the common schools of the state, but
the new constitution requires school
maintained in each school district in
every county at least four months in
each year, to be paid for out of the state
treasury, which now amounts to about
1925, 900 annually. In addition to this
vast sum appropriated for the support
of common schools, early in the year
1892 large portion of the buildings of
the state lunatic asylum was destroyed
by fire and rebuilt at cost of $125, 900.
The Annotated Code of the laws of
Mississippi, which cost many thousands
of dollars, was another item of extraor
binary expenditure for that term, and
to provide for all these, in addition to
the ordinary expenses of the govern
ment, the tax levy for 1892 and 1898
was only s mills on the dollar. There is
also considerable loss to the treasury,
arising from the failure to collect the
poll tax, which, since the adoption of
the new constitution, is not compulsory
hence the major part of it goes uncol-
lected In 1890 about half the counties
in the state paid more CT less for liquor
licenses, which amounted to many thou
sands of dollars, while in 1894 and 1895,
as at the present time, very few coun-
Cres, perhaps less Jnan d dozen. pay any,
thing into the treasury from that source.
1t was impossible for this state of things
to produce different result, and Gov
ernor Stone, in his message to the spec
ial session of the legislature of 1894,
shows that the Disbursements for the |
years 1892 and 1893 exceeded the re-
ceipts $42S, SOL. These conditions con-
tinued until 1896, notwithstanding the |
attention of the legislature was called |
to it each session, and it was urged to |
make the necessary provision for the
current expenses of the government.
For he year 1894 the tax levy was
mills on the dollar, and for 1895 mills,
which was insufficient to meet the de-
mands upon the treasury; consequently
the receipts continued to fall far below
the disbursements.
In his last message to the legislature,
in January, 1896, Governor Stone stated
that the financial condition of the state
was neither satisfactory nor encourag-
ng and showed that the disbursements
for the years 1894 and 1895 exceeded the
receipts by $751;. 1855. He carefully and
clearly presented the needs of the treas
ury, and said: THE credit of the state
is matter Of the utmost Importance to
the taxpayers, and to maintain it the
must be provided with thence
essary means to meet every legitimate
Yet before the end of the
year 1896 the treasury was bare and the
warrants on the treasury became an ar
ticle Of merchandise.
It seems clear that the financial diff
culties during the past administration
did not rise from any want of ability or
on the part of the fiscal
officers of the state government. but
solely from the failure of the legislature
to make necessary provision by taxation
to meet the various appropriations which
It had made itself payable opt of. the
state treasury
The tax levy for tho years 1896 and
1897 was fixed at Q mills on che dollar.
which is higher than that of any preyi
ous year for many years, except 1894.
Briefly stated, this is the condition
that confronted Governor McLaurin
when he was indicted jan 21, 1896.
Soon after be came into Office he APP
proved bill authorizing $4O0, 600 of
per cent bonds, necessary to meet the \
expenses of the state govern
nent. But this bond issue did not cure
,he deficit. It only increased it. And,