Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-22
6nCRER PITTS uNSUCCEssFtLI.,
EXPLAINS MATTERS.
REPORT UNSATISFACTORY
1'uIl. BE ASKED TO GO INTO
FURrnER DETAIL.
se Resolution of Inquiry Receives
D Answer From Statr Treasurer
He Thinks the Revenue
F0nd should Bc
Augmented.

JEFFERSON CITY. March 2l.--tSpeclalJ
Suant TO the Aydeloit-Suilivan resolu-
OF inquiry by the house Saturday,
aEurer Pitts submitted to-day a state
i OF the condition OF the state treasury
Follows:
b. W. J. Ward. Speaker. House Of Rep
kseniatives.
ear Sir:-Your honorable body, by
oaution adopted on the 18th inst. re-
ested me TO report thereto the following
It's:
Flrst-The exact amount OF money now
the state treasury to the credit Of the
fe revenue fund and how many dollars
he same are, or will be. available for the
and payment OF the Fortieth general
sembly.
Second-The exact amount OF money
~ In the state treasury to the credit Of
sinking fund and how much of the
me will be necessary to meet the demands
ainst said fund for the next biennial
riod.
Third-what amount OF money, II any.
2 properly belonging to the revenue fund
- been, up to March =, 1889, used for the
rpose OF meeting obligations which. un-
the law. could only be met by moneys
onging TO the said revenue fund.
Amy Recommendations that he may deem
per Tor the solution OF the problem now
nfronting us in the way OF q depleted
nte revenue fund and q congeeted sink
= fund
eesponding to said resolution. have the
NOR to reply TO the above interrogatories.
g1atfm:
jrat-There is now In the state treas
y. credited TO the general revenue fund.
= sum OF $e12. .652.s2. Under section s04i.
D. 1889. based upon section z. article XI..
the constitution. 1t is provided that in
case shall there be set apart less than
per cent OF the state revenue to be ap-
I'D annually to the support Of the public
Aools. Therefore. reckoning since July /.
II at which time the last appcrtionment
the public schools was made. Sa55 S5l. IA
this amount must be set apart to the
uoo1c school fund. II the bill now pending
the legislature. which appropriates one
I'D OF the state revenue to the support
the public schools. becomes a law.
4o0.H must for the same period be used
= this purpose. in which case at this time
Ire would only be q balance of $4.S5l.4 40. -
ocond-There is now in the state treas
20 the credit OF the sinking fund the
)pf &n.ol2A. and to the credit of the
est fund the sum of Ss6S $3.50. The
9int necessary TO meet the demands
~ hist these funds depends entirely upon
lat amount OF option bonds may be
nIled for redemption. After the annual
cnccfuing interest on the state debt has
Ebeen provided for. the excess. IL any. Will;
10 applied to the retirement Of said bonds,
n the law directs.
+ Third-There has been no money. not
IlgUpeSiy belonging to the revenue fund,
I'D f0r. the purpose Of meeting demands
Sainst said fund. -
Eourth-I do not deem 1t within my
gdStAce to advise any particular action by
~ legislature. Still. I feel justified in
IHgtaG upon you the necessity Of increas-
\lng the state revenue fund.
| AZ shall further state that there is now
ere money In the state treasury than
ebere has been, at this time OF the year.
{4vsShss .aast. dscades ell the funds except
- revenue fund being abundant.y sup
Trustipg that 1 have answered the In
& 0liries TO the satisfaction OF your honor
ole body. and have enabled you to under
ooAnl the true condition-of, the state treas.
Ngy.-I am. yours respectfully.
sEe r'-Tu, FL PITTS. State Treasurer.
3t viii be- pbserved that Pitts statement
almost aaindehnite as was Seibert'a pre-
GGnted Friday. In his statement TO- the
I1use. heSays'that ne hos not used other
1hAs-t 70 bolster up the revenue, fund. al
2-Su "e So"seseu !o1s e"e ofi'osite' ia
Narration to the committee on ways and
oAna. a great many members OF the
peaSe are Of the opinion that the proceeds
~ the foreign insurance tax. which
Dgoperly belong to the counties. are being
nanipHlated to conceal the deficit In the
Defa1 revenue fund.
1kpother resolution OF inquiry will be in.
b1Nced m the house Tomorrow. The
Dte treasurer Will be asked what has be-
~ OF the foreign insurance money. In
enterview published in "A st. Louis paper
lvern0r Stephens admits that Il is the
E&1c46ce OF the state treasurers OF Missouri
q c6himit technical violations I'm order
10 maintain the credit of the state. In
|okher words. they have deceived the people
BY q species OF financiering into believing
That the treasury was sound when as a
after of fact the revenue fund was al
but exhausted. From statements made by
the state nuditor and the state treasurer
fund viii amount to 100000 at the very