The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-05
AN EMPTY TREASURY
DLALocK RESOLUTION DEFEATED
IN HOUSE.
DEFICIT NOW UNAVOIDABLE.
PUBLIC PROPERTY FUND CANNOT
BE USED.

Its Opponents, Even to Tide Over
an Emergency-state Cannot Issue
Bonds to Puy Interest-UnIeEs
Something Is Done TO Relieve the
Situation, the Teachers, INDECENT
Widows and Veterans and Others
VIII Have to Do without Next
Year-MaY Amend Constitution.
Atlanta. Dec. 4.-The House this
morning defeated the Blalock resolu-
| ton by refusing TO agree to the favor
able report of the Committee of the
Whole, by a vote of IA to 76. The reso-
luton which provided for the payment
of The interest on the bonded debt for
1902. amounting to $S25,S90. out of the
public property fund, came up after
the reading of the journal as unfnish-
ed business of the previous session, and
before the debate the House adopted a
resolution limiting argument to one
hour on each side.
Messrs. Copeland of Walker. Wright
| of Floyd. George of Morgan, Hardwick
of Washington, and others made
! speeches against the bill, while the ar
gument in favor of the resolution was
made by Messrs. Blalock of Fayette,
Reid of Campbell and Gary of Rich
mond.
1t was argued against the resolution
that il would be a violation of the con-
stitution, which provides that the pub
lie property fund shall be used only for
paying the bonded debt. 1t was held
that the constitution makes a. clear
distinction between the principal and
the interest Of the bonded debt. 1t was
contended that bonds cannot be issued
to pay the interest, which is another
constitutional distinction.
The opposition to the resolution was
principally on alleged constitutional
! grounds, and 1t was suggested that II
| the money is to be used for the pur-
! pose of paying the interest, an amend
ment to the constitution should be irlA
troduced and submitted to the people
for ratification. Mr.. johnson of Bar
tow offered aa a substitute a bill pro-
| viding for an amepdmentsfo the con-
stitution permitting the public prop
erty fund to be used to pay interest
but this was ruled out of order as a
substitute.
i A Destitute Treasury.
The destitute condition of the treas
ury was put forward as a reason why
something should be done at once it
| was shown by those favoring the reso-
luton that unless 1t was passed the
teachers could not be paid next year.
and that none OF the appropriations
made at this session could be met.
| These reasons were put forward. to
show the necessity for taking such ac-
tion as this resolution proposed.
In the next place it was contended
| that the resolution would not violate
| he iS
clearly part OF the bonded debt, such
| having been the decisions of courts.
| The only reason bonds could not be
| issued to pay the interest, it was
stated, was because the constitution
prohibited any increase in the bonded
| debt
At the conclusion of the debate the
Committee of the Whole made a fs-
vorable report to the House, and the
ayes and nays were then called on. the
| question as to whether the favorable
report should be adopted. The motion
was lost by the vote stated, which
killed the resolution.
The failure to adopt this resolution
leaves the states finances in a bad
| plight Gov. Gambler says he will be
| forced to veto all the special appro-
priation bills passed at this session.
The states bad Prospect.
BY next year there will be de-
| ficiency in the treasury of S237, 600.
! There will be only S22S. 900 to pay the
| school teachers for the year. whereas
their salaries amount TO $1.505. 900. 1t
means that there can be no money ap-
| popriated for the support of the state
militia, and that there will be nothing
for the maintenance of the soldiers
home next year. There can be no pen
sions paid to the INDECENT widows, the
| class created by the Legislature last
year, nor can the i040 new INDECENT
| soldiers, whose applications have just
been approved. be paid. Gov. Gambler
| is in n quandary, and says he does
not know what he will do next year
when it comes to meeting the states
necessary expenses.
The Atlanta Depot Bill.
The House by a three-fourths vote
| adopted the resolution fixing the At
lanta depot bill as the special order
for tomorrow morning after the read
ing Of the journal. This is the fourth
time the matter has been up. the reso-
luton having been turned down on all
other occasions. The bill will have
close call. The House refused to de-
clare last Saturday. Nov. 30. when
no session was held, a dies non.
At the afternoon session a bill was
introduced by Mr.. Johnson of Barlow,
to amend the constitution so as to per-
NIT the money known as the public
property fund to be used for the pay
ment of interest on the bonded debt
as we'll as the principal.
A resolution was introduced provid-
ing for night sessions of the House
next week. 1t win be acted on to-
morrow,
The Cotton Tax Claims.
The representatives from Fulton, IN
accordance with action taken at the
meeting yesterday afternoon, intro
duced a resolution providing for a
memorial to Congress- asking that the
$66000000 in the United States treas
ury arising from the cotton tax, and
S39,00O,000 arising from the sale OF cap
tured and abandoned property, be ap-
propriated TO the Southern states for
the purposes of education. The reso-
luton will be acted on tomorrow.
The Appropriations COMMITTEES re-
ported favorably the bill by Mr.. Miller
OF Muscogee, to appropriate $s2 500 ad-
ditional for the payment of pensions to
inoigent soldiers.
One Amendment Lost.
The Senate to-day voted down the
nrgt OF the proposed constitutional
amendments. that providing for a court
Of appeals, and Il will not be submit