The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-04
THE STATES DEFICIT
GOVERNOR SENDS SPECIAL MESS
AGE TO LEGISLATURE.
USE PUBLIC PROPERTY FUND.
PASSAGE OF BLALoCIx RESOLUTION
URGED.

Prospective Deficiency of $685.
OOO-Too Late TO Decrease Appro-
priatiOns and to Increase Tax
Rate Inndvisable-UnIess the Bia-
lock Resolution Is Adopted, APP
propriatIns S325,SOO of Public
Property Fund to Pay Interest on
bonded Debt the Governor win
BE Compelled to Veto All Special
Appropriations.
Atlanta, Dec. 3.-Unless the Legisla-
ture passes the Blalock resolution or
some measure like it in order to re-
lieve the conditions of the state treas
ury, it is probable that the Governor
will veto all of the special appropriation
bills passed at this session. The Gov
ernor has not said he would do this.
but unless this is done there will be no
money in the treasury to meet new
obligations, much less to make up the
already existing deficiency. Gov. Cam
dler called attention to the situation
to-day in a very pointed message
which he sent to both houses, and in
which he urged the passage of the
Blalock resolution as the best method
of meeting the situation. This reso-
luton provides for the appropriation OF
$325,S0O from the public property fund
to pay interest on the public debt in
1902. The appropriations made at the
last session exceeded the probable in
come of the state for 1901, by about
$14,000 and IL is expected that the de-
ficiency in 1902 will reach $263, 900.
To meet these deficiencies the Cow
ernor says he saw but three ways;
first, to reduce the appropriations al
ready made; second, to increase the
rate of taxation fixed at the last ses-
sion; third. to apply so much of the
fund now in the treasury derived from
the sale of public property as may be
necessary to the payment of the inter-
est on the bonded debt for next year.
The Governor Is of the opinion that
this latter method is the best, because
ne does not favor increasing the rate
of taxation for any ordinary purpose,
and the reduction of appropriations al
ready made would not be expedient.
AS there are only ten more days in
which to provide means for meeting
the existing deficiencies and those that
Will exist next year, the Governor
urges that immediate steps touching
the matter be taken.
Last week several efforts were made
to have the Blalock resolution men
toned in the Governors message, made
the special order for some particular
| day, but there was always sufficient
| opposition to the movement to kill it.
! After the message had been read in
the House to-day. Mr.. Morris OF Cobb
| introduced a privilege resolution maxi
ing the Blalock resolution the special
order for to-day, but one objection de-
feated it,
This afternoon the resolution was
reached in regular order on the calen-
dar but after brief debate it was
put aside to take up some local bills
which had been set for consideration at
Z o'clock. Mr. Hall of Bib, opposed
the resolution on the ground that it
is unconstitutional Mr.. Blalock of
Fayette, and Mr.. Slaton of Fulton.
made strong speeches in favor of it,
Mr.. Slaton showed that I'm 1888 a part
of the then existing public property
fund had been used to pay interest on
the bonded debt The resolution will
come up as unfinished business to-
morrow.
On account OF the slim attendance
at the morning session OF the House
the doors were locked again by order of
Speaker Little. General bills for pas
sage were taken up, but owing to the
slim attendance the order of business
had to be changed. To-day is sales
ucty III ali VI litt NOuHllES VI Tie SIdles
and it is said that the Slim ATTENDING
is due largely to this fact. only a
few local measures were passed.
The bill extending the city limits of
Savannah was passed by the House
this afternoon, and will go to the Sem
ate tomorrow. Before the passage of
the bill the amendment recently sent
here leaving out the property Of Maj
Ryals and Capt. Henry Blum, was
adopted.
To Cut Clerk and Ordinary.
Another Chatham county bill was
passed by the House to-day. 1t was
the bill by Mr. Wells to amend the
act creating the Board OF County Com
mssioners, so as to cut out the pro-
vision requiring the commissioners 10
pay the ordinary and clerk of the Su-
peTior Court $50 a year for stationery
and fuel, and providing that the COM
missioners shall supply those officials
with whatever stationery is necessary
for their offices.
AtIanta's Charter Bill.
Practically the entire day in the Sem
ate was taken UP with the considera-
tion of the substitute for the Atlanta
charter bill. This substitute sought
to get an amendment to Atlanta's char
ter, taking off the limit of occupation
tax on public utility corporations which
use the streets of the city. the pro-
vision being the same as that in the
charter of Savannah. There was a
long hearing on the matter before the
Special Judiciary Committee early this
morning, and then the fight was trans
ferred to the floor of the Senate. The
representatives of the street car COM
panies had gotten in their work be-
fore action was taken on the measure.
and the vote stood IA for the bill and
rs against It, in spite of the fact that
Senator Howell appealed for its pas
sage as a matter of senatorial courte-
sy. Before the result was announced
the bill was tabled.
Savannah Under Discussion.
During the debate on this bill. Sa-
vannah came IN for a share of the
discussion. These who opposed the
bill declared that Savannah had not
progressed, perhaps on account of that
feature i'm her charter.
Advocates OF the measure extoiled
Savannah as one of the most progress
sive cities of the South.
Senator Cam made a strong speech
in favor of the bill. on the grounds
that It was purely local measure. and
that it did not contemplate any injus-
tice to any one.
-