The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-08
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
FOR FLORIDA'S LEGISLATURE
Jennings Gives aReview of Public Operations and
Makes Recommendations.

nings' message, which was read TO the
Legislature this morning, was one of
the most voluminous and at the same
time able state papers ever emanating
from the executive Office of Florida.
The message contains in the neighbor-
hood of %. 900 words. treating extern
sively with every question now before
the people of the state Competent
Judges says that a more elaborate re-
view of FIorida's resources and posi-
bilities has never been prepared or
read to the Legislature. A resume of
the most important parts follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House
of REPRESENTATIVES In obedience to
the mandate of the constitution which
directs that the Governor shall COM
municate by message to the Legisla-
ture. at each regular session. infor-
nation concerning the condition of the
state. and recommend such measures
as he may deem expedient." 1 have
the honor of submitting the following
statements and recommendations:
Financial.
No state in the Union has a better
financial standing than Florida The
bonded debt is controlled by the state
in its educational funds. There is no
floating debt The warrants issued
by the controller for the current ex-
penses of the. state are accepted at par
everywhere, and they are promptly
paid by the treasurer upon presenta-
ton. All the state funds have sufii-
cient money to meet all proper de-
mands upon them. The general rev.
enue fund from which all appropria-
lions are paid, had to its credit on
Jan. l, 1903, $22S,O4226. as against
$3.50, 4S2.12 on Jan. l, 1902. The gem
eral revenue receipts for 1901 were
544G40S4, and for 1902, $61S592O OF.
The mileage for each year was the
same, two and one-half mills. The IN
crease is due partly to an increase in
assessed values of property, and to
prompt collections but the greater i'll
crease is from sources other than tax
alton, that it, from licenses, from in
terest on deposit of state money, and
from sale of fertilizer stamps, from
tax on insurance companies and from
other items of indirect taxation.
bonded Debt of Florida.
The bonded debt of Florida, on Jan
J. 1901 issued under acts of the Legis-
lature of 1871 and 1873. was $1,032, 500
issued under the act of 1851 held BY
the Indian Trust Fund of the fedora
government, 1892 900, making the tota
outstanding bonds $l164500 Undei
the act of Congress, authorizing set
Element OF Florida's Indian War claim
against the federal government, thu
principal of the Florida bonds issue
in 1857, was paid, amounting to $751;
O0G Interest on the bonded debt t
the amount of 1854, 212.66, was als'
paid, making the total bonded deb
1901
S396, 21266, leaving $l,0325O0 of out
standing boIids.
On Jan l, 1903. bonds aggregatint
$92500 issued under the acts of 1873
matured. These have been paid, anc
there is now in the sinking fund $3.50.
200. These bonds will be destroyed
under Chapter 1927, Acts of 1901.
OF the remaining S764,S0O bonds, thu
educational fund of the state holds al
an investment S616,S00. These bonds
or so many of them as are not pale
by legislative appropriations will. un
less otherwise directed, be converted
into consolidated manuscript PEI
cent bonds under provisions of tht
acts of 1901.
The $14S,O of these bonds, held by
individuals, at their maturity on Jan
l. 1908, have since been taken up by
the Indian War claim fund, and are
now carried as cash by the treasurer
as a part of the amount to the credit
of that fund. This was necessary L
protect the credit of the state in the
absence of an appropriation to pay tnt
bonds at their maturity. There !:
now on hand in the treasury to the
credit of the Indian War Claims Fund
$692, 946 Out of this should be palc
the amount due the school fund, the
proceeds of sales of lands growing ou'
of the 5 per cent fund, and othel
amounts aggregating $122, 1854.
The Governor recommends that the
amount due the school fund be turned
over to the State Board of Education
to be credited to said fund.- that the
amount due the internal improvement
fund be paid over to the trustees OF
said fund. He also recommends that
the amount found to be due the gen.
eral revenue fund, together with the
balance in the Indian war claims
fund. as shown by the treasurers re-
pert, be applied to the payment of
the bonded debt of Florida, and de-
votes considerable space to showing
why this should be done. This part
of his message winds up; The re-
sources of our state abundantly JUS
tify the immediate payment of the
entire bonded debt of Florida, which,
in my opinion, can be done without
increasing the rate of millage of tax
alton. 1t seems to me of paramount
application of the balance of the In
dian War claims funds to the bonded
debt would leave that debt at $751;
9231S"
THE application of the proceeds
from the hire of the state prisoners
for the remaining three years of the
present contract" continues the mes
sage, estimated at $4,000 per an
mum, will yield S4s0,0OO, will pay the
principal and $27,O76.97 on the inter-
est, thus paying off the entire bonded
debt of the state. recon-
mend that this plan be adopted. and
the bonded debt of Florida be paid
and discharged. ana the taxpayers be
thus finally, and it is to be hoped, for
ever, relieved from the burden of pay
ing interest that brings no returns
and should be no part of the economic
government of great state of the re-
sources of Florida" The Governor
devotes a chapter to the per cent
bonds of 1871, and the per cent
bonds of 1901. OF the former, the to-
tai issue was $3.50. 900. OF this amount
300 was paid by the sinking fund