The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-05-11

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ole and that this should be exercised IN the
interest Of the people, and not for his own per
sena1 arerandizenment or his political advancement
STATE FINANCES
Tn the Legislature of 1900. l. was appointed
chairman of the Ways and Means COMMITTEE II
is the duty of this committee to devise ways ana
means for raising the revenue to support the
STATE When the committee commenced its work,
we had in the State Treasury SI,5oo.ooooo sur
nls This was the inheritance of the Longino
administration from the McLaur1n aamin's
tration The State Revenue Agent PAID INTO
State Treasury account of back tax SUITS
against the railroads, S345.552.52. lSee message
nj Governor Longino to the Legislature OF 1902
AT this time the state levy was oH mills
Before We fixed the levy III 1000, we were ASSURE
that the Revenue Agent would recover rom 'ne
railroad company, this item was conslaefeu II
fixing the levy. We did not know how the people
could get the benefit Of this large surplus ana OF
this hack fax collection better than by reduction OF
the levy Before the levy fixed, It was assufsa
that the Legislature would provide tor the Doi0diis
OF the new capitol and that the appropld-
ton for this purpose would be million dollars,
for which reason the committee decided 10 ascei
tain from the House how it desired 10 faise TUG
money to paw for the capitol. The House went
into Committee of the Whole, and after fuli nis
cusson, it practically UNANIMOUSLY oeeiaeu
that the money build the capitol snouo Dc
raised bv bond issue; accordingly, million dol
lar bond bill for this purpose was passed. ana 'i'0
lew was then reduced to mills Governor Lon
oino instead of issuing bonds, provided Tor IN
this bill decided the money IN the treasury
TO paw for the capitol. and he also deciaed 10 ie
deem bonds which not due, amounting u
s1oo 600 90 The following statement shows the
,ount exnended during his administration on
account of the capitol, retire bonds and tor per-
manent improvements to our colleges
improvements to the l. l. q u 1902
and 1908. -..--t9 5oo'ooo' W
improvements to the A. & M, 1902
and 1908. -. lIo'ooo'o
improvements the Afcorn A. & NJ
1902 and 1903. 10000 ~
Cost of State Capitol. I'oe3o4I.o c
I--o~aa4e 70 TT r. C. Iooo 1880 90
Improvements to A. & NJ, Iooo. 4325o. 90
pd ret;red -. 100000. oc
, Total ............... .S2,112,o4l .oe
The deficit as shown by the books OF the
treasurer on December I, 1908, was sooo'3ol7o.
In 1904 when Governor Vardaman was ina'r
,ra+ed there was necessarily large deficit Te
cover this deficit, the Legislature provided Tor
bond issue of s5ooooooo The Legislature IN
creased the approproations to the common sehooi
and to pensions and the result was, when the
Legislature of 1902 met we were stu conn oh'e'
with deficit which necess1tated another pom
; ;ssue of ssooooooo The total amount paid TO
v leges and to retire bonds is S2,I12'o41.oo' Ioea
r issues ST 900 ooooo balance $I,II2,o4Ioo Frof
= these figures you will observe that we nave no
+ issued bonds for current expenses and that we nav
6 not raised the levy. This dehc1t edid NOT resui
from, the extravagant appropriations of the presef
4 LEGISLATURE and is not chargeabe to this ADMINS
v tration but it is the result OF the hnanclering
a. Governor Longino's administration, in paying &c
D. the new capitol from the treasury funds instead
b. the bonds authorized for that purpose | DO NJ
% believe that is state in the union IN oette
& condition financially than Mississippi Inc TOT
= bonded indebtedness of the state Will not exces
CT 700 600 90 and as an offset to this, we have Il
40 new oapitol which cost $I,25oooooo, the permane
e improvements to state institutions, aHouh'ii
g TO over S6ooooo.oo and retired bonds amouItii
&c to over S4ooooo.oo. This shows that Our prese'
L. rate of taxation brings in ample money to me
:, current EXPENSES and will leave sinking fund
- h. annlied towards the liquidation of our bond
inn indebtedness. believe that the state should
run strictly business principles, and tnat q
,.+ debt small as it is, should be provided tor, II
., can he done without inconvenience to the Peep
= The two issues of bonds in this admlnisfrat'
al merely make up the million dollars previously
~ tborzei and demonstrated the wisdom OF t
- Legislature in having made such provisions.
III SCHOOL BOOK COMMISSION
err It is also the duty of the governor, under
law law passed in 1904, to appoint the commission W
,e- are to select the school books for the pup
90 school children of the state. It will be recalls
at that prior to the act of 1904 had what W
=, known as the Separate School Book Adopt
on The books adopted every five years, and un
len the OLD laW' eacn couiily anu -
- adont different books The American Book CO
on PAW with its associates, managed usually
rte have its books adopted, and to accomplish TINS
it's spent possibly $1oo,ooooo in the state wn
+o money of course had to be paid back by the
was ents OF the chiiuien " -,
rate to educate. lnis syioieale' w " >. -:
that
tab the most ne1aIlous eoheein '
er- in Mississippi generally arranged the adoption
any that no neignDoIihs eounties " -, -
ern- ed the same DOCKS. Inc aesa'' vas
the families changed theiI iesiuen.S'
hooks fof their Children. In OF