The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-11-21
JACKSON.


Line states Financial Condition.
To the Tax Collectors and Tax Payers of
the State of Mississippi:
Our last fiscal year, beginning October
1, 1902, according to the published re-
port of the State Treasurer, opened with
only $2,319.72 in cash on hand and with
u~nexpended appropriations of $685.
377.01, constituting a deficit of $685.
lO57.29. The auditors report shows 3d.
65O.07 of the then outstanding warrants.
On January /, 1908, intervening collec-
lions had settled all outstanding war
ants and left in the treasury $780,
.637.47. ,..
On October 1, 1908, the beginning of
the current fiscal year, practically iden-
teal financial conditions existed, $4,-
$4,000. in cash being on hand and out
standing warrants and ~unexpended ap-
preparations being about the same as
those of October l, 1907. Last year my
official predecessor earnestly requested,
as l do now, that all taxpayers who can
conveniently do so, pay such taxes as are
due, without waiting for the last per-
MISSILE day, and that all tax collectors
make payments to the State as soon as
practicable after making collections.
All warrants were paid this year on
presentation until about October l.. At
this time last year $6%O,9sO.O7 of the
penitentiary crops had been marketed,
and up to this date, as against only
$6,534.O1 this year, though much more
will be realized very soon. Had the mar
keting of this crop been as expeditions
as that of last year, this month would
have commenced with all outstanding
warrants paid and with about $4,000
cash. However, as collections from now
until January l will not much more than
pay ordinary expenses and the Chicka-
saw school fund interest, the $4,000
of Confederate pensions, payable this
month, would necessarily have created a
deficit till the January collections. This
was foreseen and called to the attention
of the Legislature. One branch of the
last Legislature declined to make any
provision for the emergency which now
confronts u.s. The two preceding Legis-
had each authorized the issuance
of $500 900 of bonds and of borrowing of
several hundred thousand dollars addi-
.tional, temporarily, all for current State
expenditures. It's improved conditions
would have enabled our State success
fully to- have dispensed with such bonds
and borrowing had it not been for the re-
of. 100000 of 6 per cent. bonds
last year, before the sale of but $136,50O
of the 100000 49, per cent. bonds,
whose proceeds were to be used only for
such retirement on one series of bonds,
intended to be substituted for the ,
other, but s363,5OO from the general
funds in the treasury were used in retir-
ing the 100000 of bonds, and 3h per
cent. bonds to that amount are now on |
and are unstable, because the act
authorizing their issue specifically limits |
the use of their proceeds for contingency
now past, the retirement of 6 per cent. |
bonds.
The State treasury, but for this,
would have had ample funds to have met
obligation this year, and next, on
)~resentation. For the first time in about
to meet legislative appropriations.
The appropriations of the last Legisla-
;ure aggregated $6,523,71O.O1. The
States revenue for the year ended Sep
;ember 80, 1908, was S3,339,O5O.97, and
or the current fiscal year is estimated
by the auditor at S3,335,649.96, aggre-
$6,674, 7OO.93, which would leave
| surplus of $14S, 99O.O2 for the two fis-
al years, Notwithstanding the cutting off
If liquor licenses, which license in the
'ast fiscal year amounted to $139,65O.
Che States total Indebtedness, exclusive
# the school funds held in trust, amount
ng to $2,336,197.58, and on which only
is ever paid, is $1,253 ,O29.O7. Of
his amount ST, 0O0 900 is for bonds is
ued in 1904 and 1906 to defray current
expenses of the government. The State
now pay as it goes, except possibly
or a few months in the fall, just before
he large collection of ad valorem taxes.
t could have lone so then if the $685.
100 of bonds had not been retired from
.,eneral funds, or if a temporary loan had
'een authorized, or if the pension money
Iad been made payable on or after the
of January. The State should be
crupulously prompt in meeting it's every
litigation at maturity, setting an exam
lie to its citizens, and should live within
Is income. The power instructed to me
as been, and shall be, used toward eff
Getting these much-to-be-desired purposes. ]
E. F. NOEL, Governor.
'x-Governor Lowrey Better. 10
Ex-Governor Robert Lowrey, who some
weeks ago was believed to be at the
oint of death, is able to be up and to be