The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-16
IN THE MIND OF GOVERNOR State Money Matters Be- ing Reyolved. wHISKEY LICENSES MISSING These Amounted to $60,2S5 Last
 Fiscal Year. Forecast of Ys.rs Receipts Is Net Encouraging - Tax Assess ments on . Par and So
 Are Conyicts.
 

From recent discussions of the State Treasury conditions was omit ted the fact that the strong box this year and in future will miss the whiskey license revenue. Figures In the ofice of State Auditor show that the States share of receipts from this source last year was $6O.2S5.
 At this time the State Tax Commis- sion. Is without a statement of the to- tai property valuations on which taxes are to be collected during The current year. Nor has the Auditor announced such information.
 Without the aggregate tax assess ments of both tangible and intangible property, speculation of how the old Ship of State will move along this twelve months must be bit up in the air.
 However. there are indications that receipts might fall below those of last year while 1t Is pretty certain that disbursements will substantially ex- the budget been figured out but the Governor is said to be revolving 1t in his mind.
 The States Executive left last night on hurry trip to Birmingham and thus deferred giving to the press what they have expeeted,--a reply inter- view on the Treausury status He will tH 1 nGy VT ANVs
 It Is known that the Governor has been busy with investigation of fiscal affairs generally in the past few days. He will issue at no distant date a statement explaining the apparently unhappy relation of receipts and dis bursements during the past year.
 But besides the hole that the whiskey vacation will knock in the receipts this -year--liccnses being due in January-there Is another source of revenue at stake. It Is the fran" ctise tax on foreign corporations. The big taxpayers under this seer ton of the Code are fighting the very vitals of the act and in doing so have an agreement with probate judges in Birmingham and Montgomery to have the money they have paid in with held from the State Treasury until the litigation now ending Is finally set tied. As the railroads in most in- stances complain of violation of the Federal Constitution. who knows but that year may elapse before the last is heard of the litigation.
 Would Amount to s1O0,oOO
 Therefore. If this revenue producer hangs fire or falls. another hole in the strong box about the size of R100.O00 or more will be knocked
 It Is commonly agreed that what | ever the total tax valuations foot up TUT Inls year AGNy. tHe buI1g TUT iAbA year will hardly be exceeded at the | most. The tangibles have already been reported as several thousand dol lars short. It Is said however that this shortage wiIl be stood off with physical Increase in those very spots where intangibles took a tumble.
 As for the convict proceeds Call them skeptics or pessimists. there are observers now predicting that the year Is not encouraging for profitable contracts with lessees this year. The labor unions have been routed in the 1 big mineral and coal mining districts Free labor is cheaper. Besides, the | industrial depression Is still felt and 1t Is not likely that the Board of Con | vict Inspectors are, going to be able to make any choice contracts for hire.
 Indeed. 1t is rumored that contracts have recently been made at prices per capita under those which brought part of the receipts of last year. The con vict report has not been made public for the year just closed but probably the receipts will be known as soon as the. Auditors figures are available. Having taken a look. therefore. at the possible tax receipts and convict receipts. more than three-fourths of the prospective field has been cover ed.
 Put or top of this the fact that county high school appropriations must be set aside aggregating $75.- 900 more or less which were absent from last years burget and the in. crease of $50.0o0 in the special annual school appropriation out of the gener- al fund. and the prospects do not look the very brightest.