Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-25
GOV. SMITHS REVIEW
OF HIS ADMINISTRATION
Continued from Page Two

NOhbAnJCA II Jill eNS3C n W.
At the time of the passage of this bill
It was generally supposed to apply, not
only to intoxicating drinks, but to malt
liquors of all kinds. A decision of the
! court Of appeals construed the act to APP
ply alone to Intoxicating drinks
The law, as a whole. has been well
enforced throughout the state, and except
in few OF the cities, its enforcement
has been most satisfactory Even in near
ly all of the large cities vigorous efforts
are made by the local officers to pre-
vent the violation of this law. / believe
the passage of statewide prohibition legis-
lation in Tennessee and Alabama Will
substantially aid the enforcement OF
the law in Georgia, and If Florida and
South Carolina also adopt statewide pro-
hibition, the difficulties of enforcing the
law will be still further lessened.
! APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCES.
The largest appropriations to education
in the history of the state were made by
the last legislature. When we recall the
fact that not only these appropriations,
but also the appropriation of 100000 TO
build state college of agriculture, under
the terms of the bill passed in 1906. were
to be paid in 1907 and 1908, and the further
fact that none of this money had been
paid until after July l, 1907, the amount
set apart for educational purposes. which
was to be paid out by the administration
, from July l, 1907, to January !, 1908, SEEM
ed almost more than the treasury could
meet.
In addition to this, the pensions for
1907 had not all been paid on July l.
1907 There was a deficiency in the APP
preparation which required the payment
of $42500 for pensions for 1907 to be MADE
after July 1, 1907.
+ The last legislature increased the appro-
! priation for public schools for 1908 $SSS,-
Co., 1t provided for the support OF the
State College of Agriculture and also for
the support Of the eleven district agri-
cultural schools. The amount paid for
, common schools and educational institu-
tions during 1908. as compared with 1905,
was increased 5000, 600. and the appropria-
tions for the charitable institutions were
4 also increased.
In spite OF these increased appropria-
tions and in spite of the fact that the
sale of liquor was forbidden, causing
loss of revenue of nearly $250,00O in 1908,
all appropriations were met, and the
treasury today is in better condition than
on July 1, 1907, for more has been paid up
to the present time upon the appropria-
= tions for 1909 than had been paid by July
| /, 1907, upon the appropriations for 1907,
| and more money is now in the treasury
than was in the treasury when the leg
! islature met in 1907.
/ There was in the treasury on
| June 80, 1907.... ........$S15'oS6.OO
! There is in the treasury at the
| present time June 10, 1907 So. 519, 632.S7
| NO DEFICIENCY IN THE TREASURY.
/ 1 state these facts so fully that your
, minds may be relieved from the inaccu-
! rate publications that have been circulat-
/ ed throughout the state claiming that
! there was a deficiency in the treasury.
These Inaccurate publications dwelt upon
! the loss of money from convict hire, but
failed to mention the fact that while the
treasury no longer receives the money
from convict hire, It no longer has to pay
out that fund, as the counties receive
the convicts instead OF receiving the
7 money from their hire.
/ These estimates of a deficiency also
/ failed to take into account the fact that
| during the last two years railroads and
public service companies have been COM
! PEELED to pay much more nearly upon
| the actual value of their properties than
in pEevious years. and the further fact
that the individual property holders of
the slate have returned their properties
at increased valuations.
! One element of increase of revenue to
the state came from the fact that the tax
rate was fixed at five mills in 1907 and
/ 1908 instead of at as mills. The
small additional burden which this
| increase of two-tenths of mill
placed upon the public can be
] fully appreciated when we realize that
! two-tenths of a mill is only twenty cents
upon a thousand dollars. or one dollar
upon five thousand dollars, so this in
| creased burden of taxation on account of
| this increase in the rate only amounted
| to one dollar on every five thousand dol
| lars upon which the Individual citizen
paid taxes.
| HOW REVENUES WAS EXPENDED.
The total revenue Of the state last year
amounted in round figures to $4,000 900.
1t should be a source of qualification
| to the public that over nine-tenths Of
| this entire revenue was devoted, not to