Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-27

this meant q deficit on January l, 1903, or
S1s2, 900.
Such an assumption Is really absurd. He
entirely ignores the possibility, which was
a. fact. that there were liabilities chargea-
BILE TO the January l, 1908, balance (for eX-
ample the temporary loans carried over
from 1907 in excess of the 1908 loan, $780,
$50. and the amount owed the school
teachers) which were not chargeable to
the January 1, 1903, balance.
For illustration, Mr.. Anderson might
have had $1,000 in bank January 1, 1908.
and owed $4,000, and yet If on January 1.
1909, he had only $500 in bank, but had re-
duced his liabilities to $500, 1t could not
be argued that he was worse off on the
latter date.
AN ABSURD ASSUMPTION.
Starting out. therefore, with an absurd
and erroneous assumption Of a deficit OF
| 1852 900, he adds to IT estimated losses In
liquor licenses for 1909, under the prohi-
bition law of 1907, $3.50, 900, whereas Mr..
Anderson has intimate knowledge of the
fact that the last liquor licenses in Geor-
gia ended with 1907. We had none in 1908.
Why cannot he now just as plausibly con-
tend that there will be a revenue loss in
! 1920 of S250,Oo0 from liquor licenses and,
therefore, a deficit of 900 in 1920.
And then he adds to his deficit. $3.50, 0O0
| loss in revenue from convict hire OF 1909.
| Had Mr.. Anderson examined the treasu-
| rer's report for 1908 carefully, he would
have noted that while convict hire for
| 1905, which he says is lost for 1909, was
| $3.50 200, the expenditures against this ac-
| count were $3s1, 000--in other words, the
| surplus over the $751; appropriated for
the prison department, was not a TREAS
| URY ASSET. but under the law belonged
10 the counties not working convicts and
1 49,
| fore, the school funds of these counties
! (where not applied at their option to
roads, would have been the loser. had not
the last general assembly consolidated the
school fund and increased 1t to g. 25o. 900
for 1909.
i Again, Mr.. Anderson is hardly fair In
| even thus attempting to create a deficit
| by saying we will lose the convict hire
| for 1909 when he knows that the lease did
not expire until April 1 last, and one.
fourth Of a years hire has already been
paid, and nine months of expense appro-
rated for in the general act Of 1907 has
been stopped. Mr.. Anderson adds anoth-
! er $4,000 to his assumed deficit for in
crease in other appropriations for year
1909, made by laws of 1907 and 190e.'
1 have carefully itemized above every
1909 appropriation made by the general as
sembly of 1SO7-s, OUTSIDE OF THE
GENERAL APPROPRIATION act and
they aggregate se2. 800 I am unable to
even guess upon what assumption this
| $4,000 Is based.
THE PLAIN TRUTH
| The plain truth of the matter is that
Georgin's treasury is empty every sum
mer and has been so for many, many
summers. 1t will continue so just as long
as we commence spending our annual in
| he 6ref law of "a
do>no commence to collect general prop
erty taxes until October /, and allow
every taxpayer until December 20 and
longer, in which to pay.
| We paid this year approximately one
million dollars in pensions, during the
first three months. and yet the state will
not collect a dollar Of this by general
taxation until after October l next. The
United States, with its hundreds of mil
lions of dollars Of annual revenue paid
in every month of the year. and with a
smaller percentage of pensions allowed to
gross revenue, does not undertake to pay
it's pensioners in advance in one annual
sum.
Georgia is only able to pay hers in adj
vance by taking the money belonging to
the common school and other funds. and
making her teachers and other creditors
wait. . s.ta.. .....
i The treasury is about at it's usual sum-
mer stage, in so far as cash is concern
cd, but its real condition as to liabilities
is far better than on July /. 1907.
| l have before me now the estimate Of
taxable values for 1909 made by my COM
mittee and which l read to the house
during the consideration of the appropria-
ton bill in 1907, which was SIPS, 600, 900. We
ESTIMATED carefully the revenues for 1908
and our appropriations 1 believe will be
within them. .r.
Such absurd figuring and estimating as
my usually fair and clear-headed friend
inow presents, does not convince me that
there will be a deficit of $S67, 900 brought
about by appropriation made by the leg
lislature OF 1907-S, nor constitute any argu-
ment, now or later. for the repeal of the
prohibition law, the restoration of liquor
licenses or the perpetuation of beer sa-
lon licenses. .
From the foregoing interview 1t is clear
that the state was financially better off
January /. 1909, than 1t was January 1.
1908, by $4,000.
| Mr.. Anderson estImatAd a loss of $3.50, =
900 through the liquor licenses. Really
\ there was no liquor licenses collected in
1908 for general use and the treasury now
is better Off for the near-beer license by
S23O,OOO
i Mr.. Anderson estimated loss of $780,
i from convict. hire. In reality the state
only has a charge for the last half Of
the year of about $4,000 for the expense
of handling the convict system.
| Mr.. Anderson estimated that the appro-
priations for 1909 exceeded the appropria-
tions for 1908, in addition to the increase
to schools. $4,000. In reality the amount
was So, 200.
Therefore the treasury statement
4 should be:
i Gain to the treasury IN 1908. ... 1929 900. 90
! Receipts from peer in 1909. avail
/ Increase from ad valorem fax. 100, 900. 90
\ Total. -. 1888, 00O. 90
4 Expenses convict system
| for last six months
| of 1907. -. ..........$ p, 10000
Increase in general ap-
preparations. =. 49,. 100000
| Increase in bile
| schools. ...... 25O 100000
Total. -. -. -. -. -. ...... 1856, 900. 90
Making a net gain in the treas
| ury January l. 1910, according
NJ