The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-08-12
A GOOD ANSWER
Chas. W. Bell, in the Harrodsburg
Republican, Gives Facts About Re-
publican "Mismanagement" and
Proves Democratic Charges False.

We are both loath to believe that
the editor of the State Journal would
knowingly, even for partisan purposes
misstate facts or figures, but his ed
itorial, while correct In some parti-
culars, is misleading as to others.
For instance, he intimates that each
session OF the Legislature during his
administration OF eight years, appro-
priated quite as much money as did
the session of 1908. Now here are
the facts:
Session Of 1900 appropriated ss9l.Soo 90
100000 of which was merely set
aside for the purpose of prose
cutting the Goebel assassins.)
Session of 1904 appropriated $4,000 SO
session of 1904 appropriated 14t,ooooo
leaving out the state Capitol
appropriation
Session of 1900 appropriated asa, 5000
Making a total of ... sIo4s.Ss9 So
If we add to this the 81 ,000, 900 appro-
priated in 1904 for the purpose Of
building the State Capitol, 1t will
make a little over s2,OOO,OOO appro-
priated in eight years, as against
the $l,366,000 appropriated the first
year of Gov. Wilson's administration.
And IL we leave the State Capitol
appropriation out OF both the amount
appropriated in 1908 almost equals the
total for the eight preceding years.
Further along in the editorial he
says:
II cannot be denied that the Demo-
cratic administration came into pow
er with a bankrupt treasury and with
heavy debt upon the State.
We say that It can be denied. and
as a denial, we quote from the Audi
tors report of 1899. as follows:
When l took charge of the Audi
tors office. January. 1896, | found
cash in the treasury amounting 10
Sl5S, 7343S. At the same time
found the State with a floating in
debtedness of $4,000 consisting OF
outstanding warrants unpaid. claims
filed in this office and not audited;
claims in the hands of claimants and
not sent in to be audited; unpaid ap-
PROF riations, and claims against the
school fund, etc. l turn over today
this office TO my successor with cash
balance in the treasury of $1,000. 425 OS
% which S96s,574.32 is credited to
the Sinking fund. Every claim pro-
perly made out, which has been sent
TO this office, has been promptly aud
tied and paid and there is today on
hand in this office not dollar OF
unaudited claims. Not a single war
rant is today outstanding that can
be found and enough money and
other valuable assets in the Sinking
Fund TO more than pay the one mil
lion dollars bonded Indebtedness OF
this State. Respectfully submitted,
Samuel II. Stone,
Auditor of Public Accounts.
Now, how does that statement, unre
futed and unrefutable, compare with
the statement made by the editor
CT the State Journal referred 10
above?
The members Of the former admin
istration and their friends are point
ing with great pride TO the record
they made in taking care OF the States
finances, but they have neglected
t, point out that in order to do this
they called upon the taxpayers OF the
State for an average OF nearly a mil
lion dollars a year more than any
Of their predecessors had ever used.
II
Many Democratic journals have said
often that the last administration left
In the treasury over a million dollars,
There was in the treasury, when the
present administration took charge
about $1.1OO,000.
From the sixth day of January,
when the Republicans took charge to
the end of the month, there was paid
In round numbers $1,23O,OO0, all of
which were either unpaid bills left
over By the former administration, or
bills fali'Eg due in that month. To
estimate the States financial condi-
ton at the end of any calendar year,
IS very much like figuring out how
much man is worth IL he has his
ocket full of money and owes
everybody. Practically all the funds
are paid into the treasury by the
stcriffs during the closing days 81
the year, so that there is, or should
be, always substantial balance on
hand at the close of the calendar year
The balance on hand at the close of
last year was $1,2OO,OOO; there will be
Practically the same amount of money
In the treasury at the close OF the
present year. Estimate OF the con-
ditlon Of the States finance should
always be made at the close of the
fiscal year, and. an examination Of
the Auditors reports will show that
for many years back there has been
an actual deficit in the general ex-
p,nditure fund. and, owing to the
large appropriations of the last Cen