The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-19
Present Administration Must.
 Watch the Treasury
ID EMPLOY ACCOUNTANT
siderable Money on Hand But When Debts Are Paid Deficit Will Be Shown
BY HUGH w. ROBERTS

Montgomery, January 1s.-(Special.)- Two hundred thousand dollars in the hole!
 This is the lamentable plight of the great state of Alabama today.
 The Conner administration is thing of the yesterdays, but the shriek of it's ghost continues to resound.
 An investigation proves that at the present time there is some money in the treasury But the outstanding obligations are so numerous and the amounts in volved so enormous, that a pitiful hand full of bill collectors could leave the tiller high and dry.
 The O'Neal administration is skating finely in many respects, but on very thin ice-as far as finances are concerned Governor O'Neal appreciates that fact, and is preparing to take certain steps to- ward the application of a remedy. At his request either new committee of membe.s of both houses of the legisla- establishing the exact financial condition of the state, or the committee existing today will emerge out of it's perfunctory nature, and assume the proportions of an inqusitorial body.
 To Employ Accountant
 By the report of the officials of the Conner administration, which report was made to Governor Conner, and left for the study of Governor ONeal, there will be an actual deficit in the treasury at the end of the current fiscal year of S200, coo.
 There is some money on hand" stated Governor ONeal this morning, but we are in the exact condition of the man who has a bank account of $100, and out standing obligations of s150 In other words, we are in the hole"
 At the request of the governor the resolution which resulted in the, appoint ment of the joint committee of the leg islature, the function of which is the ex animation of the books of the auditor, an amendment will be offered authorizing the committee to employ an expert ac- countant. The services of the accountant will result in the new governor having an exact statement of the finances of the state. It is known that the state is in a sad financial condition as a result of the expenditures of the previous admin istration, but a new diagnosis of the pa tient, a statement of the exact nature of the ailment is the desire of Governor O'Neal.
 Retrenchment in Appropriations
 On account of the condition of the treas ury the present administration will not indulge petitioners with extravagant ap- propriations. This much Is certain.
 The institutions of the state will be taken care of as thoroughly as possible, their needs will be learned and the rem edy applied. There will be aims for the halt and blind throughout the state, and for those who suffer
 But money will not be appropriated for any cause in excess of the actual needs of that cause. The new administration will be as generous as 1t can. But there will be no charges of extravaganza in dispensing the revenue of the state made against the administration at the conclu- sion of it's term.
 The petitioners have been and are still in Montgomery. They come from every corner and section of the state. Every man with an injured toe is looking to Governor O'Neal for remedy. The tooth in the past was injured, it is alleged, with an over-indulgence of sweets. The shattering or the precedent is the task of the present legislature.