The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-21

659.97s.1s

earnings of the convict department
In the total sum OF s1,S20,s50.23 Of
disbursements during the two fiscal
years of my administration are included
the purchase of land at Speigners
amounting to .............-s 7,250.00
Construction OF dam at
Speigners ..-.............. 10000. 90
Also the cost of erection of
| the tuberculosis hospital at
,Wetumpka ................ 100000
Also the erection of houses at
speigners ................. 100000
Cotton on hand at Spiegners. 35 100000
Wagons and farming fmp1e-
ments .................... 100000
Repairs at Wetumpka and
speigners ...;.....,....:. 100000
Also the purchase of $40
acres of land at No. 49,. 21,s5o.oo
| All OF which amounts to. .S1S7, 500. 90
and which constitutes a part of the
| capital of the state necessarily en-
ployed in the work undertaken
| AS matter of course there is a partic-
ular distinction between the permanent
value of live stock and real property The
real property bought for the state may
be expected to be an asset constantly sen-
hancing in value; the personal property.
| though depreciating in value. is a neces-
sary part of the states equipment and
contributes very much more in excess
| of the legal interest upon it's value plus
its percentage of depreciation to the reve-
nues derived by the state.
| I desire to emphasize the fact that the
gross expenses of the convict department
| during my administration have been In
creased beyond the usual and ordinary
gross expenses by expenses which have
added to the capital invested by the state,
viz:
First, the erection of the state tubercu-
moi uI al - Nh
I would need go before no tribunal to de
fend the justice of the expenditure of the
money for this purpose. Suffering hu-
manity does not need defense by anyone
before the bar Of public thought. There
was also added to the gross expenditures
of the convict department the sum of $50
900 which was paid as q proper and legiti-
mate expense in the cost OF the construc-
tion of the dam at Speigners, which IL is
supposed will hereafter result in large
profit TO the state. Coming in permanent
improvements there was also expended
$1,000 for houses at Speigners
The states assets have also been In
creased by the acquisition of 702 acres
of land at a net cost of $29,O5i .es. there
fore, the net expenditures of the state
for the convict department in order to
demonstrate it's net revenues should be
decreased by the items above shown, the
capital invested permanently amounting
the total aggregate expenses heretofore
shown shows an aggregate gross expense
of 81 ,320, $50. % for maintenance. 'deducting
which from the total revenue shows an
aggregate net income of 81, 133, go. %. Moth
ing of proximating such sum mas hereto
fore been received by the state as the
income from the convict department. This
net revenue is in excess OF any previous
revenue received by the convict depart
ment in the sum of $4,000.
Auditors Report
The total expenses of the convict de-
partment for two years of my adminis-
tration. the years 1911 and 1912, according
to reports of the auditor, amount to
1896, 256. 16: the total expenses of the two
years prior to my administration, the
years 1909 and 1910, amount to 1907 .S56. 10.
which apparently shows an excess of $751;
$50 OF expenditures during the two years
of my administration as compared with
the two preceding years of 1909 and 1910.
but, as before stated. in these expendi-
lures there was included an investment
of apital of permanent nature amount
ing to $1s7,G0 If, however. we eliminate
from the amount of this Investment the
value of personal property which vas
used In order to operate the farms and
only consider lands and houses and cot
ton now on hand, the figures would pe
as follows:
y
Construction OF new houses ......... 5000
Construction OF the tuberculosis
hospital ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3.OU9
Actual cotton now on hand ........ $1,000
--------
Amounting TO the sum of ........ s109.0 900
Decreasing, therefore, the expenditure
for 1911 and 1912 by a credit of $4,000.
which is an absolutely permanent asset
OF the state. would show that the excess
of disbursements for the two years of
1909 and 1910 preceding the two years
of my administration, have been s2o.5a9.s SO
in excess of the disbursements during my
term of office for the fiscal years 1911 =
and 1912.
Figures are not partisan, and these
facts are the colorless mathematical
demonstration of the fact that during
the two years of my administration the
receipts of the convict department have
been greater in excess from that depart
ment. than any two preceding years in
the history of the state, and the dis
bursements have been less. No amount OF
criticism, however inspired, OF the con-
vict department during my administration
can overcome the fact thus established
by these figures. 1t may be safely pre-
dicted that during the ensuing two wears
OF my administration, the receipts from
this department will be still more largely
increased, and that by the further sys-
tematization OF its affairs it will be put
upon the soundest business basis so that
every dollar OF unnecessary expense Will
be eliminated, so as to attain the maxi
mum efficiency with the minimum OF
cost.
Money paid into the state treasury by
j. G. Oakley, president, from April 2, 1911.
to September 90, 1912: