Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-08-19
STATE FACES AN
 EMPTY TREASURY General Revenue Fund Will Be Depleted and State Vir- tually On Scrip Basis MANY DEMANDS MADE Will Lose Nearly xl0O,OOO in Liquor
 LicenseS.-EXpemscs On
 the Increase.
DEMANDS MADE

Little Rock, Aug. 1S.-Until taxes
 have been paid in 1914, and the col
 lectors make their settlement with
 the State Treasurer, the general rev
 enue fund will be depleted and the state virtually on a scrip basis. With only one county yet to settle, St. Francis, and that one not making any
 material difference, and with practi- cally all the franchise tax collected. the general revenue fund is dry and there are thousands of dollars in out standing warrants.
 At the first of the present year, the state, which pays it's running expenses through the general revenue fund, was anywhere from $250,00O to $75O,O0O behind, the total being upon who was asked to estimate it. The admins- tration placed it at near the higher figure, as Gov. Joe T. Robinson rec commended bond issue of that amount to pay off the outstanding indebted ness.
 The legislature then proceeded to make appropriations calling for $3,- 100000 for the two years None of the items were vetoed by the governor. Against this the income of the state. at the highest estimate, is from all sources which pay into the general revenue fund, $1,500,000, making $3,- 000,000 for the two years, or deficit of $200,000 for the biennial period. This must be added to the deficit which had accumulated when Gov. Robinson took office.
 When Gov. Donaghey assumed of flee he pruned the biennial appropria- tions to about $1 $1,000,0O0 for each year, which was equal to the revenue re- ceived from all sources. He repeated this feat at the second meeting of the legislature during his tenure of of flee, and thus his administration just about kept even, the deficit having originated prior to his inauguration
 The last legislature made heavy ap- propriations for improvements at the state agricultural schools, the State Normal, and the Tuberculosis Sanitor- ium. These buildings are now in the course of erection, and heavy drafts are made upon the treasury to pay for the work as it is completed. It is these buildings which have exhausted the general revenue fund, and which will force all holding claims against the state to wait until next July or August for their money
 In addition to this, the state will lose about $S5OOO in liquor license, which has been always received before in January and has tided the treas ury over until the sheriffs and collec- tors began to advance funds to the treasurer. As the new liquor petition act goes into effect January 1, there will be no liquor licenses paid in 1914.
 The legislature Of 1913 increased the revenue of the state, which goes into the general revenue fund, by about $5O0,000 annually, but adding ex- penditures of $600,000 annually did nothing toward getting the state very far out of debt.
 The next legislature is bound to find a deficit of about $7OO,000 in the gen eral revenue fund, but by failing to make appropriations for new buildings at any of the state institutions, this will be wiped out in two years. It will also make surplus which may be expended on new buildings at the University of Arkansas, which is the only state. institution new buildings were denied by the last legislature.