The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-22
SAYS DIVISION
WILL Be BEST
FOR THIS STATE
SECRETARY HENDERSON SUB
MITS SOME FACTS AND FIG
URES WHICH DEMONSTRATE
THAT FLORIDA SHOULD BE DI.
viDEp-5ILL NOW IN LEGIsLA-
TURE.

Secretary Leland ]. Henderson, OF
the PENSACOLA Commercial Association
who has been an ardent advocate OF
the question of state division. which
has been agitated from one end of the
state to the other yesterday gave out
the following interview.
The bill introduced by Senator Lind
sey, has passed the upper house and 1t
is the general opinion that with Few
minor amendments that the bill will
be favorably passed upon by the lower
house.
In referring to the bill now pending
in the legislature Mr.. Henderson said
yesterday:
THE principal objection raised In
West Florida to the division of the
state is that the creation of the new
state will Increase taxes In west F1or-
ida. This same question is also Of in
terest to the Peninsula.
IN the year 1902, the assessed val
uation of property subject to taxation
in the state of Florida was $103.147.-
937: Wyoming. $43,34s,S56; New Mexi-
co, SIS, 633.993; Arizona, $3s,0S3,3S8;
Nevada, $29.324,667. In the year 1912.
the assessed valuation of the sixteen
West Florida counties was $751; 100, 120.
Hence. the valuation of the property
in the sixteen West Florida counties
is greater than that of four states in
the union in 1902.
I'm the year 1902. the per capita as
sessed valuation of all property sub
.ject to ad valorem tax in the South
ern and South Atlantic states. was
s1S0.45; in Florida $1S3.9S. Estimating
the population of the sixteen West
Florida counties as 260.403, in 1912, the
per capita assessed valuation of the
West Florida counties would be $200.O7.
TN 1902, the per capita levy of ad
valorem taxes in the Southern and
South Atlantic states was $500; Flor
ida $4.79. The tax rate per hundred
of assessed valuation in the Southern
and South Atlantic states was $1.67;
Florida $3.50; Wyoming, s2.4S; Arr
Sona2ie; Delaware ay sl.s1, . ~
state of Florida was $3,141,S15, or
about $500 per capita. AT this rate,
the $50, 400 people in West Florida con-
tribute toward the revenues of the
state $I04f,612 annually.
I'm 1850 the total revenue of the
state of Rhode Island was $1s6,133;
of Delaware s2o5.s91; of Georgia s7s7,
SS5: of Florida $159,121; of Minnesota
$66o,007: of Nebraska, s91, 500; of Kan
sas $195.S57: of Alabama $851,171; of
Arkansas s635.39S; of Texas, s533,365;
of Oregon S199,056, while as late as
1890. the revenues of the state of Del
aware were s922,179; Idaho $761, 561;
Wyoming s7S4,333; Arizona sS3S,37e;
Nevada $735.910; and in the year 1902,
the revenue of Nevada was S616.947.
Now, If these states named-most
of which have larger areas than West
F1orida-could be administered with
their revenues, then West Florida can
be with the revenue the people now
contribute annually to the support of
the state of Florida. Hence, the new
state of West Florida can be run with
out any additional tax.
The bill. as proposed and before
the legislature, settles all Indebtedness,
so far as state property is concerned
West Florida will have what is within
the present boundaries of that section
of the state, and the Peninsula will
have the remainder. including the
Everglades, without any cost to either.
West Florida will be put to no addi-
tional expense for capital buildings,
but the Peninsula will.