The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1914-05-01
SOUTH DAKOTA
STATE DEBT

Washington, ID. c., April %, 1914
Preliminary figures from the forth
coming bulletin pertaining to national
and state Indebtedness and funds and
Investments have been given out by
Director w. J. Harris, of the Bureau
of the Census. Department of Com
merce. The bulletin carries informa-
tion for the state of South Dakota, as
well a. for the other states and the
United States, The data were com
piled under the supervision of Mr.
John Lee Coulter, expert special agent
in charge of the inquiry on Wealth,
Debt. and Taxation.
The bulletin, which will soon be is
sued, will contain statistics for each
state for each year from 1850 to 1913,
inclusive, as far as statistics are avail
able, and will also contain details for
the year most nearly corresponding
10 1850, thus making it possible TO
show the general movement during
period of over 80 years. The bulletin
will show the total debt of the states
as well az many details, such as the
various classes of outstanding bonds
and special debt obligations TO public
trust funds. 1t will also show the
floating debt and its component parts.
Under Funds and investments" viii
be shown separately all the different
funds. and in each case and securities
will be shown. The population of the
states for each year under considera-
ton will be used, and the per capita
debt (less sinking-fund assets) will be
given.
An inspection of the tables for South
Dakota in the bulletin soon TO be is
sued shows that no statistics were
available for 1850 and 1891 The bonds,
amounting TO $3.50, 600 in 1890, advanc-
ed to 81 ,O4O, coo in 1892, but declined
to S2l2 600 in 1906, after which the IN
debtedness disappeared altogether.
80 special debt obligations to public
u NAoN lbitNN NNA' AN hJbl wv. ilt llOoN-
ing debt fuctuated greatly, reaching
the maximum amount, SS35, COO, 1910.
In the case of funds and investments
the securities increased from Sl16.00G
in 1892 to $lO,S8O,OOO in 1913. The
cash changed naturally with each
year the largest amount reported be-
ing $l,GC2, 90 in 1912.
The sinking-fund assets were small
and disappeared entirely in 1907 ;hence
the debt (ess sinking-flind asaets) did
not differ materially from the total
debt.
The debt Of the state fuctuated
greatly, but decreased during the 80
year period; the population increased
steadily, and these two conditions
brought about a marked decrease in
the per capita Indebtedness.
In 1890 the total debt of South Da-
kota at the close of the fiscal year,
June 80. was $S72, 900; in 1892 it was
S1.175, 900; in 1913 it had declined to
1870, 600 The population of the state
increased from $40 900 in 1890 TO 6i3,
900 in 1913, being sufficient to reduce
the already declining per capita debt.
In 1890 the per capta debt was 81. 5t (;
in 1891, following the fluctuations in
the total debt, it had advanced to
So, 20, reaching the maximum of Sl09
in 1895; subsequently declining to
$0.5S in 1913
In contrast with the state of South
Dakota, we find that, taking the en-
tire debt (less sinking-fund asset }
for the 4S states, the per capita debt,
according TO the latest report, is g 50
or g. 81 more than the per capita del t
for south Dakota in 1913. Compar-
ing the decrease in the per capita
debt Of South Dakota and the 4S states
for the 3O-year period, we find that
s.. .4s fell to $3,j2 in the average for
the 49 states and g 80 TO S0.5S in
South Dakota.
At the present time about OF per
cent OF the total population Of the
United States will be fourd in the
state of South Dakota, and OF per
cent OF the total debt (less sinking
g,,,l ,ga,+.N - o o,tribnta1 tn that atata