Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-04-24
THE STATE DEBT
Census Department Figures Carry In
terestinu Information.

Preliminary figures from the forth
coming bulletin pertaining to national
and state Indebtedness and funds and
investments have been given out by
Director w. ]. Harris Of the bureau Of
the census department Of commerce.
The bulletin carries information for
the state Of South Carolina, as well as
for the other states and the United
States. The data were compiled un-
der the supervision Of John Lee Coul-
ter, extra special agent in charge Of
the inquiry on wealth, debt and taxa
ton.
The bulletin, which will soon be is
sued will contain statistics for each
state for each year from 1890 to 1913,
inclusive, as far as statistics are avail
able, and will also contain details for
the year most nearly corresponding to
$780, thus making 1t possible to show
the general movement during a period
Of over thirty years. The bulletin will
show the total debt Of the states as
well as many details, such as the vari-
Gus classes Of outstanding bonds and
special debt obligations to public
trust funds. It will also show the
floating debt and it's component parts.
Under Funds and Investments" will
funds, and in each case cash and Sc
curities will be shown. The popula-
ton Of the states for each year under
consideration will be used, and the per
capita debt Qess sinking fund assets)
will be given.
An inspection of the tables for
South Carolina in the bulletin soon to
be issued shows that the bonded in
debtedness changed very slightly dur
ing the period covered, s6,S01 900 in
1890 falling to $6,444,00 in 1912. The
special debt obligations to public trust
funds increased from 1892, 900 in 1890
to $3.50, 900 in 1912. The floating debt
changed constantly from year to year,
though the general tendency was to
increase, $364,O00 in 1890 advancing to
$4,000 in 1912.
In the case Of funds and invest
ments the securities fluctuated greatly,
rising from $266,000 in 1890 to $1,109,-
900 in 1912. The cash changed natur-
ally with each year, increasing in the
sum Of $663,000 during the period.
The sinking fund assets increased
throughout two decades but reached
the maximum s9S4,000 in 1912. The
debt Qess sinking fund assets) was ap-
preciably less than the total debt.
The debt of the state decreased
more than million dollars during the
30-year period, and the population in
creased materially, hence the per cap
TIA QeDl ueCllHeu HedTly llly per CeHt.
In 1880 the total debt Of South Caro-
lima at the close Of the fiscal year, Oc-
tober 81, was $7,47S,000; in 1897 it
reached the minimum, $6,953,000, but
subsequently advanced to $7,112,000.
The population of the state increased
from $4,000 to 1880 to 1856, 900 in 1912.
which combined with the decreased
Indebtedness to bring about a reduc-
tion in the per capita debt. In 1880
the per capita debt was $7.51; in 1890
it was $6.35; and in 1912 had declined
to $3.98.
In contrast with the state Of South
Carolina, we find that, taking the en-
tire debt Qess sinking fund assets)
for the 4S states, the per capita debt,
according to the latest report, Is 1882.
or $0.46 less than the per capita debt
for South Carolina. Comparing the
decrease in the per capita debt Of
South Carolina and the 4S states for
the 30-year period, we find that $5.4S .
fell to 1852 in the average for the 4S
states and $7.51 to sS.9s in South Car
olina.
At the present time about 1.6 per
cent Of the total population Of the
United States will be found in South
Carolina, and 1.S per cent Of the total
debt Oess sinking fund assets) Is at
tributed to that state.