Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-24
LOUISIANA STATE Debt, FUNDS AND IN.
vEsTMENTs, 1850 to 1913.

UbObWSWuOs WV ~ uOuSs
Washington, D. C.-Preliminary
figures from the forthcoming bulle-
tin pertaining to national and state
indebtness and funds and invest
ments have been given out by Di-
rector w. ]. Harris, of the Bureau
Of the Census, Department Of Com
merce. The bulletin carries infor-
nation for the State of Louisiana,
as well as for 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
issued, will contain statistics for
each state for each year from 1890
to 1918, inclusive, as far as statistics
are available, and will also contain
details for the year most nearly cor
responding to 1880, thus making it
possible to show the general move
ment during a period Of over 30
years. The bulletin will show the
total debt of the states as well as
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 in its component parts
Under Funds and investments"
will be shown separately all the
different funds, and in each case
cash and securities will be shown.
The population of the states for each
year under consideration will be used
and the per capita debt (less sink
ing fund assets) will be given.
An inspection of the tablets for
Louisiana in the bulletin soon to be
issued shows that while the debt was
reported as Of the fiscal year ending
March 1 the funds and investments
we're for the calender year. Only BIZ
ennial reports were obtainable for
the debt of the state, and no statis- |
tics later 1912 were available. An
nual reports for funds and invest
ments are shown up to and includ-
ing 1903; for all later years only BIZ
ANIMAL compilations could be made. |
The bonded indebtness of the
Btate decreased from S13, 401 600 in |
1892. to SIP, 10000 in 1912, while
he special debt obligations to pub
ic trust funds amounting to ST.
as. 600 were unchanged throughout
The period covered. The floating debt
Ras large but decreased from S1,-
Ola 600 in 1892 to s97, 900 in 1912.
In the case of funds and invest
nents both securities and cash in
creased during the period. The se-
surities increased steadily from ST.
As, 900 in 1890 to 81, 557 900 in
1911, whereas the cash reached the
amount, 81, 419, 900, in
1907, falling to $3.50, 600 on Deem
Ter 81, 1911.
No sinking fund assets, as such,
vere recorded in any year, thus
saving the debt (less sinking fund
nels) the same az the total debt. ,
he steady increase in population .
nd the decline Of 81, 900, 600 in the .
ebt (lees sinking fund assets) ;
sought about q marked reduction /,
! the Per capits debt during the Z
0-year periodsA ls
In 1880 the total debt Of Lonisi- J.
% q the Close Of the fiscal year, !.
Iaych 1. Was t23. 438, 900; in 1892 .
Was t15. 1888 900; and t13, $685. :
% in 1919. The population Of the .
ate increased from $40, 900 in 1880 !.
, 1. 718. 900 in 1912; this, together 2
ith the decrease in the total indebt- ),
-, caused q marked decline in the !
" capita debt. In 1880 the per "
Ipita debt was $24.94; in 1892 it .
rs $13. 81; in 1912 the amount had "
lien to t7.97.
In contrast with the State of Louis =,
M we find that, taking the entire
,h (less sinking fund assets) for !"
E 48 states, the per capita debt, y
cording to the latest report, is
,.62, or less than one-half the per :
rita debt for Louisiana. Compar- Z
8 the decrease in the per capita
bt of Louisiana and the averaged !,
! the 48 states for the S0-year Pc Z
d, we find the ratio Approximate q q
twice - great for Lo1idauA; The 2
- falling to $500 II he avsr. :