The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-04-17
IDAHO STATE DEBT, FUNDS AND
INVESTMENTS, 1880 TO 1918

WASHINGTON, D. c., April IL
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 or COM
merce. The bulletin carries informa-
tion for the state of Idaho, as well
as for other states and the Unite j
States. The data was compiled un-
der 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
year from 1890 to 1913, inclusive,
and will also contain details for the
year most nearly corresponding to
1880, thus making it possible to show
the general movement during a per-
iod of over 80 years. The bulle- in
will show the total debt of the state
as well as many details, such as the
various classes of outstanding bonds
and special debt obligations to pub
lie trust funds. 1t will also show
the floating debt
parts. Under Funds and invest
ments" 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 Qess sinking
fund assets) will be given.
An inspection of the tables for
Idaho in the bulletin soon to be is
sued shows that only biennial reports
were obtainable. The amount of the
bonded Indebtedness increased from
$4,000 in 1890 to $2,364, 900 in.
1912, while the floating debt, though
changing greatly during the period
covered, showed a general decrease
from $4,000 in 1890 to $4,000 in
1912.
In the case of funds and invest
ments no statistics were available for
the securities held in 1908 and 1910.
No securities were reported until
1894; the 100000 in this year fell to
$50 in 1896, increasing steadily there
after until 1912, when they amounted
to $4,O00,OOO. The cash shows
general increase from $4,000 in
1890 to 81, $4,000 in 1912.
The sinking fund assets increased
from $21,00 in 1890 to 1907, 900
in 1912, and consequently the debt
less sinking fund assets was less for
each year reported than the total
debt. The population more than
during the period, but
this was not sufficient to offset the
increase in per capita Indebtedness,
which, while fluctuating to a marked
degree with each year reported, shows
a general increase from $245 in 1890
to $5.92 in 1912.
In 1880 the total debt of Idaho at
the close of the fiscal year, December
81, was $4,000; in 1912 it was
50, 451, 900, the increase being due
to the constantly increased bond is
sues. The population of the state in
creased from $4,000 in 1880 to 362,-
900 in 1912; this increase, however,
as stated above, was not sufficient to
Offset the increased bond issues,
therefore the debt per capita more
than doubled during this period. In
1880 the per capita debt was 1884;
in 1890 it was $2.45; in 1902 the
amount was reduced to $1.65, in
creasing to 1892 in 1912.
In contrast with the state of Idaho,
we find that, taking the entire debt
0ess sinking fund assets) for the 4S
states, the per capita, according to
the latest report, is 1882, or $40
less than the per capita debt for
Idaho. Comparing the increase in
the per capita debt of Idaho with the
decrease in the per capita debt of
the total for the 4S states, we find
more than an inverse ratio, the total
amount of increase for Idaho being
1888 for the 3O-year period, while
in the average the 4S states the de-
crease was $1.96, or slightly more
than half the increase for Idaho.
At the present time about 0.4 per
cent of the total population of the
United States will be found in the
state of Idaho, and 0.6 per cent of the
total debt Qess sinking fund assets)
is attributed to that state.