Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1914-01-09

common schools. and while would not
have the state embarrass itself and Grip
pie other appropriations 70 too great an
extent, would ask you to carefully con-
slider our financial condition and make
an appropriation for the Common ocno0is
commensurate with it's Importance
Live Stock Sanitary Board.
This board has been endeavoring to
render more profitable the raising OF i've
stock in the state and has accomplished
considerable difficulty because in some
sections of the state some OF our people
have regarded the efforts or TINS B0ard
to benefit their condition, as an encroacn-
ment upon their personal liberties and
have refused compliance with the law be-
cause they deem it too stringent ana many
good men have differed as TO the WISDOM
of undertaking to enforce such sanitation
as to live stock as might be beneficial
Much information can be CLEANED from
the report of our Commissioner OF Agri-
culture on this subject. 10 Wnlcn Spe-
cially refer you.
The Insurance Department.
The Insurance Department or our state
is one of great Importance. When we con-
out by our citizens for insurance IT shows
at once the necessity OF watching and
guarding this branch of our state govern
ment with great care. The department.
seems to be conducted In that business
like manner which it's Importance de-
mands and | would recommend that the
scope and power conferred upon THIS de-
partment be widened so that 1t may nave
jurisdiction and control over all forms OF
insurance in the state.
public Revenue and Taxes.
In my Inaugural Address two years ago
called the attention of the legislature
to the necessity of doing something 70
cover deficit that annually appeared in
our revenues. Again. by, special message
addressed to you on the 18th day OF
March. 1912, as follows:
II call your attention to the fact that
after the June distribution Of the Public
School Fund, there will be a deficit In the
State Treasury amounting to something
over $563. 900. OF course, you know that
/ appreciate this legislature is not respon-
by the previous financiering Of the State,
and arose in this way: Under the ACT
passed by the last legislature. authorizing
the refunding of certain bonds ISSUED by
my predecessor. 1896, 100000 was paid out.
There is a deficit in the penitentiary
amounting to $4,000. There was land
purchased for the use of the penitentiary
for which payment must be made amount
ing to $50, 10000 There was $8,20000 bor-
rowed to meet a contingency that arose
on account of the fire at the Insane HoS-
pital. There were appropriations o. OF ia 81
session of the Legislature amounting TO
$107, 100000. There was loan TO restore
certain burned buildings at the Agricul-
tural and Mechanical College amounting
to s.. 10000, and National Guard expense
of $50, 900. 90, making a total of 1868, 900.
There is no use in carrying this deficit
from year to year to the great damage or
the faith and credit of the state. Tnere
is no use in undertaking to shift the re-
sponsibility or dodge the issue, for there
are only three business ways in which to
meet it: One is to increase the tax levy;
second, cut down the appropriations; or
thirdly, issue bonds of the State and pay
it. This session is drawing to close. and
l call your attention to this matter SO that
it cannot be misunderstood, and / recon-
mend that you give it that careful con-
sideration that it deserves and solve the
problem in that way which will take care
of the faith and credit of the state.
] called your attention to this subject
Your body saw fit to meet this deficit
by authorizing the Governor to borrow
in January, 1913, not later than the 10th
day of that month, and to borrow again
in 1913 an equal amount to be paid back
not later than the 10th day OF January,
1914. 1t was with great difficulty that
your Treasurer has been able to get in
from the December collection of taxes
the money in time to meet these loans. |
borrowed the $500 100000 on the 9Th day OF
June 1912 and by great vigilance of the
Treasurer we succeeded in getting this
money paid at the date of maturity. An
itemized and detailed statement as to how
the money was borrowed from whom and
the interest paid is a part OF this mes
sage, together with detailed statement
of other amounts borrowed, the authority
upon which ] acted and the particulars OF
each transaction, and ] will add that II
has been necessary for me, from time to
time, to negotiate for quite number OF
sums to tide the state over this deflclt.
and because emergencies had not been
provided for at your session in 1912.
/ now find that if the appropriations do
not exceed the appropriations OF two
years ago that the deficit will not be so
large as there will be difference of about
$500 10000, which comes about in this
way: AS pointed out to you in the mes
sage above referred to, there was deficit
in the penitentiary of about $23, 100000 and
more careful examination disclosed that
it was about $30,000.00 and the revenue
arising from this source during the years
1912 and 1913, / mean the net revenues,
will not only wipe out the deficit of $780,
600 90 which appeared in the penitent1ary
affairs in 1911, but will liquidate more
than Fifty per cent of the $60O.000.00 def
cit and | recommend that your Honorable
Body take such steps as are necessary TO
put the government of the state on
sound financial basis so that there may
not be borrowing of money every two
years to tide over a deficit, and repeat as
in the message referred to, there is no use
in undertaking to shift the responsibility
or dodge the issue, for there are only
three business ways in which to meet it:
One is to increase the tax levy; another
is issue bonds of the state and pay 1t.
Through the failure of sthe legislature
of 1912 to make an appropriation for the
support of the Department of Archives
and History for the years 1872 and 1913.
this department was left without funds to
maintain it or to pay the salary of the
Director The director wrote letters to
each member of the legislature and Sc
cured pledges from more than two-thirds
of them authorizing me to borrow the sum
needed, at the best rate of interest OBJ
tainable and finally ! made ARRANGEMENTS
with the National City Bank of New York
for the sum of $5.5OO.OO for the year 1912
at rate of Five per cent interest per
annum. AS there was no provision for
the payment of interest by the legislature,
and the bank demanded it, this interest
has been paid by me out OF the Contingent
Fund, quarterly, and the. receipts there
for are on file in the Auditors office with
contingent fund vouchers. This note is
dated June 5th, 1912, and is due FEBRUARY
9Th, 1914.
A similar condition existing as to the
above department for the year 1913, 4,
acting under the authority previously OBJ
tanned from the Legislators, negotiated
loan from Dero Sanders of Starkville, Miss.
of IS 10000 at the rate of six per cent in in
terest and executed the obligation OF the
state therefor which IS dated February
LIST. 1918, due February 10th, 1914
By authority of a resolution OF the leg
islature of 1912 / was authorized to nego-
tiate a loan of S.. 100000 to be used as a
ID On