Middletown transcript., 1914-04-18
DELAWARE'S lNDEBT.
Figures Pertaining to National Ard
State Funds
WILL SOON ISSUE A BULLETIN

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 10, 1914
Preliminary figures from the forthcom-
ing bulletin pertaining to national and
state Indebtedness and funds and in
vestments have been given out by Dir
ectOr W. J. Harris, of the Bureau OF
the Census, Department of Commerce.
The bulletin carries inform alton for the
state of Delaware, as well as for the
other states and the Uuited States.
The data were complied under the su-
pervision of Mr.. John Lee Coulter, ex-
pert special agent in charge of the in
quiry on Wealth, Debt, and Taxation
The bulletin. which will soon Be s.
sued, will contain statistics for each
state for each year from 1890 to 1918,
inclusive, as far as statistics are avail
able, and will also contain details for
the year most nearly corresponding to
1880, thus making it possible 10 show
the general movement during a period
of over 80 years. The bulletin will
show the total debt of the states as
we'll as many details, such as the var
ious 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" 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 considera-
ton will be used, and the per capita
debt Qess sinking fund assets) will be
given
An inspection of the tables for Della
ware in the bulletin soon to be issued
shows comparatively small change in
the bonded Indebtedness throughout
the period covered: In 1890 the amount
outstanding was $3.50, 900; in 1912 it had
been reduced to 1855, 900 The special
debt obligations to public trust funds
remained unchanged until 1905, when
the fund was increased from $240, eco 70
$262, 900; no furthhr change was record
ed during the period.
In the case of funds and investments
the securities show an increase from
S., ,234, 900 in 1890 to 81, 535, 900 in
1912, while the cash reached the
maximum amount SAT, 600 in 1908,
afterwards decreasing to $4,000 in
1912. The sinking fund assets were
at no time large. and in consequence
there is but small difference between
the total debt and the debt sinking
fund assets.
In view of the fact that the debt has
remained almost constant during this
period of more than 80 years, while the
population of the state has increased
gradually, the per capita debt of the
state has gradually decreased.
In 1880 the total debt of Delaware at
the close of the fiscal year, December
81, was $50, 900, in 1891 it fell to $685.
600; by 1901 it had increased to no, 900;
and in 1912 it had increased to 1927. 900.
The population of the state increased
from LAT, 900 in 1889 to 203. COO in 1910.
the increase serving to lower the debt
per capita frcm year to year. In 1880
the debt per capita amounted to $6.18;
in 1891 it was S4O2; in 1901 it was
81. 90; and in 1912 it had been reduced
to $3.7O.
In contrast with the state of Deia-
ware, we find that, taking the entire
debt Qess sinking fund assets) for the
48 states, the average per capita, ac-
cording to the latest report is $9.52, or
slightly less than the per capita debt
for Delaware. On tle other hand,
whereas the per capita debt fer Della
ware fell from So. 18 in 1880 to S3.70 in
1912, the per capita debt when the total
for all states is considered fell only
from S. 48 to $50 during the same
period.
At the present time about OF per
cent of the total population of the
United States will be found in the state
of Delaware. and OF per cent of the
total debt (less sinking iund assets is
/ t, 40