The Prescott daily news., 1915-03-22
PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS IN
 THE UNITED STATES

sets, compiled under the SupervisiOn ot MT. Starke M. Grogan, Chief Sta tlsclan Tn charge of the inquiry, and soon to be issued by the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce. will show total net public indebted ness, for the year 1913, of S4,85O. .46O.- (l3, or $49.97 per capita-an increase ot more than two billions, or 7O.9 per cent, over the amount reported for 1902, which in turn was APT per cent more than in 1890. (By met indebt- edness" IS meant total or gross debt less sinking fund assets.) The per capita net indebtedness increased by 3S.S per cent between 1902 and 1913 and by 13.3 per cent between 1890 and 1902.
 The 1913 total comprises national or Federal debt of $1.O28, ,564,O55, state debts amounting to $345, ,942, ,3O5 and an aggregate indebtedness for counties, municipalities, and other minor civil divisions, of $3,475, ,954,353. The per capita net indebtedness of the Nation decreased from $1360 in 1890 to S12.22 in 1902 and to $10.59 in 1913, the per capita net indebtedness of the states decreased from S337 in 1890 to $3.03 in 1902 but increased to S3.57 in 1915. and the per capita net indebted ness of counties, municipalities, etc, increased from $1479 in 1890 to $2O.- "A in 1902 and to $35.81 in 1913.
 County and Municipal Debt
 This bulletin, which is one of series of eight, all pertaining to the general subject of wealth. debt, and taxation, relates especially to the in debtedness of counties, municipalities, townships, school districts, etc
 The total net indebtedness of coun- ties, municipalities, etc., in 1913-in round figures, $3,476,O0O, ,OOO-was made up as follows: Counties, $371. 500,000, or 10.7 per cent; cities, incor- porated towns and villages, etc, $2,- S85,000,000, or S3 per cent; unincorpo- rated towns, townships, precincts, and special districts created for such DOT poses as road and levee construction. drainage, irrigation, fire protection, etc, $10O, O,6OO.000, or 20 per cent; in ! dependent school districts outside of cities, towns. and villages having over 2.500 inhabitants, SIS, 100000, or 3.4 per cent. This aggregate of 1 $3,476, 6,OO0, ,000 in 1913 represents an increase of almost $1,846,000,000 or l Il13.2 per cent, over the amount re- ported in 1902. It is believed. how ever, that a small part of this indicat- ed increase is apparent rather than real, being due to a more thorough canvass in the later year. The rate of increase between 1890 and 1902 was 76 per cent
 Per Capita Indebtedness.
 The per capita net indebtedness of counties, municipalities, etc, in 1913 was $35.Sl and the percentages of in crease between 1902 and 1913 and be- tween 1890 and 1902 were, respective ly 72.7 and 40.2.
 The net debt of counties, municipal ities. etc, was greatest in New York state, where it amounted, in round figures to Sl,046. .000,000 in 1913, an increase of l43.S per cent as compar- ed with 1902; the rate of increase be- tween 1890 and 1902 was 115.2 per cent. Next to New York in respect to size of county and municipal net indebtedness came Pennsylvania and Ohio, with $246,000,OO0 and $234, ,500,- .OO0, respectively, in 1913. The small est net debt in that year was for Ne vada. $2,575,000.
 Of greater significance, however, are the figures for per capita indebt- edness. Here again New York headed the list with a net debt of counties municipalities, etc, amounting in 1913 to $10771 per capita, an increase of .90.4 per cent as compared with 1902, in which year the per capita figure was 70.1 per cent higher than in 1890; the second and third highest per capi- ta amounts were for Washington and New Jersey, $70.21 and $67.66, respec- lively, in 1913; and the smallest per capita figure for that year was report ed by Arkansas, $7.58. For Pennsyl- vania and Ohio, the states having the second and third largest net indebted ness of counties, municipalities, etc, in 1913, the per capita figures were