The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1916-11-18
ALABAMA. ARKANSAS MISSISSIPPI, GEORGIA AND TENMES.
SEE FORCED TO SHOULDER &25,0oO000 IN DEBTS
BECAUSE Or "pRY" Law
THREE CONDUCT business on CREDIT
smas g. Rca AteT Personal Investigation Writes Article for
Memphis Herald. Dap3nJ ila Ead Effects OF hniLiqu0r
Statutes When Not Sup 0ri3d BY Public Sentiment

James C.. nice, OF ChattancoE", ai.c'
visit and personal investigation o.
five Southern states. declares H. thl
Memphis Herald that prohibition hai
nearly bankTuptcd them. In q let,or
10 a. l.. Rove, editor OF the Herald,
Rice say3 hc has tho official rccoTas
TO back him up. Tho article says:
7 no policy prevailing in a nu:abcr
OF Southern States OF c1actlns lava
that destroy roycp8cbcariC. pcocc'ty
and failure or refusal on tic part q
the legislatures 70 provide ways a.
me Ms for co.cr.ng the lCSJ b2c.. ir.l
the puUlic t.casur.os, THROUGH otlo.
forms OF taxation, Is causing = lb.'S
concern and great deal OF |o-.y o.
tie part of public officials.
Resort to bopd issues ana o.Enr
ferns OF borrowing has hogo.Ce IC.a
frc sucns Of recent years 70 pa deficits
in public rC9clLCg, and many counties
In some OF the states have suffered
their warrants TO dCprociatc in ylij.o
until the discount Oa them Is a5 4.-l
as 20 per cent. Ttis depreciation
causes much loss TO the tsX0a.cra, Tor
the reason that when contractors make
bids on public work they i2clGI1 Tie
discount on the warrants IL thc.r Lids
Conducting Business On Credit.
Three Southern states are now con.
ductins their business on q credit Dc SIS
In the absence Of sgilc.cnt revenue In
their treasures TO meet tho current OK.
pcases OF government. All h"c arc IN.
der prohibition laws that deprived tho
pubic treasures o. revenues sQprod
mating 100000, year oach, w,.hCU,
making any impro ,oUcAt 50 far Ss
records show, in public morals.
For example Alabama has had
trouble with its finances ever since the
state began experimenting with pro.
hib!tion. The deficit in the revenues
OF the state at present Is about $4,000.
002, and It is being increased. The
state has bonded debt already ap.
pgoXlmat.ng S1l,O02.000, and II the
floating deficit Is added, tho total debt
OF Tho state Is about sli000,OO0.
Early In the present year, Governor
made arrangements with q large linan
cial institution TO pay tho current war
rants OF the state That could not ba
pcid cNt of the treasury. In;crest l.
paid on these warrants FROM tho date
OF is'gc until they ara taken Up By tn.
state r,rom proceeds OF future
bond !JEue5, The next legala.
tu!e OF Alabama will be ask.
G. to authorize boad issUo In
s"ii cient amount to cover the deficit
In state revenues. and the amount will
be about S2,0o9.000. Really, Governor
Henderson recommended a bond issue
In that amount TO the last legislature,
but Sl,5J0,00O was as far as tho legis.
laturo would go in that direction A
provision was incorporated in the
enabling act, submitting the bond Is.
sue to voto OF tho people. IN the
referendum the Issue was defeated,
and the administration was left with
a big debt on its hands with nothing
70 moct Il.
Arkansas In Chaotic Condition.
Tho fiscal affairs OF the state o.
Arkansas are in such chaotic condition
that II is difficult TO say with certainty
he's much that state owes. 1t "a dit.
ncult TO determine how much OF the in.
debtedness Is due TO prohibition laws.
However. It is recorded fact that
when the prohibition law OF that state
deprived the treasury OF near half
million dollars year that collapse
Of public credit resulted. Gioyernor
Hayes was forced to veto many needed