The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-09

iNc care every Qeldll brought to I1SlC attention by the reports and budgets of every department and institution of the state and gave patient hearing to hundreds of men and women who ap- peared before them.
 Here let me say that this legislature and the state owe a debt of gratitude to the several recess committees who labored so faithfully in the discharge of the duties you placed upon them. I refer particularly to the joint com mittee on finance and taxation be- cause as member of the budget com- mission I had occasion to closely ob- serve their work. For six weeks they totled necessarily at great personal inconvenience and financial sacrifice have never seen a fiper example of unselfish, painstaking and patriotic discherge of public duty. I entertain no doubt that other recess committees are equally deserving of praise
 4 careful estimate of the reve-
 nues reasonably to be expected
 from the revenue measures was
 made and the amount proved 10
 he more than $4,000yOOO less than
 the total of the sum of appropria-
 tfons necessary to conduct the af-
 fairs of the stnte for the ouad
 rennial period. after they had been
 cut down to what seemed to be an
 frreducible mfnimnm.
 But the actual necessity of keeping the appropriations within the income com pelled further reductions No allowance was made for the payment of the float ing state debt upon my assurance that ny diligence and economies we could keen It within reasonable bounds during the quadrennium or perhaps wipe it out alto gether. Any changes in the estimate of revenues resulting from a change in the revenue bill will entail corresponding change in the appropriation bills This should be clearly understood and con- stantiy borne in mind that misunder- standing and embarrassment may not arise. The advisability of prompt action is obvious.
 STATES BONDED DEBT
 The bonded debt of the state is as fol- lows:
 Class A renewal bonds, due July 1, 1856. T1S.ooe; annual interest, s2s5, ,4So.
 Class renewal bonds. due January l, 1856, $s66,0o0; annual interest, s3s,s1o.
 Four per cent funding, due January 1, 1920 s954,0o0; annual interest, s3s, 160.
 Total, S9, 057s000; annual interest, $357,- 450
 In determining the floating debt of the state at the beginning of the fiscal period chargeable to this administration it is necessary to take into consideration cer- ldll ODllSdIbonS WnlCn were intended to have been paid during the calendar year 1918 out of collections made during the fiscal year ended September 30 1918. The previous administration in estimating the floating debt inherited from it's prede- cessor added to the apparent deficit the sum of school and pension appropriations payable during the last three months of 1914. which amount had been previously collected.
 rarlx tIan <o vicus administration as was applied by it to it's predecessor, I find the condition of the finances as of September 30 1918, to have been as follows
 Note outstanding ................$ 300, co Warrants outstanding ....-...... 1,5S8, ,136. S9 One-third of school fund ...... S03,675. .2S One-fourth of pension fund .... 269,1 GO
 Total .......................... s2,96o, 1T Less cash on hand .............. 56 321.75 Deficit September 30, 1918 .s2, ,9o4, ,631 42
 You will observe that if the floating debt is to be paid during this administra- tion collection of revenue must exceed ex- penditures by an average of $726,15 each year. No private business would for a moment consider the policy of attempt ing to carry huge floating debt in ad- dition to the amount which it could law fully and conveniently carry in the shape of current accounts and bills payable. Its credit in the supplies markets would be destroyed with bankruptcy as the nat ural result to be expected and so with the state.
 Now, if you will provide revenues in accordance with the plans proposed by the recess committee and hold down the appropria tions to the amounts suggest ed by the budget commission, feel full confidence in giving you the assurance that we will get the state out of em- barrassing debt through diligence and the practice of economy and have at the end of this administration a sufficient working balance in the treasury, in the meanwhile taking reasonably good care of the states obligations to its unfor- tunate citizens and meeting all proper demands for the conduct of a great and growing state. More should not be ex- pected, we cannot afford to do less.
 I earnestly request that you give i'm mediate attention to this matter of tax ation and revenues and that you pass the revenue bill before taking up for final disposition any bills carrying appropria- tions, except such as may be in the na- ture of emergencies.
 CONCLUSION
 In conclusion permit me to say that the programme of legislation which you are asked to consider is not as big as it may seem. It is only big in comparison with what we have heretofore attempted. Set alongside accomplishments in other states it is small indeed. Are you not weary of hearing Alabama referred to as ''se- cond or third in the profit derived from the labor of her convicts, but far down the list in her efforts for their reforrna- tion; high in illiteracy. but low in pub lie school education; high in the quality of care for the insane, but absolutely without care for the feeble minded who are even more in need of it; high in her receipts of donations from other states for the support of educational institutions for the negroes, but low in appropria- tions for the State university; high in protection of the health of hogs and cat tie, but low in protection of the health of the people" as was said by Dr. Hart of the Russell Sage foundation in his admir- able report on social problems of Ala bama which should be read and reread by every citizen of the state. I confess that I am tired of such criticisms and I want to cooperate with you in a mighty effort to make them hereafter and forever impossible. It can be done by strict adherence to your highest and best ideals that will make this legisla- ture memorable for it's keen perception of the best ends and the best means and