Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1926-06-10
ONLY TWO STATES IN UNION
HAVE A SMALLER PUBLIC
DEBT THAN GEORGIA, AUDI
TOR SLATE SAYS.

period of ten years is shown by State
Auditor Sam j. Slate in an address
delivered by him to the Association
of County Commissioners of Georgia,
at Savannah, Thursday, June 3, in
which he shows only two states In the
Union have a smaller public debt
than Georgia and that Georgia's in
come in 1915 was six and half mil
lion dollars, while in 1925 it was
eighteen and half millionss.
Addressing the men, upon whose
shoulders, he said, the structural ad-
ministration of the government rests,
Mr.. Slate said in part:
"In view of so much that has been
said about Georgia / think it would
be we'll for us to make a comparison
of what Georgia has done in the last
decade.
Governmental expenditures every
where have increased. Everywhere,
with but three or four exceptions,
the three geratest items of State ex-
penditures are, Highways, Education
and Interest on Public Debt. Ex-
penditures for Highways and Educa-
ton, will never, in my opinion, be
lower. Georgia occupies a unique
position as regards public debt. We
owe a public debt now of approx
mately $5,OO0,0OO and expend $780,
600 per year on interest and princl-
pal, or less than 2@o of our total ex-
penditures. Only Wisconsin and
Florida have a smaller public debt
than Georgia.
"The income of the State of Geor-
gia in 1915 was $6,500,00O; the ex-
penditures were $6,466,O00. Geor-
gia's income today is $18, 100000
and we will spend the entire sum this
year.
"The State received in 1915 from
the automobile road tax the sum of
$4,000. This year the State will
expend upon public highways ST.
100000. This fund is made avail
able from the automobile license fees
and the fuel oil tax. Of this fund
$6,OOO,O0O will go direct to the High
way Department, and $1,50O,O0O will
go to the counties for secondary
roads.
'In 1915 the State spent $2,7O0,-
600 for common schools This year
the State appropriates the sum of
$5,OOO,OO0. In 1915 the State ap-
propriated for Pensions $975,O00.
This year the State. will appropriate
$2,OOO,OOO. In addition to this, we
have paid the back pensioners $2,-
100000, received from the discount
of the w. & A. rentals, paying all
accrued arrearages in pensions.
''For higher education, in 1915 we
spent $633,000, as against 81 ,320,-
900 to be spent in 1925. For the
cause of education, in 1915 we spent
$3,333,00O; this year we will spend
6,32O,OOO-a gain of $3,O00,000
in ten years.
"For highways, education and pen
sions, together with our eleemosy-
nary institutions, including the State
Sanitarium, the School for the Deaf
and the Academy for the Blind, the
State spends $17,O00,000 of her in
come of $18,5OO,OOO. When we con-
slider that we pay on the public debt
$4,000 annually; for our courts
S345,000 annually, for legislative ex-
pense $15O,OOO, for our Penal and
Corrective institutions including the
SCHOOlo lOl OOyo dIlu ,
this absorbs 100000, leaving $780,
900 for the other functions of State
government.
81 have called your attention to
the wonderful advance this State has
made within the last ten years, not
in any sense for you to be satisfied
wit hthe progress that has been made,
but to show you that in spite of all
those who have insisted that Georgia
is falling behind, no State has made
better progress, as measured upon a
percentage basis( than this State.
1 am referring to progress made on
the basis of our current or normal
income. l do not refer to spectacu-
lar advances that have ben made by
some States. l refer to the steady
normal increase that comes through
a gradually increasing income.
SIN 1925, the revenue to the High
way Department, from State sources,
will be $6,000,O00. In addition to
this there will be available $4,000, 900
from the Federal Government, max
ing total of $8,OOO,O0O Next year,
the one-cent fuel oil tax now going
to the general treasury will go into
the highway fund, and that, with
normal increase should give us an in
come of $4,000, 900 from the State,
and $2,000,0O0 from; the Federal
Government. making total of $11,-
100000, 14naddition4t these .sums
may he added whateyer the counties
may give. Revenue from motor We
hicle licenses in 1925 was $3,01O,-
900, and l am glad to state that by
June 1, we will have reached that
figure, and we. STILL. have seven
mofths bf,Sthe' year. 1926 before us.
I only cite these figures to show you
that ,i.our statement ofi'ipcrease in
highway revenues is based upon sub
statntial facts.
eve have yet before US the prob
lem of proper educational facilities.
The demands upon us have increased
more and more every year. All of
US believe in education, provided it
is based upon sane foundations. The
problem for US is now t osecure ade-
quate financial support for our pub
lis schools and our institutions of
higher learning, and also to provide
for the physical improvement of these
properties. We have had many solu-
tions proposed.
SIN my judgment, Georgia needs
more than anything elese an intelli-
gent survey of the educational situa-
tion in this State, for US to ascertain
our real needs and to formulate a
progressive and sane plan upon
which to build for the future.
81 believe something of this kind
will have to be done if we are going
to be able to devise plans by which
to finance an intelligent program of
educational expansion. Ny own be-
lief is that the next legislature should