Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 283, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1915 — STATE FINANCES AND SOME POLITICS [ARTICLE]

STATE FINANCES AND SOME POLITICS

Republicans Paid Big End of SUdeV Bonded Indebtedness—Critterberger Take* Credit. Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 29. —Dale Crittenberger, democratic auditor of state, in bis remarks to the editors at the New Oastle meeting said: “The state has been put out of debt by Governor Ralston, William O’Brien, William H. Volhncr, Treasurer of State, the present State Treasurer, George Bittler, and Myself.” A peep into the public records shows who paid the state debt which Crittenberger says is now all paid but $120,000, and that not due till 1917. The state debt reached its high tide in 1892. At the close of that fiscal year is was $8,830,615.12. At the close of 1896 it was $6,900,615.12. At the close of 1900 it was $4,704,615.12. At the lose of 1904 it was $1,902,615.12. At the close of 1908 it -was $1,510,163.12. At the close of 1912 it was $1,260,163.12. At the close of 1915 it is 5604,548. The above amounts shown as yet due in the different fiscal years are taken from the state auditor’s report for the years named; and these reports show that the republican governors paid as follows: Mount $2,216,000 Durbin $2,802,000 Hanly $ 613,000 Total $5,631,000 The same reports show that the democratic governors paid: Matthews $1,900,000 Marshall $ 250,000 Ralston ? 655,615 Total $2,815,615 The republicans paid two-thirds and the democrats paid one-third of the debt as shown by these reports. During the Hanley administration the legislature increased the bonded debt by issuing SIOO,OOO to build the pavillion at the State fair grounds and $120,548 to pay an old debt dus Vincennes University. This explains the apparent discrepancy in proving *he foregoing payments. Crittenberger said: “On the first day of December, 1910, when ExAuditor of State William H. O’Brien assumed the duties of office, the records in the auditor of state’s office and the treasurer’s office will show that the state owed a foreign debt o: $904,000. His predecessor tume< over to him bills on the auditor’s desk amounting to $190,000, which were unpaid and some of them a long time due.” •

On page 68 of the state auditor’s report for 1910 the total foreign debt of the state is shown at that time to be SBOO,OOO plus $5,615.12 of old state certificates unredeemed and not $904,000 as Crittenberger says. Referring again to the state debt, Crittenberger as well as other democratic apologists claim that the State has paid the old State certificates so long carried in he state’s foreign debt and issued three-quarters of a century ago. Tell u,s will you, Mr. Crittenberger, when these certificates were paid? Who got the money? Wex*e the original certificates surren dered to the sftate at the time of payments, Tell the people of Indiana, Mr. Crittenberger, why the state treasurer’s report for 1914 shows the old state certificates $5,615.12 still unpaid while the state auditor’s report for the same year does not account for them in any way? During the Mount administration the sinking fund levy produced sl,569.706.10 and with this and $646,293.10 from the general fund <he paid $2,216,000 of the state’s debt. During the Durbin administration the sinking fund levy produced $1,654,024.09 and with this and $1,147,976.91 from the general fund-he paid $2,802,000 of the state’s debt. During the Husly administration the sinking fund* levy produced SOBO,919.87 and from this he paid $613,000 of the state’s debt and the balance thereof $67,919.87, under legislative enactment was transferred to and used in the general fund expenses. There was no sinking fund tax collections in 1907 and 1908.

During the Marshall administration the sinking fund collections were $1,454,568.27 and from this he paid $250,000 on the State edbt; transferred under legislative enactment sl,* 203,140.60 to the general fund which was used to pay general expenses; $950 was used to pay interest on the state debt and f the balance $477.67 remained in the sinking fund. In the first year of the Ralston administration the sinkng fund collections with balance from year 1912 were $284,329.32, and from this he paid $250,000 cm the State debt; $lB,283,22 interest on the state debt and the balance $16,046.10 remained in the sinking fund at the end of 1913. The sinking fund taxes for 1914 with balance from 1913 amounted to $302,991,14, and from this there was paid $270,000 on the state debt; $32,-! 783.96 interest on the public debt and

the balance $207.18 remained in the sinking fund. The auditor’s report for 1915 will show what was done with the sinking fund collections in that year. All of these fiiures and amounts are taken from the state auditor's reports and they do chow that the republican party is the debt paying party.