The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-01-21

be thorough township organization through
ont the State, and the sooner the people become
accustomed to it, the less difficult and burden
some it will become, and the more perfect and
satisfactory will be the transaction Of public
affairs.
1t is believed, that an assessment of real es-
tate is not required more than once in two or
three years. II this be 80, large aggregate
county expense might be saved. Biennial or
triennial assessments might have tendency to
| stimulate improvements and cause money,
credits and personal property to pay their pro-
portion of taxation, which at present is not the
case.
The constitution requires the General As
sembly to provide for taking an enumeration
Of the inhabitants Of the State in 1859, and ev-
cry two years thereafter. As the law stands
at present, this enumeration must he taken by
the county assessor. No one need be told that
IT is utterly Impossible for these officers 70 per-
form This duty, and discharge the other duties
imposed upon them. Besides, many of them
are incompetent to perform it. If it is impor-
important that it be accurately taken and
thoroughly compiled. know no way ia which
this can be done. but BY authorizing The CEN
sus board to appoint officers for the purpose.
The people of this State have indi:ated their
opinion, that so long as banks Of issue are toll
Grated in other States, our interests require
that similar institutions be established here
If we must have paper currency. it is inf
nitely better that it should be issued and se-
cured and redeemed at home, under our own
laws, than tina. it should be issued under laws
Of which we are ignorant, and controlled by
men with whom we have no community of in
terest.
| The constitution authorizes the General As
sembly to establish, with the subsequent APP
proval Of the people:
1. A State Bank with branches, to be found
ed upon an actual specie basis, and the branch
es to be mutually liable fo, each others issues.
2. A general free banking law with the re-
strictions and limitations imposed by Art. 8.
Sec. 8, Of the Constitution.
In acting upon this subject, it will doubtless
be ever borne in mind by the General Assem-
bly,, that banks are to be established to secure
the public sretfare, and not to promote the pur
poses of stockholders and capitalists and that
it is far better that banks shonld realize small
profits, than that the public should be liable to
injury by their suspension or failure.
! The system Of common school organization
contemplated by the new constitution. will, no
lhoubt.result to the advantage of the State. if
fully and properly carried into execution. Un-
Ger this system, the members OF the board of
education are to be elected in the several ju-
dicial districts in the State. 1t is presumed
that they will be selected on account of their
peculiar fitness for the positions they are to
occupy. They will bring to the board their
able to represent the true condition and wants
Of every part of the State. They will stimulate
che zeal of the people in their several districts
in behalf OF educatios ;--they will instruct the
subordinate school officers in the discharge oi
their duties, and thus secure the uniform ex--
cution of the school laws throughout the com
monwealth.
II would he very desirable that the members
of the board of education should have a gener-
al supervision of the acts Of the county schoo
fund commissioners, With authority to require
additional or new official bonds when deemed
necessary, aud with power Of substitution in
cases of malfeasance or incompetency OF
the part of the incumbents. The fact is no
torious, that many OF the school fund commits
sioners lack the clerical ability to properly
discharge the duties Of their Office. The at.
fairs Of some Of these offices are in almost in.
extricabie confusion. and reform must be ef
effected in their management. or considerable
loss will be sustained by the State.
In compliance with the provisions of an ac
entitled Gan act concerning school monies,
approved January 2sth, 1857, | appointed
agents to examine s'the books, vouchers, sec u
rites and other documen.s'' Of several OF tn,
county school fund commissioners, selectir.s
for the mos. part, those offices to be examin
ed where it had been reported that he business
had been loosely done, or where the Officer
had charge Of the proceeds Of part OF thu
''hve hundred thousand acre grants The re
ports show that in a majority Of cases tbs
books are tolerably well kept, and that ther.
is no immediate danger Of loss, though there
is a suspended debt in nearly every county =
In some counties, however, the fund commits
sloners have accepted as security for none,
lent, mortgages on land not within the county
and in some instances, mortgages are improp
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