The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-09-14


Republican authority, that the average as
sessable valuable property in the State du
ring eight years Immediately following the
while it was in the hands of the Democra.
cy, was $33OOO, 900, the average rate Of tax
on the dollar 1-16 mills, average tax rails
ed, $50, 900; average rate per head for ev
cry man, woman and child in the State, 2s
cents; average cost of administering thu
government one year, SOL, 900; to which
should be added one-eighth of the Statt
debt, 10000, making the entire average
expenses per year, So, 900.
To balance this, we have, during five
years of Republican rule, an average assess
able value OF 1882 ,OOO, 900; rate Of tax,
II mills tax levied, $685., 900; rate pei
head, 49 cents; expenses, $4,000; te
which should be added $64, 900, one-fifth the
State debt, making $263, 900, against $61,-
600 under Democratic Administrations
The Democratic Administration should be
credited and the Republican charged with
$4,000 in the Treasury at the time OF
the charge this would leave about SO, ,OOO
uncollected tax, or about Is per cent. Of the
whole amount raised to 60 to the benefit oi
Republican Administration. 1t is reasona.
bic to suppose that portion of this amount
say one-half, would be uncollectable from
double assessments, and so forth.
But we find under Republican rule, say.
ing nothing of these items, taxes levied,
about $4OO, 900 more than the expenses &C.
counted for in the same time, or about 50
per cent. on the entire amount levied, and
when We consider that the loss from double
oc c1 o[H - =
crease, as the State grows older, it becomes
the duty of every tax payer to enquire
what has has become of the money is il
in the Treasury? If so, why has our State
debt been constantly increasing, till it has
reached 1922, 900, $4,000 more than is
authorized by the Constitution? And why,
on the 18th day Of August last, in addition
to that amount, there was over $50, 900 Au-
ditor's warrants outstanding and unpaid ?
The fact appears apparent that either the
enormous expenses accounted for and esti-
mated do not include all, or there has been
leak somewhere, and this becomes more
apparent on examination of such acts as
Section 2 of Chapter AZ Of the memorable
Special Session Of 1856, stealing from other
funds indefinite amounts that do not 20 in
to this account, but through the message OF
Gov. Grimes to the next regular session
thereafter, we are enabled to get at about
$l5, 900 Of it. But it will be said that there
was special session of the Legislature,
and a Constitutional Convention, that help
ed swell these enormous expenses. True,
and the way they helped swell them is q
terror to all honest men. BY reference to
the appropriation bill for that, at page 80
of tho 10xxS Of hat - L., !
to foot up near 81, 900, but it will be found
that the members made no appropriation
for themselves, as is usual, thinking, no
doubt, at the time, that their services were
of, o little value to the State, that they would
the people would have been willing to have
agreed with them. But it is rumored that
they afterwards changed their mind, from
some cause, probably from being little
short of funds and being too honest to sell
their votes to Railroad Companies, exchang-
ed few polite notes with the Auditor and
Treasurer Of State, with regard to the pro-
priety of taking for their 13 days service,
Sundays included, not the Insignificant sum
Of $500 per day which the Constitution
provides, but assuming the air of members
of Congress, proper to take $500 per day,
or an aggregate Of 500 each in addition to
their mileage, which would probably ave
$50 each. making the small item for the one
hundred members of SIS, 900, and it is fur
ther rumored that the result of this CORE
spondence, aided by the act found on page
81 Of the laws Of that session, was an amic-
able adjustment of the matter upon those
terms. But this was, after all, an econom-
ical body, for, after having completed the
object for which they were called together,
by giving to four Railroad Companies over
100000 of acres of Iowa lands at an ex-
pense to the State of near $4,000, with
out requiring any portion thereof to be
borne by said Companies. We will find as
we pass on through that volume of laws a
mastery spirit of economy governing their
deliberations, for nearly half of the acts
provide that the expense of their publica-
tion shall not be borne 6y the State but by
the parties interested.
l think they ought to have all the pay
they claimed. What think you, voters
Few men would have thought of such q
saving to the State. ..a
But to the Constitutional Convention the
members of that body were surely econom-
ical men! True, they were, and they
proved it by using the funds of the State
instead Of their own to buy them each a
law library at cost of some $S5; but l
think this would have been q wise and eco
nomical expenditure for the State, had it
been made by the Legislature that provided
for their election, and had they been apt
students, apprehend that they would not
have dcviated so far from the landmarks of
Constitutional government that for years
have been the sailing marks and guide Of
our sister States. w. NJ.
:. sEEsE - EEsEESsEg