Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-05-20

officers and ex-Goyernors !"
The Insane Asylum has also made very
heavy draught upon the Treasury; the
amount already expended cannot be much
short, if it does not exceed, $50, 900 dollars
The building, as your Committee have been
informed, has been commenced on gigant
ic scale and expensive style, and is not yet
near finished, and if finished on the scale and
in the style commenced, will cost when FIN
ishcd not much, if any, short of 100000
Your Committee would suggest the proprie-
ty of putting q stop to the expenditure of
this vast amount of money by the next
General Assembly Such vast and expcn-
sive building for the accommodation of the
insane of our State, is at the present time
altogether uncalled for and unnecessary.
The building may be enclosed and protected
from decay, and portion finished to an
swer present necessities. But this is mat
ter for the General Assembly to consider.
Our Common School system as at present
organized has, in the opinion of your Com
mittee, several Objectionable features it is
encountered with too many officers. The
office of County Superintendent is q heavy
draught on the County Treasury, for which
an equivalent in public benefit is not real
lied. The only duty of any public utility
required of the County Superintendent is
that of the examination of teachers, for the
performance of which duty board Of ex-
aminers may be substituted, either elected
Or appointed, the expense of which should
be paid by the persons applying for exam
nation. Under our present school law the
management Of the County school-fund is
Judge, which leaves nothing for the County
Superintendent to do but to examine teach
ers, visit the schools, and to act as meF
UNI of communication between the board of
Directors and the secretary Of the board of
Education. The district schools should be
left to the management and control Of the
sub districts themselves. 1t is to be pre-
sumed that the sub districts understand
their wants and necessities better than a
township board of Directors can. Common
School education should be conducted upon
the strictest principles Of economy. The
practice of taxing one person for the bene
fit Of another person, is not founded on
principles of justice and equity, and can only
be tolerated on the principle of comforting
a public good; and only then when the
money thus levied and collected is expended
with the strictest regard to economy, and is
made to impart the greatest amount of pub
lie good.
The Committee are of the opinion that the
salaries of all officers, of State and County,
are too high, and would suggest that an eff
fort be made to have them reduced at least
one-third by the next General Assembly.
If the salaries of public officers were reduced
to level which would oblige them to
regulate their domestic expenditures by the
standard of economy, they would maintain a
more exalted reputation and place higher
estimate upon the dignity Of their station
than upon the emoluments. The affairs Of
government should be administered with the
strictest regard to economy. That govern
ment is the most energetic which is the most
economical. On the other hand, that gov
eminent is the most worthless which is the
most extravagant. The history of every
nation proves that no government can long
remain honest or vigorous when the average
compensation of public fnnctionaries is
| disproportionate to the average earnings Of
men engaged in the various branches of
productive industry. High salaries have a
demoralizing influence, in producing extrav-
agance, morbid tastes and desires, which are
continually increasing by indulgence, until
high salaries are not sufficient for their
qualification, hence defalcations, intrigue
and corruption to induce complicated and
indefinite legislation for the appropriation
Of money.
Here it may not be amiss to insert an
other item of appropriation by our last
General Assembly of $157 for "medcine )"
which is supposed to mean brandy, or
something else equally "good to take"
Our present Revenue laws operate une-
qually. Very little Or no poll tax is collect
ed, except from persons who pay property,
too. Some provision should be made to
enforce the collection of the same, an object
that might, perhaps, be attained by requir-
irg the payment of a poll tax as qualifica-
ton to vote at elections. Professional men,
public officers, and clerks pay no tax on their
income. The farmer is taxed to the full
value of everything he possesses, Fl ON which
with the addition Of his labor, he derives his
income. The merchant is taxed for his
stock in trade and so on every business of
life requiring capital to carry on is taxed.
The lawyer, the doctor, the public officer,
and the clerk, having an income, in some
instances, five times as large as the farmer
who pays from $40 to $50 tax, pay nothing
towards the support of Government.
To make taxation operate equally, all
that class of persons who have an income
in the production of which there is no cap
ital taxation, should pay tax equivalent
to the capital employed in any ordinary
business of life, producing like income.
They claim and enjoy the benefit of govern
ment and its protection in their persons and
property, why not bear a proportionate
share of the expenses of administration.
JOHN ZEIGLER, Chm.