The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-01-16

| Wnlcn prompt Us 20 prOteet the weak ant
succor the unfortunate, you may rely will
conhdsnce upon the approval, by tho people
OF aArsasonAble and proper efforts on your
part 80 make them ussful and efficient meanl
Tor carrying out the noble purposesfo for which
thsy ware created.
Il would also recommend 10 your favorable
consideration the State University at lows
City. Ii is based upon q grant made BY
tho Congress OF tho United States TO THU
State, for the support of such an institution,
and, having accepted the grant, We ore
bound by proper sense OF State pride, BY
our own duty, TO properly execute the trust
con6ded to N, and by the interests OF edu.
cation, in which are involved the best inter
ests OF the State, to render the Institution
such an one ~ will be useful and creditsbIe
to the State.
| The condition and affairs of the Peuiter.
tiary located at Fort Madison, will neosssa-
rily engage your careful and serious atten-
ton. The safety OF society requires that
the building be such az will afford proper a.
cilities for the safe confinement OF those vi.
cious persons whose liberty il dangerous to
the lives and property Of peaceful and law
abiding citizens.
An Agricultural College was originated at
| the last session Of the General Assembly. and
has since been located in Story county. Ar
riuulture will be, for many years TO come. a
| 1t has been in times past, that interest which
underlies and supports oil other interests Ii
our State, and any aid that can be lspiti-
mately given to it should be given generous.
~ and not grudgingly. have not sufficient
information touching this Institution to en-
able me 70 make any specific suggestions in
regard to it, and can only recommend the
whole matter to your careful and friendly
consideration.
The present con 4. A = md future manage
mont Of the prmanent School Fund OF the
State deserves your serious investigation and
elaboration. Under former and existing
laws, the fund has been loaned to individu-
als, and, 10 many cases, either through tho
carelsssness or dishonesty Of the ofkcers BY
whom it has been loaned, the securities taken
therefor have proved to be entirely made
quate, 30 that large lossss TO the fund must
ensue. BY provision OF our Constitution,
oil these losses fall upon the State and be-
come funded debt upon which the State
must forever pay interest. Many Of these
loans thus made, are now, or soon will be
falling due, and it becomes matter Of grave
importance to determine in what manner the
moneys, when paid, shall be again disposed
Of. consider the present system open to
much objection. Not only are losses to the
principal constantly occurring under it, which
the State 10 bound to make good, but even
the interest 10 not promptly paid, so that the
active fund for the support OF schools lie
fuctuating and uncertain. am strongly in
olined TO the opinion that better policy
would be to direct the payment of the prin-
opal, ~ it falls due, into the Stats Treasury,
to be used - other moneys for State purpo-
ses, binding the State TO pay the interest on
the Same for school purposes. In this way
the money would, 10 the first instance, 20 to
the benefit of oil the people of the State
alike, BY lessening TO that extent the amount
Of money to be raised by taxation, and the
interest would in like manner be paid BY the
people and applied directly to their use in
the support OF the public schools. II this
should be deemed Questionable, l would
recommend that the money, when paid 10, be
invested either in Stocks Of the United States
or in the best stocks OF interest paying
States. In case you shall deem il proper to
adopt this or . similar policy, it will be ad-
visabie to vest in the officers, to whom the
money shall be paid, discretionary power to
grant indulgence OF time TO those borrowers
whose loans are amply secured, 20 az not to
cause unnecessary hardship or distress during
our present financial difficulties.
would also suggest to you the propriety
OF careful examination OF our revenue
system, with view to ascertain IL il cannot
be made more certain and efficient. Any sys.
tenn of'revenue which permits large amounts
OF taxes to be come delinquent and to be ul-
tmately lost to the State, must be defective,
and operates unjustly and unfairly upon our
people. The deficiencies thus created in the
- IA - - ~. 4
taxation upon those who have already dis
charged their duty as oisissns BY paying the
taxes assessed upon thsm, and they are thus
compelled to bear more than their due pro.
portion Of the public burden. The laws
should provide for the most rigid and exact
accountability OF all o@oers charged with
the collection, control, or disbursement Of
the public money. Any vaguenssss Of tho
laws, which permits an officer to retain in
his hands without detection any portion Of
the public moneys, or TO use them for his pri-
vate benefit, not only defrauds the revenue,
but introduces among o@cers . laxity OF
morale highly dangerous 70 the public inter-
est. The Governor 10 authorised, BY law
passed at the last session Of the General As
sembly, to institute . careful examination OF
the accounts Of the State Oficers once In
each year, and have not any doubt that the
law viii be found benefcisl IN ito operations.
But the amount Of money paid by our peo-
pie into the State Treasury ID but . small
proportion Of the total amount paid BY them
in the shape OF taxes. A much larger amount
10 paid for county and other purposes, and
10 my opinion tho existing laws are defective
in not repairing moro careful scrutiny OF
the accounts OF those to whom this money u
paid, and BY whom it is disbursed. would,
therefore, recommend to your confederation,
IN addition TO any other measures your wis
dom may suggest, the passsEe Of ! law re-
curing the Judges Of each judicial District
70 appoint once in each year skilful %
countant, in each county OF his District,
whose duty il shall be to examine carefully
the books Of each county oikosr, and to state
and record IN account between such officer
and his county, and, where necessary, be-