The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-16

) Morledge.
There il, also, an unsettled ciaim seain,
the United States, for expenditures 81 til
State, for the profession of our peopl
during tho two winters following Is
maaacre on our northwestern frontier, b
Ink-ps-du-tah and his band. The Unite,
States are also, in my judgment, justl
liable for the amounts expended BY thi
State in protecting our people on tn,
northwestern and southern borders sine,
the commencement Of the rebellion.
recommend the appointment Of an agen
OF the State to proceed to Washington Il
press the adjustment Of these claims ant
to secure, if necessary, additional legisla.
ton BY Congress for that purpose.
! The expenditures of the State in the
northwestern and southern borders are
made payable by Law, out Of the War and
Defense Fund. This fund was found "a
be insufficient, and, in June last, large
amount Of warrants on that fund were
outstanding and drawing interest for want
OF means to pay them. There was, at the
same time, large amount Of ordinary rev.
enue in the Treasury not needed for ordi-
nary expenses, and the Auditor and
treasurer, upon consultation with me.
decided to apply the ordinary revenue to
the payment Of the War and Defense
Fund warrants, SO far as it could be done
without interfering with the payment Of
ordinary revenue warrants as presented
This was done to the amount of about
500, 900, and thereby a considerable
amount OF interest was saved to the State
As some doubt exists as to the stric,Ie pal-
ity OF this course, the matter is laid be-
fore you that you may take such action
as may be necessary. If the amount due
from TIE United States could be recover
ed, it would probably be sufficien. tb re-
reimburse the revenue fund and redeem
all outstanding warrants and claims on
the War and Defense Fund.
In my Judgment, all real estate should
be carried on the tax books in the name Of
the true owners and this result can be
effected by very little labor and expense,
by requiring the Treasurers to furnish
the Assessors with complete lists Of nj mes
OF all real estate owners. a. shown bJ the
last tax DOCKS /; to correct the names err
roneously entered, whenever such arror
IS shown upon the payment of taxes. and
By requiring all deeds to be presented to
the Treasurer for the transfer Of the real
estate therein described TO the new or ner.
before the same can be recorded.
-
for receiving the new national currency.
and modification of The present law for
receiving the notes of branches Of the
State Bank. that both may be available in
payment taxes. As the law now stan ds.
the notes of said branches cannot, lei gal
ly, be received after sny one of them shall
have suspended specie payment. A
change Of the law so as 10 authorize the
receipt OF these notes, 80 long as they
shall be redeemed in legal tender notes of
the United States, would in my judgment
be wise and proper.
1 cannot leave this subject without
special mention of the Board of Auditing
Commissioners. | am we'll satisfied that
to their faithful and impartial discharge
of their duties, the State is largely indebt-
ed for its protection against improper
claims, and consequently, for its healthy
financial condition.
THE SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY FUNDS.
The situation of these funds demands
your earnest attention. Your are their
guardians and custodians. Upon their
management depends, to great degree,
the educational interests of the State !:
upon the proper education of our youth
depends the welfare and safety OF our
Government.
| cannot approve the system BY which
these funds are now managed. The prin-
cipal received by the State in cash, has
been distributed among the counties, TO
be loaned to individuals b. certain coun-
" officials; at Que time by the School
Fund Commissioners, at another by the
County Judges, and now by the County
Clerk, subject to limited control By the
Board of Supervisors. Would any Of you
having large amount Of money to lend,
lend it through those agencies : If not,
IS II right to do 50 with the public money
Is il not right and proper that you should
dc, in regard to these funds, just what
You would were they your private prop
ersy! The present system is, in my
judgment, bad one, for two reasons. In
the first place, it must happen 10 many
cases that the County Clerk is not fitted
by previous business training, to make
safe and judicious Investments; espe-
cially; he may not have the necessary
legal knowledge 10 enable him to deter
tmine, accurately, the sufEciency of the
title to real estate offered as security for
| for loan. In the second place, the
money may be used to promote personal
or political objects. A corrupt Clerk
win use, and an honest but weak one,
will be sorely tempted to use his power
to lend these moneys to secure his own
political interest or that of his party
friends. The system, in my opinion, is
wrong in theory, and that it is unsafe in
practice is clearly shown BY the large
amount Of insufficiently secured principa
and delinquent interest. | therefore
earnestly recommend that the lending D.
any portion Of the principal Of said funds
as heretofore, be prohibited, and the en-
Iactment of law that will require the in