The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-01-21

made payable, by law, out Of the War and
Defense Fund. This fund was found to be
nsuffi ficient, and in June last, large amount
# warrants on that fund were outsta ,d,ng
md drawing interest for want Of means to
,ay them. There was, at the sane time, .
arge amount OF ordinary revenue in the
Treasury not needed for ordinary expenses,
Ind the Auditor and Treasurer. upon con.
suliation with me, decided 70 apply the ordi-
nary revenue to the payment OF the War
md Defense Fund warrants, so far As could
be done without interfering with the pay.
ment of ordinary revenue warrants ~ pre-
sented. This was done to the am ,unt of
about $l59, 900, and thereby = considerable
amount Of interest was saved to the State.
As some doubt exists ~ to, the strict legality
Of this course, the matter is laid before you
that you may take such action as may be
necessary. If the amount due from the
United States conld b. recovered, it would
probably, he sufficient to reimburse the re-
venue fund and redeem all outstanding war.
rants and claims on the War and Defense
Fund ~ sst
In my Judgement. all real estate should
be carried on the tax books in the name ol
the true owners. and this result can be, Of.
fected with very little labor and expense,
by. requiring the Treasnrers to fur. ish the
Assessors with complete lists of ames oi
al real estate owners. "a shown by the last
tar books to correct the names errone.
ously entered, whenever such error is shown
upon the payment of taxes, and by requi.
ring all deeds to be presented to the Trea.
urer for the transfer of the real estate there.
in described to the psw owner, before the
same can be recorded.
1.-The burthens of the war now being
waged by our people for the preservation
Of our Government, bear heavily upon us,
and should be borne a. equally as possible
These burthens are of two kinds. FIRST
that of Military duty in the field. Second,
that of taxation at home. 1t seems to me to
be unequal and unfair that those Of us who
bear the. Rrst of these burdens should be
compelled to share with tn Sc of us who re-
main at home the second that the soldiers
who are Sighting our battles in the field
should be also compelled to pay their share
of taxes equally with those who do not share
their perlls and priyatons.
The compensation to those Of our soldiers
who hold commissions is sufficiently liberal
to enable them to pay their taxes without
but it is not so with their no
less worthy but less fortunate comrades
1t would, | think, be q just recognition by
us. Of our appreciation OF the patriotism and
self sacrafice of the latter If we were to re-
lease them, during their service, from all
ia xes levied under State laws. and it would
doubtless be news Of comfort and cheer to
they are surrounded for our sakes, that we
had been careful that the houses which shell
tered their wives AMI little ones had been
secured from danger of sale for taxes by our
voluntary assumption Of their share Of the
one burthen, while they are bravely bearing
our share of the other. therefore recon-
mend to you to pass a law excmpfing from
all taxation under the laws of the State, the
real and personal property Of all non CON,
missioned officers and priyates in the regi-
ments Of this S'ate in the Army of the Uni
ted States, during their continuance in the
service, and that for the current year there
be added to the ner cenlum Of taxation up
on the valuation Of the property Of all Other
taxpayers the SUN of one-fourth of one mill
on each dollar Of such valuation, to cover the
defic e.,cy in revenue thereby created"
I recommend the enactment Of law for
the new national currency, and
Of the present law for receiv-
ing the notes of the branches of the State
Bank, that both may be available in pay
,nent Of taxes. As the law now stands, the
notes Of said branches cannot. legally. be re-
ceivcd ate, any one of them shall have su,-
pended specie payment. A change oS the
Law SO as to authorize the receipt Of these
notes, so long as they shall be redeemed in
legal tender notes Of the United States,
would in my judgment, be wise,
cannot leave this subject without spe-
csi mention of the BOARD of And;tins Com
pissioncrs. I am well satisfied, that to
their faithful and impartial discharge of
their duties, the State is largely indebted
for its protection against improper claim !,
and consequently for is healthy financial
condition.
THE SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY PlNDs.
The situation Of these funds demands
your earnest atte itiol YDu are the
guardians and custodians, Upon their
depends, to great degree.
the educational interests Of the State; and
upon the proper education of our youth de-
pcRds the welfare and safety of ouF" Coy:
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 by certain county Off
cials; at one time by the School Fund Com
missioners at another by the County
Judges, and now by the County Clerk,
subject TO . limited control by the BOARD
OF Super visOrs. Would any Of you having
Q large amount of money to lend, lend Il
through those agencies If not, is it righ,
to do so with the public money! Is it not
right and proper that you should do, IN re-
gard to these funds just what You would
were they your private property! The
present system is, in my judgment, bad
one. for two reasons. In the first place,
it must happen IN many cases that the
County Clerk is not fitted by previo1s bus
mess training. to make safe and iudicious
especially, he may not have
the necessary legal knowledge, to enable
him to determine, accurately the snfficisncy
Of the title to real estate offered ~ security
Tor loan. In tie secord hlacs, the mon-
~ may be used to promote personal or pS-
itical objects. A corrupt Clerk will use,
md an honest but weak one, will be sorely
tempted to use his power to lend these mon.
eys TO secure his oww political interest or
that of his party friends. The system, in
my opinion, is wrong in theory, and that
i is unsafe in practice Is clearly shown by
he large amount Of insufnciently secured
and delinquent interest. there
ore earnestly recommend that the lending
pf any protion Of the principal Of said funds,
IS heretofore. be prohibited, end the enact