Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-01-22
e BY JOHN MAHIN.
GOvERNOR's MESSAGE.

I'll. W Weo3iys d w
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlemen ofthe Senate and House Of Rep
resentatipes:
| am happy to be able to congratulate you
upon the prosperity Of our State. During the
last two years our people have enjoyed their
usual good health and have secured reasona-
bly, abundant harvests. Labor has been well
rewarded, and the products Of labor have
brought remunerative prices. The educa-
tional interests of the State are as prosperous
as ever; aud peace and good order within our
borders, although on one or two occasions
somewhat imperrilled, have been maintained.
Let US render thanks to God for these
blessings vouchsafsd us during the existence
of desolating war, that has so scourged q
large portion of our land.
.as-a FINANCES.
Our State finances have never before been
in . more healthy condition. Gu: entire
State debt is only $622 ,295.75, consisting Of
loan from School Fund 1872 ,295.75; loan Of
1858 5000, 900, and war loan of 1861 $780,.
900. Ofthe $500, 900 Of war Bonds author
lied to be sold, $500, 900 remain on hand
none have been offered since the $500, 900
were sold; and il is believed no further sale.
will be necessary.
The report of the State Auditor shows that
the moneys now in the Treasury, the delin-
quent taxes, the amount est mated to be due
from the United States, and the taxes for
1868 ond 1854 are sufficient to pay the esti-
mated expenditures for the next two years.
the outstanding warrants on the Treasury,
and our entire S,ate debt, leaving balance
in favor of the Treasury of about 5000, 900.
Provision should be made for the redemp
ton of the bonds issued in 1858 and lS6l-2
as they fall due. recommend that suffic.
lent sum be set aside, annually, for this pur-
pose, and invested, with its sccumulations. in
United States or other good stocks. In my
Judgment, the amount due the School Fund
should be permitted to remain as permanent
debt of the State. The State is trustee of this
fund and liable to all losses thereto; and
there can be no safer mode Of investing this
amount Of the fund, than the present.
The report of the Auditor still shows a
large amount of delinquent taxes. So much
of this as is due upon real estate will be final
ly paid; but ii is thought very considerable
por ion Of the delinquency is due upon per-
sonal property, by persons not owning any
real estate, much Of which will be lost.
Under our revenue law real estate is as
sessei biennially, and personally property
annually. The assessments are made be-
tween the 1st Of January AID the 1st of April
the levy is made in September, and the taxes
become delinquent on the lst of February o
the next year. 1t thus happens that persons
may bring into the State, for sale, or may buy
within the State, large amounts of personal
property, which arc assessed to them for tax.
alton; may keep and use the same, within
the State. more than year, and finally dis
pose of it before the tax becomes delinquent
and IL such persons do not own real estate in
the same county in which the personal prop
erty was assessed, there are no means of com
peling payment of the taxes due This de-
feet in the law should be remedied in justice
to the State, and to the owners of real estate
who already bear their full share of the public
burdens
renew the following Recommendations
made by me to the Ninth General Assembly
In order to make the revenue of the State
more certain, I recommend that the County
Treasurers be required by law to pay thu
State Treasurer, at fixed times, certain pro
portions Of the amount of revenue due to the
State, until the entire sum for each year il
paid, whether the Couaty Treasurers hav'
received the entire amount of State tax o
not At present the State is wholly helpless
as to its revenue. 1t has to depend wholly
upon the officers of counties for its collection
and transmission, and if the county officer
are inefficient, the State is remediless. Esct
county is now liable by law to the State TO
the amount of State tax assessed in it, bu
this liability, without any mesns of making
it effective, is useless If the countie
were required to pay the revenu
due the State whether collected o
not, the County Supervisors would b.
stimulated to reqn;re of the Treasurer
strict performance Of h.s duties and if, il
addition, you should so change the presen
law as to give the Country Treasurers in lie1
of salary, per centum on the amount o
money collected and disbursed, or provide 70
township collectors, to be paid in the sam
way, our taxes would, in my opinion, be NOR
punctually paid"
II also recommend that it be the duty Q
the Board of Supervisors of each county,
employ competent accountant. once in eac
year. to examine the accounts Of each count
officer, and state an account between each oi
= ficer and his county, and between officer an
e officer and also that County Treasurers, N,
q all other persons who receive public moneys
-o be prohibited, under severe penalties, frol
Il using them in any way, or placing them wit
Z others to be used, for their private benefit
u There is due this State, from the Unite
States, for expenses incurred by the State i
.. raising and equipping troops, and sendin
them to the field, and for other purpose
growing out of the rebellion, the estimate
amount Of $4,000 There is much difficu
ty in procuring an adjustment Of this clail
at Washington. When these moneys WEI
expended by the State, there was no law I
Congress, or regulation Of the Federal Go,
ernment, prescribing the form in which pro-
of the expenditures should be taken an
the General Assembly Of this State provide
by lav, for such proofs and vouchers as vel
deemed sufficient, both for the protection
the State and the United States. Upon pr
sentation Of these proofs and vouchers to Il
proper department at Washington, they al
: found not to comply, in form, with regul
lions since adopted by that Department an
IL ii doubtful whether they will be. Allowe
without some legislation by Congress. Son
portions Of these expenditures thus mad
z are also objected to as not coming within Il
letter of existing laws Of the United State
Among these are the sums paid by the Sta
for the subsistence and pay Of the troops th
went from this State to Missouri, at the :
quest of United States officers, under Il
- command Of Colonies Edwards and Morleg
There il alss an unsettled claim against Il
5 United States, for expenditures by the Stat
for the protection of our people during Il
two winters following the massacre on o,
northwestern frontier, by Ink pa-du-tah an
= hisband. The United States are also, in n
Judgment, justly liable for the amounts q
pended by this State in protecting our peor
on the northwestern and southern borde
g since the commencement Of the rebellion.
{ recommend the appointment Of an agent
the State to proceed to Washington to prt