Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-01-27
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| The Prnftentiary. heretofore mentioned a7d in or
de, to avoid endorsement similar to that which io
lowed the fire at Fo Madison. recommend TIA
| provision be made by law to meet such emergencies
Twice within few years has IRE destroyed building
at the Penitenary. and each time the executive ns
| been compclk TO resort to temporary measures Q
absolute rsity. but in the opinion Of the depart
| ment itsclE Of questionable Legality TO call I'M
General Assembly together and ask for an sppro
| priation. would be strictly legal method OF pro
cedure: 80 would reference ofihe whole matter u
the General Assembly at iss next session. to the neg
ect and peril of the best interests OF the state Inc
expen-ivcuess Of the former expedent and the dea!
in the latter 70 nder both impotIc Nevertheless the
warranted 10 drawing money nom its treasury VIC
iaiion of the law. when by so dong they are
satisfied they would be conserving the public inter
est permanent ,aw, properly Euarf ed TO provide
for extraordinary contingencies, I consider neces
SHY Of our financial policy.
COUNTIES AND CITIES.
The creation last session, Of the Office of County
Auditor accomplished long desired object in re-
eyIng the clerk Of the courts from all duties as n
nanc Ocer the county and has received far as
my knowledge extends. universal appreciation. To
complete the change thu einaugurated ~ remains now
TO supplement this law with act placing the con
troll Of the court house and the supervision OF the
census. az indeed the present effective mode OF ia
King the n be .b 'n9
be required to furnish the Secretary OF State
with the names Of all county officers, i'm
mediatsly on their qualification. duty heretofore
required OF the county judge. He should also be
empowered TO appoint deputy. the same as other
county officers. Perhaps some other matters might
properly be entrusted 10 his charge. but your expe
Renee will suggest to you such further legislation AZ
/ call your attention to the law Of 1853 providing
for the Organization OF new counties. which law
should. ! think, be materially modified. Under Its
provisions counties were organized ten years ago.
that have less than a hundred inhabitants to-day
Togiye into the hands Of the first few who may wan
der into a county the power Of Ievying and col
lec;ing taxes. issuing county warrants abricatiDg
bonds. and dieposng Of swamp and even school
lands IL Of more than questionable wisdom. 1t has
an inevitable tendency TO attract to these counties
unprincipled Adventures by prospects OF plnnder.
and thereby to deter legitimate immigration. 1 am
informed that attempts have been made to organize
Lyon county but that they have been defeated by the
that provision be made by law against the organiza-
ton OF any OF the counties until they shall have
attained a certain min imum OF population; and
that the proceedings towards such organization be
had In the stct court after due notice OF the same
On the other hand 1t may be necessary to enact
proper lave for assessing the property IN tnese couh
ties and for the collection Of taxes levied therein.
have made an effort through circular tssued
from this Office to obtain a statement OF the indebt-
edness Of the several political corporations o. tne
State In order to lay the aggregate amount before
The General Assembly. In this effort have been
only partially successfnl. rome Of the counties and
a few OF the cities and tOwns have failed to notice
the circular asking for the information. Neverthe-
less, the returns have received such as to ena.
BILE us to obtain mcasuraby satisfactory view OF
this class OF public obligations. Seventyeight coun-
Ties all that have been heard from. report bonded
Indebtedness, not disputed including arrears OF in
tsrest amounting to $942 67a53; a bonded Indebted
ness In dispute including interest OF $40 1870; and
floating debt Of $752, 7Gs47 In all 1891 616 Sew
enty-fve cite. and towns report bonded debt, I'M
snd oatnS dss Of ai ss asga's
all $a,59o41ios The aggregate Of both is $5,9S2'-
During the last few months have received
that pretended bonds Of the unOr-
ganizcd county of Lyon have been repeatedly
offered for sale in the city of New York. Ihave
also heard indirectly Of other similar cases of
fraud. ] suggest to the General Assembly the
of clothing the Governor with au-
thOrity to employ counsel to aid in bringing to
justice the parties engaged; outside Of the
State, in this and similar crimes, which are not
only OF injury to the victims of the fraud, but
highly detrimental to the financial reputation
Of county and State.
REGISTRY LAW.
The law for registration Of voters having
now been operative at two general elections,
an opinion may be the better formed of it's
utility. You, gentlemen, just chosen by the
people under that law, are fully aware OF its
benefits and defects. In my judgm.n It might
be amended with advantage by providing that
the assessors return of voters should be the
basis of the registry list, and that the poll
books Of the preceding year be not used for
that purpose.
IMMIGRATION.
provision whatever for difiusing information
relative to the climate, soil, agricultural and
mineral resources, and extent OF unOccupied
lands in our State, we receive, nevertheless,
large part OF the very best OF the immigration
that Is crowding from our Eastern States and
from the old world to seek homes in the grow
Ing West. In reply to request from the Citi-
zens' Association of New York, addressed,
on the sd of November, 1858, letter to that
association through its president, Mr.. Peter
Cooper, presenting an amount OF statistical and
other information, such as thought would be
of value to persons contemplating change of
home. This letter, l had the satisfaction to
learn subsequently, was reprinted and scattered
widely over the Eastern States and foreign
countries Of kindred tongue, while transations
were freely distributed in the countries of con-
tinental Europe. In addition caused large
number of copies of the letter to be printed
and sent to various parts OF the country. /
have gratifying assurances that this effort has
been and will be attended with the happiest
results. Nevertheless, with the limited means
great deal can be done toward inducing
immigration hitherward. Many of our
neighboring States have systematized
plans Of operation for the purpose of at
tracting immigration, and their efforts
appear to be successful; l am not prepared,
cation In this respect. An appropriation of
5000 could be judiciously expended in print
ing documents relating to our lands, and the
population, resources, and products Of the
state and in the circulation of the same. /
submit, however, the subject for your careful
consideration. Some of our railroad corpora
tions, and wealthy individuals connected there
with, have informed me that they are perfect
ing plan for the sale of their lands and aid
ing emigrants to settle upon our unoccupied
acres of unsurpassed fertility.
RAILROADS
Within the last few years all our railroad en-
terprises have become imbued with new vigor,
and have pushed their lines forward with rapid
itx until now three trunk Hines of rHffrUad
cross the State from the Mississippi to the Mis-
souri,.
The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River rail-
road was completed to Council Bluffs In 1857,
prior to the last meeting Of the General As
sembly, and was, therefore, the first to cross
the State.
The Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Rail-
road Company, to which was transferred at
the last session of the legislature the grant
originally made to the Mississippi and Missouri
Railroad Company, at once put on the line Of
the road an immense force, and carried the
work forward with such expedition that on the
sixth day Of June, 1862 In q little over one half
the time allowed the company, the railroad
was completed and running into the city of
Council Bluffs, and on the 3lst of December
issued certificate of the completion of the
road
The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad
Company, the only one of the original grantees
now In existence, has exhibited similar activi-
ty. On the 9th day Of February, 1868, issued
q certificate announcing the completion OF
ninety five miles of this road, az follows a