Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-09-07

, cannot understand how any man OF
common intelligence could indulge
in so grave an error. Let me tel
you that this sum covered all Inc
hostage for the Executive office, ana
Of the Adjutant General, Secretary
of State. Treasurer, Auditor, super
intendent Of Public instruction,
Register of the State Land Office,
Supreme Court, and the entire State
Government for period oil Two
wears. Perhaps not less than a cart
load Of mail matter went out from
these various departments every
week during this entire period.
This makes the total postage account
for the Government of this great
State. in all It's Departments, with
over one million OF people, and It's
one hundred Counties, only 81 ,023,-
341 for whole year. Could any
reasonable man expect il 10 be less:
But this speech, still harping on the
postage question, refers TO the laws
Of 1868, page go, Sec. y, whichap.
p-opriates SIS, 900, '.for the payment
of hostage 10 State officers, fuel and
lights for State House, and sucn
other necessary expenses as are not
specially provided for, for the term
OF two years, ending Dec 3lst, 1863. J"
INTELLIGENT men need not be told OF
the many items Of expenditure that
are unay0idabiy incurred during the
fiscal period Of two years, about the
capitol building, and in conducting
the various departments Of the State
Government. These items are Tor
postage, stationery, fuel, lights, or
binary repairs, furniture, eXtradltlOn
Of criminals, taking care OF pubic
buildings and grounds, transporta-
ton, official kilograms, and a large
variety Of other items which are
absolutely required, but which can
not be accurately anticipated, and
therefore cannot be specially prOvi-
ded for. This has always been 50
in this State, and is so in all States.
TO meet these contingent expendI-
lures gross estimate is therefore
made, and the amount appropriated
accordingly. Such is the character
and purpose Of the $l5 600, 90 appro-
priated as SO stated. Now, this
Democratic speech that / am an
sWering undertakes to say that "but
little, if any, of this amount went
for furniture, lights, fuel, de-, but
was absorbed by State officials, ana
hidden from the tax payers as post
age, making the grand total OF more
than Mity-Hyee MOusand dOitars for
the Legislature during one session OF
ninety days, and few State officials
for two years. for the one item OF
postage.n You will observe that as
predicate for this sweeping charge,
the speaker assumes the fact to be
that this entire appropriation was
used by State officers for postage, and
then, by adding that sum to the Leg
iSiative postage, as already explained,
he easily makes out that this "grand
total Of S33 10000 was absorbed in
postage alone," If the author OF
that speech will refer to the State
Auditors Report for Nov, 1869, he
will there discover how utterly and
basely false this assumption is. He
will find among other things that
"Si 10000 of this amount was ex-
pended for deficiency in supplies for
the Penitentiary, on account Of loss
by fire, in May, 1863" and that only
49, t.O7 of that entire sum was used
for postage Of the State Government
during that fiscal period OF two
years! Further comment upon this
Democratic mode of doubling NJ
and classifying figures would be su.
periluous. In the same manner, and
by similar process of Justification,
this speech makes out that the total
appropriations for postage by the
LEGISLATURE of 1870 amount to the
sum Of 500 1896, and by adding this
figures up "a grand total" Of s63 ,335.
50 consumed by two sessions Of the
Legislature and State officers in -four
wears! The utter untruthfulness OF
these statements will be detected by
the most casual examination, and
the unmitigated audacity of the con.
illusions drawn from them will be
perceived by the most stupid and
ignorant Democrat who may read Oh
hear that speech during the presen;
canvass. So much for postage.
NEWSPAPERS, &C.
This Democratic speech further
complains because members of the
General Assembly were allowed 81
copies of daily papers, or their equiv.
aleGt in weekIies, during the session
And here, as in the charge concern
ing postage, the erroneous impres,
sion is sought to be conveyed that
these papers were for the individual
use and benefit of the members. The
speakers want of knowledge of the
facts has led him intothis gross error
Each member subscribes for such pa
pers as he may select. These papers
contain daily proceedings Of the Leg
islature, and are regularly sent out
by members, through the mails, to
their constituents. This imposes la
Dor and trouble upon mem bers, and
the people derive the benefit; for in
this way IA few men i'm each commu.
nifty are constantly advised OF Legis-
lativc doings. The papers mostly
taken are printed at Des Moines, be-
cause they contain full reports. Pa
pers are thus taken and distributed
by all Legislative bodies; and oubt-
-, =, ,,.;l1 Ln l., th;,