The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-01-18
ORDERS SOLICITED.

work duplicated.
ORDERS SOLICITED.
of State annually, showing the
amount" of its capital stock, and
aamount paid thereon the amount
OF bonds issued, and how secured,
and all other Indebtedness tho
length of such railroad when com.
pleted, and how much is built and
muse the number Of acres of land
donated or granted to them, by
| whom, and what disposition has
been made of said grants or dona-
tions the gross amount OF receipts,
and how disbursed the net amount
of profits and the dividends made,
| with such other facts as may be noe
essary to a full statement Of the af-
fairs and condition of such railroads" !"
This requirement is complied with
by only small number Of eompan-
les; and it is not made the duty of
any officer to enforce tho provisions
OF either statute. The latter report
may be compelled by writ OF man
damns asked for BY any stockholder,
but thcre is no penalty in either case
for failure to make report. Ifit were
made the duty of some pubic officer
to enforce the making Of these re-
ports, there can be little doubt that
they would be obtained. Other
States, with a larger experience
than ours, yet with interests no
greater. require systematic reports
for tho information of the people
and to aid in intelligent Legislation.
There are also questions OF safety
for life and property, in the manage
mont and repairs Of old roads and in
tho construction Of new ones, that
suggest the need of official supervis-
ion. l would recommend the ap-
pointment Of q board Of commits
sioners, clothed with authority to in
spect the several railroads in tho
State, their mode of construction,
management, mode OF operating.
charges, connections, &c, and with
power to compel an observance OF
the laws OF the State concerning
railroads.
l have before made suggestions as
to the disposition to te made OF rail-
road taxes. The question as to the
mode OF raising these taxes has been
much discussed, and that now pre-
valent in this State has been more
or less severely criticised. l am,
however, fthe opinion, that it is the
most practicable method yet devised
for the purpose. But, in order that
this sort OF property should bear its
just proportion Of the public burdens,
it is only proper that the tax now
levied upon gross earnings, should be
increased. The entire sum collected
from railroads for the year 1870,
amounted to 1886, ,722.04. The prop
erty paying this tax is estimated by
the treasurer Of State assSeUssAs$75,-
600, 900. To correspond with sthe
assessment Of other property, it
would probably be valued for revenue
purposes at some s30,O00,O00. The
tax obtained from railroads, there
-tAr.ss- s-;ss,-~-i.<s~~%-~-A.~i
of this kind Of property. ! have
elsewhere given the average tax
throughout the State for the same
year at 81 per cent. or about fivo
times that contributed by railroad
property. 1t may be said that this
calculation is based upon an over
valuation ofthe property ofraiiroads.
Perhaps it is !; yet it certainly cannot
be so far out Of tho way as to obllt-
crate the fact that very great dis
parity exists between the revenue
from this class of property and that
from other sources This state OF
affairs. submit, can readily be rem.
edied without imposing any undue
burdens upon existing lines, or Grip
pling new enterprises.
! CENSUS AND AppoRTIoNMEsT.
The census OF 1870, taken by the
| federal government, reports q popu-
lation Of / ,l9l ,s02 in the State. This
is au increase OF 150,9s3 over the
/ figures given by the State census Of
the previous year-ths largest gam
vet made by the state during the
samc period, viz: ABOUT sixteen
months. The advance made since
the census Of 1860 is sic, ,8S9. Tho
rapid strides Iowa has made are bet
ter realized upon comparing her
growth with that of other States
| In 1850, she stood twenty-sevcnth OF
tho States Of the Union in point OF
population. In 1860, she ranked
twentieth /, and in 1870, eleventh.
Among the duties devolying upon
you, at the present session, will be
apportioning the State into seven
} Congressional districts, or. if the bill
pendinc in the United States Senat'
passes into nine of them. In justice
D tho representation in the tresen
Congress, and consequently in tn
D electoral college next fall, should bs
based upon the census of 1870; but
} efforts to effect this result have hiih
} erto failed, and will not probably now
} be renewed. An apportionment o
} the State into senatorial districts foi
J four years, and into representative
districts for two years, will also b.
necessary. The judicial districts
NAV now also be revrganized ior iou
wears. / would suggest the creation
OF another judicial district. in order Z
relieve some ofour overburdered dis
!, | tricts, and, at the same time, to pre-
!. vide TOR tho newer bnt more rapid !
! growing counties.
x X
ifos IND WISCONSIN RIVER IMPRoVI
MENT.
In my last message called tho a
), ten,ion of the legislature to the 9
n forts being put forth for opening u
:, to navigation tho waters OF the 70
. and Wisconsin rivers 80 as to enab
9 tho people Of the State to transpo
IS grain and products from tho Missi,
g. ippi river tc the lakes by water.
'e 1870, Congress appropriated The sal
'e OF sloO, 900 for this work The AZ
e making this appropriation provide
y, for the appointment Of q board OF a
re bitrators to estimate the value OF %
ie interest of the Green Bay and Mi
n thu in