, 1874-01-17
GOV, CARPENTERS MESSAGE,

We print this morn ng OIL the second page an
abstract OF Gov. Caspenter's message TO tho
Iowa Legislature. which, though not yet doliv~
cred, owing to tho deadlock in that body, las
found its way into tho Iowa newspapers. Tho
message as whole, Is OF tedious lcngth, but
no haye SOLICITED from it the most salient fea-
tures Tho State Treasury aeoms to DO in Il tol-
crably favorable condition, notwithstanding tho
expenditures for tho last fiscal term have ex-
coded the revenues by 900. According to
the Auditors estimates for the next two years,
there will be surplus in the Treasury Of uearly
half million. Tho rato Of taxation in Iowa
has been from 2.ot to 3.2s per cont Of tho valu-
alton for all purposes, except IN few Of tho In
corporatcd cities, where 1t is larger.
A significant circumstance pointed out by
Gov. Carpenter is TINT tue rapid growth OF
Iowa has received perious cheok. The stato
consus Of last spring shows an incroase Of only
57,3l3 over the population Of 1870, according TO
tho Federal census, though it ia m increase of
moro than zoe, 900 ovor the Slate CENSUS Of Inst
yenr. Gov. Carpenter believes that tho immi-
grafton ie nearly balanced by tic emigration, OK
ccpt in few Of tho new counties, and draws tho
conclusion that tue Statc las reached the period
Of its greatest comparative prosperity with ag-
riculturo alone as tho laBia Of productive
wealth. To stimulate tho growth Of
population and increase tho resources OF
the State, lie recommends that tho Lega-
laturc offer liberal exemptions from taxa-
tion to manufacturing interests Of ali kinds, and
especially to the lands containing coal-lolds,
and moneys that may be invested to develop
them. He bcliovos that in thia way new capital
will bo attracted, industry diversified,
and tho population increased. Railroad-
building in Iowa has also como to a stand-gtill.
rs indeed it las pretty much throughout tho
whole country. There aro now about $500
mi1cs Of railway in the Etato nearly 1000 miles
Of which wcro bull. in 1871 md 1879. But all
this Aas beon changed within six months. Tile
cessation Of work Is not attributed wholly to tho
panic. GOV. Carpenter sags that the movement
to fix maximum rates by law had much to do
with driving OF capital from this direction. He
recommends, however that the Legislature fix
auch maximum rates, because ~ they cannot 10
regulated henceforth by increasing competition
il railsoad-building has ceased, aud (2) becauae
railroad capitalists would not be 80 much appalled,
at reasonable rates fxod by statute as by vague
threats that give no notion whether such rates
will BE- reasonable or unreasonable.
Gov. Carpenter's reference to tho Agr icultural
College 1nattera Is not very folicitous. His OK
planation Of tho Rankin dofalcaton IL simply uo
explanation at all and tho faot that large State
appropriation was wasted in this way will scasce-
ly encourage tho Legislature to adopt his recon-
mendation to vote now appropriation Of 925,.
600. Tho management OF tho Iowa Agricultural
College will probably undergo very closo IL.
vcstigation before the Legislature will consent
to put my moro money into it. In fact, d lette,
from Des 1Ioinos, which wo print along With the
messago, intimates that tho Legislature wil
take bold Of the matter in earneat. The othor
matters treated in tho message are OF interoas
purely local to Iowa.