Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-01-14
basis for such representative appor-
MISCELLANEOUS.

tionment.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Vagyancy.-I cannot refrain from call
ing your attention to the increasing mum
Der OF ltinerant Migrants, commonly
called "tramps," who infest many part
of the country, and of whose depreda
dations and even crimes the public pres.
has been so full. If legislative action
can be devised to overcome the evil,
hope the General ASSEMBLY will not be
slow to apply it. Here would also refer
| to the kindred but more criminal charac.
ters who haunt railroad trains, and fleece
passengers out of their money, by the
devices known to professional gamblers.
In one State this crime has been made a
felony, and punished as such. In
another, railroad officials have been
clothed with summary powers for the
suppression of this evil. Through our
State passes the great tide of California
travel, and it behoovcs our lawmakers to
see that the fair fame of our State suffers
no detriment because of this modern
variety of highway robbery.
Crame.-The consideration of a large
number Of applications for pardon dur
ing the past four years, in which time
have had the pleasure of opening prison
doors for the release of men of whose
innocence had become entirely con.
WINGED, confirms me In the belief that
every accused person who desires it
should be permitted to testify under oath
in his own behalf. l am aware of the
objection with which this suggestion
will be met, viz: that failure to testify
will be construed unfavorably for the
accused. Whatever force there may be
In this objection is, am satisfied, more
than met by the consideration that to
deny man who is willing to subject
himself to examination and cross exam
ination under oath the right to do So in
fact establishes to some extent pre-
sumption of guilt against him. I earn
estly commend this subject to the con-
sideration of the General Assembly.
While upon this subject, recommend
the repeal of the provision introduced
into the code, allowing changes of venue
in preliminary examinations. Its pres
ence in the statutes, I am convinced,
increases expense, interferes with Jus.
tice, and secures no substantial rights.
The Jury System.-Entertaining as I
do the profoundest veneration for this
legacy of our ancestors, I yet do not
taink it beyond the reach of improve
ment. The requirement Of unanimity
In jury in order to verdict I cannot
but look upon as an antique absurdity.
which has too long fettered the admins.
tration of justice. l therefore recon.
mend that steps be taken to do .way
with the requirement, and thus to con.
form our jury system more nearly to
modern ideas, and practical common
sense.
The Public HeazM.-The importance
of the subject of public health has i'm
pressed itself SO upon the public mind
throughout the country that in several of
our sister commonwealths State boards
have been established having cogniz ance
thereof with more or less limited now
ers. I submit to the General Assembly
the propfiety of adopting this or some
other measure of comprehensive char
acter for the safety Of the public health,
believing no subject to be more deserving
the attention Of the sagacious legislator,
THE CONTINGENT FUND,
In my former message, I stated that
OF the appropriations made by the Four.
teenth General Assembly for the con-
tingent expenses of the executive Office
| had expended $1,303.6S. have now
to report an additional expenditure
under that appropriation of $4,000;
making an aggregate of $1,s4O.62; of
which 81 ,680.44 was expended for clerk
hire; $16.9S for telegraph dispatches;
$500 Tor wishing the penitentiary: 1886
for visiting other pnblic institutions;
and $131.S5 for other purposes. Vouch-
ers for all of these disbursements are on
f1le In the executive office. The
amount OF the appropriation undrawn
and remaining in the treasury was
$1659.39. Of the appropriation made
oy the Fifteenth General Assembly for
the same purposes, as required by the
code, l rendered an itemized statement
to the Auditor of State of the ex
penditures for the fiscal term ending
October 31st, 1876, amounting to ST.
o42.9l; Since that time, l have ex-
pended 1919 for clerk hire, making an
aggregate outlay OF $2,11491. or this
sum 1913 was paid out for the ex-
penses OF Gen. N. B. Baker and Thos.
sargent, Esq, (of Fort Dodge, to visit
the counties devastated by the grass
hoppers, and to report upon their con.
dltisA. The balance remaining I'm.
drawn in the treasury is $t,3s5.09.
COMPENSATION OF PUBLIC OFFICERS.
One ofthe Judge of the Supreme Court
has filed In the executive officehis resig-
nation, t. take effect On the Seventeenth
day Of theipresent month. He assigns as
reason for his retirement that the salary
is inadequate to meet the expenses of
his family. do not believe in the pay
ment of exorbitant salaries to public
officials; and still it would be we'll for
tho General Assembly to give some con-
sideration to the question of salaries.
In the case Of judicial officers it is both
wisdom and economy to pay such sala-
rles as will secure the highest talent not
only for the supreme bench but for the
district and circuit courts. And while
upon this question of salaries desire to
say, that any salary paid to an official
who subordinates public duty to his
personal affairs and to private specula.
tons is exorbitant. But the public officer
who devotes himself with singleness of
purpose to the duties of his Office, making
his private interests secondary to those
of the public, should be paid for his
labor. | know that it requires economi-
cal living to make the Governors salary
meet the ex ,enses of family; and as l
am about to retire from this office It is
proper for me to say that would be
glad to see my successor more literally
paid. But while saying this, 1t is but
just that l should state my opinion that
the officers in the other departments of
the Stata crouornnank raoa;uo s..a1Ia-