The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-01-24
IOWA.
The Inaugural Address Of Gov.
John Il. Gear.

John d. Gear.
Delivered Before the Two Houses Of the
General Assembly on the 18th
Of January.
Senators and Representatives:
In entering upon the duties of Chief Magis-
trate of the State, recognize with gratitude the
high honor conferred upon me by my fellowsciti-
that they have not misplaced their confidence.
All the political parties in the State have adopt
ed resol1tlons IN favor ; Of TIE remonetsst9n OF
majority of our people are united on this gues-
ton; and it is to be hoped that Congress will at
s1 DAY ssts GSsgs Of hn deS
not otherwise now provided for by law. Gold and
silver have been the money of account of the
world fTr bs AYES and s Should ns " sxsr rs
its former position in the finances of the Nation
will, in the opinion of many of the best writers
time slightly depreciate the value Of gold, and
thus each would have compensating effect on
the other, and both metals be brought to a uni
form value. RECOMMENDATION of silver, in my
opinion would have marked effect in helping to
smooth the difficulties which, in the minds of
many. now seem to surround the resumption of
specie payment.
During the War and under the financial ext
gence of the times it became necessary in the
wisdom of Congress for the Government to re-
sort to the m issue OF paper money called .Green-
under the war-power OF the Government, and it
was made legal tender for all debts, with the
the % pablic debt. T The @ act o was real
ly in the nature of forced loan from the people.
Since the day of the first issue it has never been
at par with coin, owing to the fact that the Gov
| arpynpDf has not baan a financial condition tn
pas tAas dNa
namnst jam as hs tune at shs the GS
name a special date by statue, for resumption,
or to leave it to the laws rs OF trade
but the passage Of the Resumption act itself
was an evidence Of the honest intention of the
to ns its by Il Ss its
ure of the holder thereof Political parties have
been organized in this and other States with
view to have the Government continue to issue
irredeemable. paper money to an unlimited
amount, policy which, if carried out-judging
the future by. the past history Of Nations which
have resorted to this kind of currency-7could
not but result in bringing financial ruin on the
Nation. The large majority of the people Of
Iowa have declared by. no uncertain sound"
tion, and have evidenced by their votes their
faith in good money and in the ability of the
country to resume spes,ee payment at an early
CAV. ana alSO LQelT Delle1 blAl, resumption once
accomplished, coupled with the reconciliation
of silver. the Nation will enter on a new era of
confidence and prosperity.
STATE FINANCES,
My predecessor has called your attention to the
specific condition and wants of the respective in
stitutions of the State. The generous mainte-
during past years is ample evidence that they
will receive from you the careful consideration
that they require. The charitable, educational
WITH the State 81
necessity call for the appropriation OF large
amounts of money for their support. While it is
lmperatiyIe I duty On the part OF the state tS
| their necessities, yet strict economy should be
the rule, and appropriations should be made
to bat he II
| and general reduction of VALVES during the
past few years, and the near approach of our pa
per money to par with coin, a COLLAR to-day has
much larger purchasing power than at any time
| since 1862. 1t would therefore seem that small
appropriations will be equal in their results to
Of fna it
should be in accordance with the new adjustment
of the monetary affairs of the Nation. Past Gen.
eral Assemblies have appropriated large amounts
| of money that were necessary for the erection
| and maintenance of our charitable institutions
for carrying, forward toward completion our new
Capitol and for the expenses OF the Stat State Il; The
ceipts of the State Treasury from taxes and all
| other sources of revenues; consequently your
adsuy y has set mot sb at all %es rwp been
| by the Auditor of State, in pursuance
Of the acts of the General Assembly. The State
es e bear
terest at the rate of per cent. per annum- The
result is that the State is now, and has been 1or
t M an be et ba 4n ate aEe
not paid on presentation causes CONTRACTORS, and
all Others who do work or furnish supplies to the
State, to charge higher prices than they other
wis ir,o order tn hr1rs themselves for
any loss that they might be subjected to by VIZ
tue of discount on the warrants which, of course,
dect is to shs IL Asae
or any other kind of debt, except in the manner
and for the purposes prescribed by the Constitu-
| ton. it should be the policy of the State
| command as has Iowa, to be at all times IN
| financial condition to honor at sight, all de.
mands made on her Treasury in pursuance OF
three years have averaged but a trifle over two
mills on the dOllar-and this on q very low val
uation of property-and during this long term term
Western State. This, coupled with the fact that
| the State has, comparatively speaking, no debt,
has doubtless contributed largely to her growth
and rapid increase of population, and it is most
| desirable for her prosperity and reputation
abroad that taxation should be restricted to
the lowest possible point compatible with her
appropriations of an extraordinary char
acter such as embrace the, construction
| and repairing of the State buildings, should
from time to time, as the work on such building
progresses. and then only on the filing of proper
vouchers with the State Auditor, that the amount
ance with the law appropriating the same. In
view Of the fact that the State has, falling due in
1881 @300,000 of war and defense fund bonds. y
slider the propriety of providing funds in order
obligations at maturity. To do this and to meet
| It will be necessary to authorize the Executive
| Council to increase the tax levy above two mills
on the dollar, the maximum now allowed by law.
| TRANSPORTATION.
| Iowa being almost exclusively an agricultural
| State, and in fact in the growth Of some OF the
cereals being and is the leading State in the Ma
ton, the question OF the transportata1n @ OF @ ner
pie. In the early history of the State; the great
rivers which form her eastern and western
boundaries were the only ayenTSs 6y whcn b our our
| twenty years a system of railways has been con-
structed which penetrates nearly every county IN
the State 4wng t2 nataTf scd rs II sn
closing during the late War, our products have OF
necessity been carried to market by raii alone;
By the recent completion Of the ca canal around 1
success of the system of jetties now in op-
| Grafton at the mouth of the river, whereby ships
Of large draught have easy access to New Orleans'
tation of our products to foreign ports Il ls
plain to see that in the near future healthy
competition must arise between the rrlway and
| river systems of transportation the benefits OF
which must accrue directly 70 our gTanrproonc-
ing interests and It is 20 pc aopea Una. UonRIess
will at an early date stmuass tns p canss
the further improvement OF the nayleanon OF e tne
Mississippi, and lts tributaries. IN ofder t snat
Iowa, and an the states Doroerng ~ snns
to be derived from addltlonal Iacinties IN Inc
transportation OF their prcdncg.
The Fifteenth General AseempU so.t Snt \, t,a;, -
changes for the transpouanon OF peeshm@s q th @ Inu n