The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-01-18


| pleasure i'm calling your special attention
| to the report of the adjutant general,
| which gives Il history of the operations Of
the military force of the state for the last
two years. together with detailed state
ment OF the expenses thereby incurred.
The suggestions and recommendations OF
the adjulant general in relation To the
equipment OF the National Guard SO that
they mayat all times be ready for active
duty. the building of a new state arsenal
and the sale of the present one, most
cordially indoISe. and | also recommend
that the salary of the adlutant general
be increased, and that he be provided
with increased force in his office.
In July, 1877, when the strike, as 1t
was called. was in progress, the first duty
of the civil authorities was to enforce
the law and maintain the peace bv what
means necessary; and, as IA step to this,
to secure the dispersal of all riOt0uS as
semblages of men, whatever might be
the preteXt of their coming together.
The fact Is that there WAS at no time IN
this state any widespread or organized
strike among the laboring classes. There
was Il great deal of dissatisfaction at
what the employed in certain lines OF IN
dustry regarded AS an oppressive reduc-
ZION of wages. When trouble broke out
in the eastern states, very few turDn-
lent spirits among the laboring men,
Joined by the idlers, tramps, and general
~ those who make up what is known as
the dangerous classes, taking adVan-
tage of the general alarm, We're enabled.
for Il few days only, to paralyZe the IN
dustry of the state. Many factory
closed its doors and many Il railroad Stopp-
ed its trains among whose employees
not Il single man was in active sympathy
with the mob.
The vagrant. the wilfully idle, was the
chief element in all these disturbances,
and wa h ave to recognize the fact that
we have among us "a class which is ready
at all times to join in any movement
looking to disturbance of the peace and
IN opportunity to plumber. The same
event which taught us this fact also
showed us how sure and effective are the
agencies for the preservation OF peace
which the state has ut command, and the
lawleSS classes have learned that there Is
power enough to thwart and punish any
attempt to override the law, disregard
civil authority, and interfere with the
rights Of ppaceable citizens in the use OF
their property or the disposal OF their
labor.
The existence of the last two years
confirms my views expressed IN my adj
dress to the thirtieth general assembly,
and may be allowed to repeat them
here:
The spirit of our institutions and the
temper OF our people are hostile To IA
standing army, and am opposed to any
policy, state or national, looking to gov
erning the people by the bayOnet. Yet
in the most highly civilized communities
fr.t hn
tellgent and industrious classes, is IN
almost Indispensable auxiliary to the
civil power in the interests of peace and
good order.
EXPENSES OF STATE GOVERNMENT.
The condition of the finances of the
state, as shown by the reports of the au-
ditOr and treasurer, is as follows, omit
ting the local bond funds which the state
receives and dlSburSeS as a trustee Tor the
municipalities, the Illinois river improve
ment fund, and the small amounts in
some minor funds which are also held in
trust capacity:
There was in the state treas
ury, Oct. |, lS7t-
General revenue
fund. 81 ,3S7 $3.50
State school fund, l79,lG6.A
Ill. Cent. railroad
fund. .......... IA, 246.T5
-------Sl, 99l ,OS0.7S
The receipts for the two years
ending Sept. 80, 1878, have
been--
State taxes
General revenue
fund 81, 500, l24SS
State school fund, 2,llS,259O9
Military fund.-. 3S,26l34
r,Itl
fund ........... Oh ,226Oo
--- $3.50, 77l.36
Total ..................... s. $50, So II
The disbursements for the
two years ending Sept, 80.
1878, have been
General revenue
fund. ..........S3 ,53S 1897 80
Stale school fund, 2,O2l 1926
Ill. Cent. railroad
fund, .......... 9l6.65097
Military fund. 81 ,O46.76
-- 6,53S,62S Is
The balance III the state treas
ury, Oct. |, 1875, was( deduct
ing all warrants outstand-
ing)-
General revenue
fund. ...... 81 ,74 ,754.7S
State school fund, 275,432.77
LII. Cent. railroad
fund ........ IA ,S2l.SS
Military fund. .. 7,2l4.5S
DdIinCt . 'D-.I l-,---~'''O
a further examination of the dlSDurSe-
ments from the state treasury during the
biennial term gives the following result:
The disbursements of the state fund
have been in the payment To the counties
of school-tax fund orders, and the salary
and Office expenses of the superintendent
of public instruction. The Illinois Cen
tral railroad fund disbursed has been
used in the payment of the principal and
interest of the state debt. The military
fund has been disbursed to the command
ing officers of the several regiments made
10y the adjutant general. The chief
items of disbursements, those of the
general revenue fund, which for the two
years amount to S3,53S,337, are as fol-
lows.
EXecutive--embracing eX-
penses of all offices and de-
partments of the state gov
ernment not specified be-
low. 30i, AIS. SIS
Judicial ................ 476.9l5. ~