The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1883-01-25

list OF taxable property and plac
upon that list all property excep
; public. This l believe to be tn
true principal of taxation, and
hope you will concur with me b,
placing all private property, nov
exempt, upon the tax list.
| earnestly invite your attention
to the question of taxation of rail
road property. The property o
, railroad corporations should b.
made to share the burden of taxa
ton the same as that of the indi
vidual citizen, and | submit to you
the question whether any addition
al legislation is necessary in tho
premises.
The law fixing the assessment O.
mining ground at the price paid the
government for the same should be
repealed. No law should be passed
fixing'the valuation of property fol
taxation. Mining ground may
have q surface value for agricul.
tural, building, Or other purposes
and if so, should be taxed as other
property.
The number of insane receiving
treatment at the expense of the
Territory is at this time fifty-six.
The contract has been continued at
the rate of eight dollars per week
per capita, and their treatment has
been humane and satisfactory. l
renew a former recommendation
that the governor be authorized to
appoint reputable physician each
quarter to make an examination OF
the asylum ank report fully the
character of the medical and per-
sonal treatment of the inmates, and
make such recommendations as he
may deem wise and proper, and
that he be paid out of the Territor-
ial treasury for such services, upon
the certificate of the governor.
Sixty-seyen convicts are at pres
ent confined in the United States
penitentiary at Deer Lodge, at the
expense of the Territory. The con-
tract price for keeping them is
seyenty-five cents per day each.
The present contract expires on the
LIST day Of August next.
On the 18th day of July, 1882, I
entered into contract with David
son and Baldwin for the labor of
ten convicts for the period of two
years, at fifty cents per day for each
convict. The amount received for
convict labor, for the past fiscal
year was s6O1.29.
The report of pardons granted
since the adjournment of the last
Assembly is submitted for your
information. / also transmit the
reports showing the condition of
the two divisions of the Territorial
Library, and the report of the His
torical Society. I ask for these re-
ports your careful consideration,
and | recommend that 5000 addi-
tional be appropriated annually for
the use of the miscellaneous divi-
sions of the library to pay for sub
scriptions and binding of news
papers, and the purchase of addi-
tional books. ! commend this
division to your favorable consider
alton.
| herewith transmit reports Of
the Auditor and Treasurer, for years
ending December 81, 1881, and
December 81, 1882. These reports
contain a complete statement of the
financial condition Of the Territorp.
together with the receipts and ex-
penditures since Defender 81, 1880.
Hon. J. p. Woolman, Te.r ritorial
auditor; and Hon. d. H. Weston,
Territorial treasurer, have SO hon
estly and efficiently performed the
duties Of their respective offices, as
to entitle them to my sincere thanks,
and | recommend them as worthy
of the continued confidence of the
ptople.
The statistical returns of county
assessors are so manifestly incor-
rect that the statistical report is
valueless. / recommend such ad-
ditional legislation as will compel
the assessors to collect the statistics
required by law. l regard this as
one of the most important duties of
an assessor, and he should not be
permitted to disregard it.
Your attention is called to the
failure of county rfficers to make
the reports required of them by
law. Territorial officers are embar-
rassed and delayed4 In the prepara-
ton of their reports by reason of
these failures, and you should pro-
vide penalty for officers who fail
Or refuse to make reports at the
time required by law.
The report of the superintendent
of puulic instruction will be sub
mitted to the Legislative Assembly
by that officer. Professor Howey
has made a most competent officer,
performing every duty with zeal
and efficiency, and merits the thanks
Of the people. The report will show
the number of abstntees of school
age to be very large. The public
provides for schools fortal, and
they should be required to avail
themselves of their benefits. / re-
commend the enactment of a law
requiring the attendance of all
children of school age. | am
aware that such a law would be
considered arbitrary, but is not
more SO than to require citizens who
have no children to pay school