Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1883-01-13
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
State Finances Declared to be in .
Very Healthy Condition.
what Has Been Done and What
Remains TO be Dono In shc H.
and st. Joe Bond Matter.
How the Stigma of ''Robber State" has
Been Removed from Missouri. t.,

SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,
Section 10 OF article 5 of the constitu.
tion OF Missouri, requires me, as gov.
ernor of the state. to give the general
assembly "informa;ion, by message,
of the condition of the state," aud to
recommend to you such measures as
may deem expedlent.
In obedience to this requirement l
give you herein such information and
suggest such measures as to me seem
necessary and expedient.
Icongi atulate you upon your assem-
bling, as the chosen representatives Of
the people. under such auspicious sur.
roundings and favorable circumstances.
Order prevails in every part OF the
state; local affairs are managed with
wisdom and economy; the labors of
the husbaudman have been repaid with
most abundant harvests; the people are
blessed with good health peace, liberty.
and contentment; signs of individual
and general prosperity greet the eye
upon every hand. In acknowledgment
OF these manifold blessings, 1t becomes
Us, as Christian people, to return our
sincere thanks to the source of all good,
and 10 implore Him to avert from our
land and homes ''the pestilence that
walk eth in darkness aud the destruc-
tion that wasteth at MONDAY" 60"
AS no necessity exists for q great
amount of general legislation, there IS
| corresponding lack of q necessity for
a protracted session. l trust that your
association may be pleasant to you and
Of lasting benefit to the state aud peo-
pie.
THE STATE TREASURY.
announce to the people of the state,
with qualification, that their finances
have never been in q more satisfactory
condition. The obligations of the state
are promptly met, and every legal de-
mand made upon the treasurer il paid as
soon as presented. During the pres
ent administration not a warrant OF the
state has been discounted because of
non. payment. In fact, there Is not .
single warrant now outstanding. Here.
toiore warrants have been issued and
sent to the VARIOUS civil officers and
other claimants throughout the state.
and before the warrants we're, or could
be cashed, they were discounted by
some person or bank in the locality to
which they were sent. Now the war
rants are sent BY the auditor to the
treasurer, who issues a draft therefor
upon the Bank of Commerce OF St.
Louis. upon which the money is receiv-
ed without delay or discount. The
warrants drawn payable to the creditor
or bearer, we've liable to be lost and
cashed by some one other than the real
owner. Such Is not the case now. l
think the change prudent one.
In compliance with section Z, ,6S7.
Revised Statutes, the treasurer on the
22d day Of January, 1881, had a circu-
lar letter printed and sent to all OF
the principal banks or banking in-
stitutiOns of the state and printed III
many of the newspapers of the state.
soliciting bids for keeEing the public
funds tor the term specified in such
bids and until new contract shall
be made. On the 9Th day of Febru.
ary, 1881. the bids were opened as
directed by law. in the presence of the
Igoveruor and attorney.general; and
1t being seen that the Bank of Com
merce of st. Louis proposed paylug.
monthly, the highest interest or
bonus on the average daily balances,
that bank was selected as the state
depository aud gave the security re-
quired by section 1859 of the Re.
vi.ed Statutes. The bank has faith
fully fulfilled its part OF the contract
from that date to the present time,
aud has furnished the state every de.
sired facility in the transaction of Its
financial business. By the close of
this year the bank will have paid the
state something over $34, 900 as inter-
est upon the deposits, which has
been credited one half to the interest
and one-half to the revenue fund. On
the 4th day OF December. 1882, the
treasurer, under seoIion 1857 of the
Revised Statutes. matted a second
circular letter TO each of the banks or
banking institutions of the state,
soliciting bids for keeping the public
funds, which bids would be received
until the 18th day of December, 1882.
AS mo bids were offered OH that dsy
from any source, the contract thereto
fore entered into with the Bank OF
Commerce of st. Louis was continued
at the same rate and upon the same
terms. This bank has paid from the
beginning of the contract double the
interest heretofore received by the
state. 1t is one of the most solvent
and responsible banks in the state.
Since the present law went into effect
the money of the state is 80 absolute.
ly secured in the depository by Uuited
States and Missouri state bonds.
pledged as security, in excess Of the
deposits, that If the depository should
meet with reverses. the states money
could be obtained within fifteen days.
q III ~