The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-01-24
GOV. SHERMAN.
His Message to the Gen.
eral Assembly Of
Iowa.

Iowa.
Presented and Read on Tues
day, Jan. Is, 1884.
Gov. Sherman, after congratulating the men,
bers of the General Assembly on the prosperity |
OF the State and the ausIicious cireumsta |
under which they are met, proceeds at once to
say:
Since the last session grave questions affecting
the interests ot the State the preliminarics To
which We're adopted by your predecessors, have |
icon submitted to the direct vote of the people, |
md by them determined in the manner author
lied by the constitution and ths laws: and 1t |
se,rNns for YOU to give effect to this expression
vi the popular judgment This applies with
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION,
which has asitated the s; c for many years. The
proposition to amend the fundamental law by a
prohibition of the sale OF intoxicants as bvcr-
age, having passed the several stages OF legs,a-
tion prerequisite, was at last submitted to the
citizens Of the State, and by them adopted by
decisive vote. Notwithstanding the people had
30 expressed th.ir pleasure therein. and under
our theolte. OF Government the court of the
sovereign respe is that Of last and highest re-
aort, and their decision had been evinced through
the proper constitutional part OF the govern
ment, the amendment so adopted was attempted
to be nulltfe ed by CO ordinate branch Various
opinions prevail az to such attempt and its
Winding force and effect; but one only can OBJ
tain as to the moral obligation resting upon the
representatives of the people In the General As
semblv In such an emergency. The duty re-
mains to the lawn aking power that the piin-
ciple thus adopted by the PEOPLE he voiced In
proper statutory enac in mt, and confidently
trust that ere your session shall tnd the legal
e ey ma n.ec ct sheps m the
devastations caused by this unlawful traffic,
destructive alike to present and future
generations. Ours is a government by the pe3-
p'e, OF the people, and for the people, ani, their
will being asccrtained, no representative OF the
people can Justify himself III opposition ther, to,
the ultimate effect Of which would be certain
destruction to tn. principle OF free government,
to establish which the life of the nation has been
twice inpcriled aaa thousands OF lives sacrificed.
Partisan ties shouli bc laid sside, and. in con-
sideration of this great question and forsetiul of
all else save the ultimate good to the state, let
us vie with each 9th r in Ierteetng the law In
response to the public command Nothing less
should lie attempted; nothing less will satisfy a
thoroughly aroused people. No argument is
necessary to establish the fact OF the evil resul
of the traffic: that Is conceded by every observer
| We have differed only as t, the best methods ot
dealing Herewith. But now that the direct aues-
ion,stripped ofgvcry arpcndage, has hccn Passed
upon by direct vote, and that after thorough
discussion at every trcsidr, and wher', too, de-
ception was practically impossible: and the
calm, deliberate Judgment in favor Of the prtn-
cirle CT rchibition has been ln nounccd can
s;e 10 tscape from the duty of enforcement of
that decision.
Your attention is respectfully directed to the
question Of
IMPARTIAL SUFFRAGE,
| In RESI- &c to which the Nine. .ccnth General As
s.mhly Proposed an amendment to tn consti-
| tainn. Should this meet your approval, as
! preliminary to taking the Judgment OF the vot-
err, recommen that l. hc submitted at e.
! cia election in order tha' IL lie freed from tn
| influence Of partisan politics and thus receive
| an unIrejudiced vote ot cur citizens. No. car
ing 10 here express an ol init n apol tie Gues-
| tion its If, i Is sufficient to say that now.
heretofore, am in favor Cf the submission OF
any question which Is OF important and general
| The last General Assembly also proposed
| other amendments-changn ng the date for hold
| ing the general election, allowing tn. Legs
!ature at any regular session to reor.anize the
1 judicial districts, lroyiding tor reduction Of
the number OF grand jurors, and also providing
FOR the Election OF Prosecuting attorneys III
counties instead OF districts, as - now the case
| These are important prol os!tiuns, and l recon-
mcnl that they be subntted 10 the general
relating to woman suffrage. should be passed
upon Mt the same SPECIAL election, and trust
will receive your consent thereto.
TIE STATE FINANCES.
The rel ort of the Auditor OF State. making eN
| hibt OF the State finances, is valuable docu-
ment, showing IN minute detail the
J ceilts and disbursements Of the Treas
ury for the period just clo.td. This IL
one OF the most important of the state
offices. and the reports OF the officer charged
with this department, AMI who has spsc.al SUI
! pcryision OF our mont tary aiiaifs, are always
looked to with absorbing interest. he total
! receipts for the twenty -one months covered by
/ tG,-
sl2.li, inclusive OF Sl7s,55l.'i, which Wis the
| amount OH hand at the beginning of the term.
| We are chiefly interested, however, IN the item
| OF neral revenue. made up in almost in en-
tirety OF the State tax lcyies, and the interest
| collections thereon, and a few small items set
out at length in the report The Increase over
the last term, although three INT nj hs' shorter
period, IL $50, ,as2 29-the difference III the lro-
| portiona.e receipts which VIII iuure TO our aa-
San,ass va ,; during the present term ltshonld not
principally due to the extra half mill state tax.
which WAS levied by vir;u, of act of til"
| Nineteenth General Assembly. The other items
of receipts arc fr,m sales of Agricultural Col
lege lands, the proceeds cf whicn are invested
for The use Of tn: college, aud additions To the
| State school fund, as shown by tile Auditor.
The disbursements have been 81, ,5d, ,3a7. ~, in
elusive OF temporary school fund of s.o.a1a.a2,
! ana of s@,a.1.6i OF war and defense fund not
| needed ter that purpose transferred to the zen
! eral revenue. Dedu. ting the cNianti nr. from
the receipts, there Is alanee in the treasury OF
Sl7,a,ie, against SITS, 81 AT the beginning
| OF the term, with which to commence our new
| business. The amount OF interest paid on State
warrants has b en- hut Sll, ,7aas 81. which is less
| preparations Of the last General Asse emby " re
larger and the fun Is called Tor in eagy raj idity.
| Al ogetker the exhibit thus made Is very grati
| tying, and confirms the statement before made
that the State i'll common wi h the people, is in
much better condition than at the date OF the
previous reports The amount Of warrants out
standing was but Slt,i50.Gn, none OF which vas
interest bearing, an aggregate nearly one-third
less than at the beginning of thu term, ami an
1
| the past seven years.
The appropriations made by the Nineteenth
| General Assembly have all besna,aid as the same
| became payable, and the State in every financial
respect is in better condition than at any period
| Tor the rast twenty yeais-a matter OF sincere
7 congrAtulation to every citizen.
| ALL THE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
Of the State have been, far their SUI port is
concerned, maintained in manIer creditaalc to
the State, and without marked increase in cost,
Notwithstanding the expense OF maintenance
night have been augmented bccaus. af the adj
vance in cost of almost every article necessary
to their proper and comfortable support.
There has been no time in the history of the
State when more careful economy has been
piacticed in all the departments of the
ayement OF the charitable and penal in
stitution there has been true economy during
the last fiscal period; AMI l see no reason
why the same should not obtain in the
future. The proofs hereof are eoncusiycly
shown in the intelligent and suecinct reparG uf
the Auditor, to which again invite YOUR earnest
The Auditor estimates the receipts of the press
ent two years, based on "A two-mill state levy, at
$a,4sa 6oo-an increase Of nearly $4,000 over the
previous period, and the disbursements al si.-
.is,s.o. leaving a balance subject y general and
miscellaneous appropriations OF S56j. .fs,, am
convinced the expenditures are quite literally
estimated, and that YOU neei have no fears in
making appropriations covering the full sum
above Indicated. Several OF our state charitable
institutions need liberal appropriations 10 meet
the demands upon them, which are daily and
urgently increasing, and trust these demands
Will receive your favorable Vet careful attention.
| The Auditor declares his belief III the theory Of
| making
! THE STATE TAX
an absolute charge upon the counties, payable
| in quarterly installments. / heartily indorse
| his opinion. When / had the honor OF holding
| the Office of Auditor OF State, recommended in
| the report submitted Nov. |, 1875, that the
| counties be held responsible Tor the State tax
| levy, arguing that the same was correct in the
| ory. and was the only method whereby the state
| taxes could DC made certain to the use Of the
| State. / am still fully impressed with the cor
| rectness Of that doctrine. II IL the only elnit
| able method whereby counties will he placed
upon real level with each other. and at the same
| time nuke certain the revenues to the Stats,
which 1t will readily be seen Is Of vital Importance
| To intelligent legislation. The allowance to
| each county of all additional assessments, and
| all interest charges, will fully compensate
| for the loss OF collections, and make the mat tcr
| of refund of taxes, as now praetieed, which in
| cludes State as well other kinds oi tax, mat
ter OF supreme indifference tn the Stat. at lai