The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1889-01-18
THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN DAKOTA.
As Set Forth in the Message of the Co..
ernor to the Legislature.

ernor to the Legislature.
Bismarck (Dak.) special: Gov.
Church's annual message was presented
to the joint session of the legislature to-
day. The governor called attention to
the reckless extravaganza with which the
appropriations for public institutions
are expended, and was severe in his criti-
cism of the management of territorial
institutions.
The total bonded indebtedness ex-
pended in building and furnishing the
public institutions of the territory is
81, O9S, 800.
Regarding the financial condition Of
the territory, he said the total receipts
for the year ending November 80, 1888,
were 1883, $685. 80 and the disburse-
ments for the same period 81, 793, 49S. 80.
The total value of property in the terri
tory, rs shown by the assessment rolls
for 1883, is $161. 400, 974. 80. AS 1900
miles of railroad and other property be-
longing to the railroads, with a valua-
ton of over 81, 600, 900, is not assessed
and forms no part of the above valua-
ton, the railroads being taxed upon
their gross earnings. and as property is
usually assessed at from One-half to two
thirds of its actual value, it is n modcr-
ate and safe estimate to place the actual
property value OF wealth of the territory
at $500, 900, 600.
The governor predicts that when Da-
kota becomes q state her 3 per cent
bonds will sell more readily than her A
per cent territorial bonds did, and he
calls especial attention to the fact that
this is the first time in the history of
the United States when q terrific
rial bond sold at less than 5 per cent.
RECOMMENDS NO APPROPRIATIONS.
The recommendation is made that no
appropriations be passed for building
or improving the territorial institutions,
theinformation being volunteered that
so far as buildings aud like c~onveniences
are concerned, the territory is In good
shape, and will need nothing more in
that line for several years.
The trouble with the Yankton asylum
trustees is alluded to at length, and the
action of the executive in removing the
old board and appointing q new one is
explained. The report of the public
examiner into the affairs of the institu-
ton is also submitted. 1t is shown that
the trustees of the jamestown asylum
exceeded their appropriation for the
two years ending March 80, 1887, by
500, 377, and for 1888 by the amount of
IS, 923. This, he says, is chargeable to
a s.'laxity of management that amounts
to q disregard of care in the manage
ment of funds appropriated for its main
tenance."
The manner of managing public insti-
buttons is characterized as extravagant,
and recommendation is made for q law
that will enable the governor. auditor
or some other official, to restrain extrav-
agance and curtail the expenses of the
various boards.
The cost to the territory during the
past two years of the boards of trustees
of the various institutions is shown to
have been $29, III. 80, certainly a very
eXorbitant amount, considering the a
ture of the duties performed.
The cost of conveying insane patients
to the hospitals and prisoners to the
penitentiary is shown to have footed up
to an enormous sum, which the terri
tory has to pay. In his detailed state
ment the governor shows that the cost
of CARRYING the insane fol two years was
S29, 0S4. 80; for the transportation of con-
victs, 81, 1916. 90, and this, added to the
expenses of the boards rs above stated,
makes q grand total of $74, 1924. 1t is
suggested that these transportation
charges should, by right, be paid by the
counties from which the patients and
prisoners come, and in that case the
county commissioners can see that no
excessive bills are paid. As it is, the
territorial auditor is powerless to pre-
vent overcharses, having no power to
examine into the business thereof.
Speaking of taxation, the governor
said: "a system of taxation that would
eventually lead to the exemption of real
estate from territorial or state taxation
would be very desirable, and could
largely, if not entirely, be accomplished
by the territorial tax being collected
from a class of property corporate and
personal in its nature" He recon-
mends the levying of taxes Oh all per-
sons and classes in proportion to their
ability to pay, and especially would he
tax judiciously incomes, inheritances.
transportation companies, banks, loan
and trust companies and other corpora
tons.
The remainder of the message, which
is very long, is given up to the detailed
statement of territorial affairs.