The Iola register., 1891-01-23
Minor Matters.
DnV-- 49,.

pay claims against the United States grow
| ing out of the Price raid of 1864, such claims
! having been allowed by what was known as
the Hardle commission. The State Treas
| urer, in making payments, did not confine
| himself to the list of claims so allowed, but
| left of such claims unpaid sl9,s52A The
| State received the money so appropriated in
| trust for the claimants, and good faith de-
mands that provision shall be made for the
payment OF such parties as were thus
wronged by the action of the State Treas
| urer. A careful examination has been made
| of all claims not heretofore acted on by the
General Government, and vouchers therefor
| have been forwarded to the State agent at
| Washington for settlement. They amount to
| S63, 1913, all of which seem to be Just, and
| there is good reason to expect their payment.
THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
There are now one hundred and thirty one
| insurance companies authorized to do busi-
ness in this State. OF these eleven are Kan
sas mutual companies, ten mutual fire, and
| one mutual life. The fire insurance compa-
nies now doing business in the State number
| eighty nine; the life companies twenty eight
| and the miscellaneous companies (accident,
| plate glass, steam boiler and surety, four
! teen.
These companies paid to the Insurance De-
partment in 1889, Si 4l5.If; in IS o. s44 56G 81.
They paid to the State s47l,62.I5 IS since the de-
partment was established, in 1871. Before
that date the money was collected by the
Auditor of the State. Nearly all this money
goes to the school fund and the general rev.
enue fund The insurance receipts are
turned over to the State Treasurer every
month, as required by law.
Insurance business statistics for 1880 have
not yet been made to the department. The
fire insurance written in the State in 1889 was
slS7 ,I2s So cost in premiums 81, ,9l3 1885, losses
paid, sl,Osl ,695; average rate of premiums,
Sl.57-a marked decline.
Life insurance written in the State in 1888,
s1i,3T9,94s; losses paid, $3.50, ,I55; premiums re-
ceived, S932, SO.
During the past year the Supreme Court
settled the question that mutual fire insur-
ance companies in this State, having no
guarantee fund, could not do business in
other States.
THE ADJUTANT- GENERALS OFFICE.
The National Guard is in very satisfae
tory condition, "a shown by the report of the
Adiutant General The guard now consists
of one battery OF light artillery and thirty
two companies of infantry, organized into
four regiments armed with the regular ser
vice rifles, and uniformed in the military
fatigue dress of the United States army.
The General Government now furnishes
arms and uniforms to the National Guard.
Early last summer a company of the third
regiment was called ont by the mayor of Ak
tell, in Marshall County, to assist him in pre-
serving the peace. without reference to this
tant General is very timely, that the power
of mayors and other civil officers, now exist
ing under the law, to call to their aid the
military forces of the State, should be more
carefully guarded. The Governor, as COM
mander in chief, alone should exercise such
authority
LABOR BUREAU.
The reports of the Bureau of Labor in your
hands continue to grow in interest, and,
what Is more important, they exhibit a very
satisfactory condition of our industries and
of the people employed in the various in
dustrial pursuits. The laws of Kansas touch
ing the interests of labor generally are COM
Enendably liberal and progressive in spirit;
but with the development and diversified
tion of our industrial interests come new de-
mands on the subject of labor which should
be promptly recognized.
THE CAPITOL BUILDING
The report of the Board of state House
Commissioners herewith describes the pres
ent condition of the building, the work of
construction carried on during the two
years, and stares the probable cost of COM
pleting the same.
The work has been retarded, and the
board, as well as the contractors, seriously
embarrassed for want of means, by relying
entirely upon the proceeds of the four
tenths- mill levy, which constitutes the
state house fund. With the utmost care, it
seems impossible to forecast accurately
the amount of money that will
come into this fund from such
levy by given time in the future
and gauge contract obligations accordingly.
The board therefore asks for a direct appro-
priatiOn of sl0O,00O to be available at once, in
addition to the four -tenths- mill levy to be
continued. to pay the outstanding warrants
not paid for lack of funds, and for the prose-
cution of the work during the ensuing two
years. Otherwise, it is insisted, the work
must be discontinued for year, which, in
the present state of the building, would be
extremely unfortunate.
STATE LIBRARIAN.
The report of the State Librarian in your
bands calls attention to the fact that the last
Leg stature failed o make any appropriation
for the purchase of books for the library for
the last two fiscal years. 1t is hoped that
this omission will be supplied by "a liberal
appropriation for such purpose for the ensu-
ing two wears.
THE SUPREME COURT
The Supreme Court, consisting of three
judges, as it was originally constituted thirty
years ago, is yainly striving to do the bust
ness for a million and half of people.
Though labOring industriously and contin-
uouslv. the task is simply impossible of per-
fOrmance. The business of the court is now
about two years behind hand. with fifteen
hundred cases on the docket undisposed of.
LIVE STOCK SANITARY COMMISSION.
The report of this commission, including
that of the State Veterinarian, is deserving
of careful consideration. 1t faithfully sets
forth the general condition of the stock in
terests of the State. and expresses the be-
lief that the outlook is very bright for
better prices for stock Of all kinds in the
near future. The board urges the necessity
of amending the quarantine law as hereinbe-
fore recommended.
The WORLDS FAIR.
The President of the United states has for
mally proclaimed that the Worlds Column
bian Exposition, provided for by Congress,
and located at Chicago, will be opened on
the first day of May, ls94 And trust that
the necessary provision will be promptly
made to secure a creditable display of the
products and Industries of Kansas at this
great international exposition. To this end
a liberal appropriation will be required, and
a board of managers should be provided for.
The Governor submits several recon-
mendations, new and changed legisla-
ton in alien land holding, Texas fever,
age of consent, lotteries, refund
ing law abuses, sugar bond frauds, cor
porations, gambling, bribery, usury,
banking, police commissioners. etc.
Attention is called to sugar and salt in
terests and their remarkable growth
Also the boundary line question be-
tween Kansas and Missouri up in Doni-
phan County. The deep harbor, silver
and beef eomb bine conventions are also
noticed. The message concludes as
follows:
Confident IN the belief that the several mat.
tiers herein presented, touching tine interests
of the State, viii receive considerate atten-
tion at your hands, and sincerely Trusting
that your labors during the session may ba
oil.