Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-10-28
Total. ...... IS, 651 1861. so

IOtal.. ...... 80, 651 ,361. so
The amount invested two years ago at
the same date, according to the report of
ex-Treasurer Harshaw, was 4,725, O52 "A.
The excess shown over two years ago to
the credit of the "little red schoolhouse," is
s926, 30926. This is drawing interest at an
average of about five per cent
In the matter of cash on hand to the
credit of the trust funds, the showing is
not quite SO large, but there is some salts
faction in knowing that this is drawing
three per cent. interest, and is going to the
credit of the funds and not into the treas
urer's pockets
Two years ago Treasurer Harshaw re-
ported a credit on hand to the credit of
the various trust funds of $529, 799 II, and
treasurer Hummer reports SIC, 1874 40, a diff
ference of sos, 475.28, which Harshaw had
in banks and upon which he was drawing
and pocketing the interest. The general
fund will not be in a bankrupt condition
on the first of January next, as it was
two years ago. There was on hand Septem-
Der 80, $64O, 228. IL; ex-Treasurer Harshaw
had for the same time two years ago, $685.
s95O3, difference to the credit of the Dem
ocratic administration of $294, $500.
Colonel Spooner has often asked what
has become of the direct war tax refund.
The books show that the amount received
was SAL 1888 81. Of this the school fund
received Sal ,672. 04; the normal school fund
$40, 4O9.71; total $780, S1.75. This amount
was turned into these funds and with the
half million dollars in cash turned over bv
ex-Treasurer Harshaw is part of the $685.
30926 excess investment to the credit of
those funds as shown by the present state
treasurer. The school fund income received
Is 500, sos. 81, and this was distributed to the
schools year ago.
The normal school fund income received
was $44, 1881, and the same was placed to
their credit and has been used by them.
The drainage fund received was $40. 939. OF.
and this amount stands to the credit of that
fund. The general fund received was $780,
466.1O, and this is a part of the excess of
1894 90 that Treasurer Hummer has on
hand over the amount held by ex-Treasurer
Harshaw two years ago. The interest re-
ceived from bank deposits in the past
twenty-one months amounts to $4S, 3OS. SO.
1t has been credited and apportioned as fol-
lows:
School fund income. ST. 3Os 66
Normal school fund ..... 600. 80
University fund income. . 3. S91. S5
General fund. 1897. 81
4oIdl. S4S ,3UB. 81
This sum will be increased about $1,000
by the 1st of January next, making the
neat little sum of $50, 900 saved in this one
item alone. 1t would have been further in
creased about $4,000 had not the last leg
islature changed the law, whereby the sum
of about $500, 900 is now left in the hands of
the school officers, instead of being sent to
the state treasurer and held by him for
nearly five months as formerly.
That is what the democratic administra-
ton OF Governor Peck has done for ''the
little red school house, Its friends will
wish the Democratic wave had come earlier.
But while doing this the Democratic state
officials discovered a few things which do
not tally with the Republican professions of
devotion to the public schools, expressed 50
dramatically two years ago.
Of the magnificent patrimony devised to
the public schools by the general govern
ment the state still owns about 600. 900
acres of land devoted to the school and uni
versity fund. According to estimates made
by experts at least one-third of this land
has been stripped of its wealth in timber
by jobbers in contracts and others who were
just plain thieves without any intervening
screen of words.
"Jobbing in contracts" was Republican
method of stripping state land and still
keep ION the windy side of the law" The
system consisted in allowing a would-be
purchaser to contract for a specified
amount of government land at SIPS per
acre, or $50 forty. He was required 20
pay one-fourth the purchase price down
and upon completing his payments to the
state would receive title to the land. It
was stipulated that no timber was to be cut
or the soil cultivated until all the payments
were made and full possession given. In
the event of failure to make the payments
within the time specified the land was to go
back TO the state.
That seemed fair enough, but the lands
suffered just the same. Republican legis-
lators passed laws ostensibly to protect the
lands, but really to assist the timber barons
in escaping scot free if anyone should ask
troublesome questions, which under Repub-