Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-01-12
Words From the Outgoing Governor
,nd ,1o Now EH.>.utiye.

Pierce, S. D., Jan. 5. ;ov. Mellette's
message reviews every department OF the
state government at length, general
condition of prosperity being shown.
Among other things he says:
1.-THE collection Of revenues, ever the
most intricate and perplexing problem OF
civil government, presents itself MS the
most important and difficult question for
our new state. Marked progress has been
made in this respect, however, both IN
the law and the administration OF the
| law. The state board of equalization
and assessment has discharged its re-
| sponsible and perplexing duties with
| view of carrying out the benign pro-
| VISIONS OF the constitution requiring uni
| formity Of taxes on all property according
| to it's value. Under the present law,
| equalization as between counties can with
| great care be accomplished with some
| general degree of intelligence upon farm
| lends and farm property; the task is more
| difficult as to, city and village real Gs-
| tate, entirely impracticable as to stocks
and corporate property, while it is far cical
| and impossible when directed to mcrchan-
| disc and miscellaneous personalities. The
| only way 10 accomplish much progress on
this line would be through a stete board
with power to adopt and enforce rules
and regulations seeking uniformity in
| the work of county assessors The public
| examiner should be charged with the
| duty of furnishing returns to local as
| Sess OFFS and the state board of eQualiZa-
| ton for their information touching. the
assessment of all private corporations,
and to this end should have access to
records and powers of inquiry. Inc
| value of 2,7O3 miles of railroads as fixed
| nv tho Stnto hoard of assessment is
| $S,416.343, being an average valuation
| of S3.295 per mile, rated on maximum
| of $1,000 and Il minimum of $2,cOO per
mile.
IA most rigid examination into the af-
fairs of the railroads of the state shows
| that since the organization of state gov
ernment, most divisions have been oper-
ated at a loss. so the physical value only
| could be considered, and upon this they
were rated as near as might be on an
equality with other property. This con-
dition, however, cannot continue IN the
present general prosperity of the state:
These taxes have been apportioned and
collected without delay or confusion.
The same cannot be said, however. con-
corning the assessment of telegraph, ex-
press and telephone companies, most or
whom have refused to pay their taxes
for 1891 on the pretense OF rXorDltant
valuations. although the entire valuation
erty in the state was only S2223,62O, upon
which it is earning a handsome dividend.
The issue raised involves the entire ques-
ton of the constitutional provision re-
curing an equal apportionment of taxes
upon all property according TO its value
in money, and the people have great
cause to congratulate themselves upon
the result before the court. The only OBJ
ject of comforting the power OF assess
ment of corporate property upon state
board is to arrive at the earning capac-
ity of such property, or the value OIL It's
franchise.
The payment of the three funding
warrants "f $4,000 each and accrued
interest. which was assumed by South
Dakota under the action OF the commls.
sion OF adjustment between the States OF
North and South Dakota. was finally
accomplished after much difficulty and
final settlement with North Dakota e.
Of the state on June 30. 1892, was ST.
100000. The state treasurer has JUST
succeeded in rcf,nding $4,000 of this
amount viz: Insane hospital bonds
which drew 4 ID per cent with registered
bonds drawing 3 - per cent. which were
laws of 1891, and also $4,000 Dakota
University 6 per cent bonds with per
cent bonds which were sold at premium
to the state of 5000"
Under the head of public schools Gov.
MeIlette says: There are within the
state. according to the censns of 1892,
S1.317 persons of school age with an
average enrolment of 1862 pupils for
the past two years. The average number
Of teachers employed for the same period
is 4.29S, of which 1.160 are male and
$;l29 female. the latter ,I receiving $780,
S41. The total number of school build
ings in 1892 is 1888, showing q marked
increase over the previous year The
average valuation of school property is
$2.7O4.033 The common schools still
suffer from lack of uniformity in our
school system. which is a compromise be-
tween the township and district PLAN"
The governor urges the Importance Of
uniformity. '''The public school lands
belonging to the state at tie date of ad-
| mission amounted to 2}.:32O acres, of
which 1O1 ,S79.56 acres have been
| per acre of Sl:;.G4. amounting to Sl.3S7.-
| 31S.71, leaving 2.721 .46476 acres, which
| at an average price of $50 per acre. the
minimum price at which under the law
| of congress and the state constitution
| they can be Sold will realize $27.214,-
! ready realized as above stated. fixes the
| minimum permanent school fund to result
| from the sale of lands at the enormous
sum of $2S,6O2.2GO31. yielding upon 6
per cent securities SILT lO,2Ul ~. The
| income from present sales and leases en-
ablcd tine commissioner of school lands
to disburSe s.. cents for each school child
for the year 1891. and for the year 1882
the apportionment will be So cents to
each child"
| OF irrigation Gov. Melette says: "The
development of the great aricsian basin
Of the James river valley continues to
disclose new wonders and possibilities.
The results are principally the work of
private enterprise. however, as the legis-
lation to enable counties and townships
to sink wells has been somewhat disap-
| pointing owing to the difficulty expert
enced in the strict observance of all the
legal focmalities in the issue of bonds
thus rendering their negotiation impossi-
BILE. The law should be amended to
avoid this objection
1T seems now well established fact
that South Dakota will, before many
years, be producing block tin sufficient
to meet the entire demands of the United
| States for this immense product, to nav
for which we now send abroad annuaily
OOO." '0oo'
| The OOvornor pivos. q e. r