Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-01-20

small a sum of money has been sui
r ticient for all the needs Of the boare
! up to the present time. An additional
:, appropriation is deemed advisable t,
carry on the work laid out by tn,
managers, and to properly equip thu
:, Wisconsin building and make an exhibi
creditable to the state. Your attenuol
is called to the report Of the board q
managers with the view of making sucl
, an appropriation as may seem proper
for the creditable representation OF
Wisconsin at the Columbian exposition
Contingent Fund.
1t appears from the records that the
disbursements from the governors con
ungent fund from January 5, 1891,
December 81, 1892, were S7,9561O, and
that the balance to the credit of that
fund on the first day of January of the
current year was $514.30. 1t has been
necessary during the past two years tC
pay from this fund the notary, court
commissioner, witnesses and other fees
IN the suits now pending against Har.
shaw, McFetridge and others, which will
be returned to the fund when the judy
ments in these cases are paid. During
the coming two years there will be no
such unusual call upon the fund, and
| would therefore recommend the usual
appropriation of $4,000 per year for the
coming two years.
The National Guard
The proper constitutional conception
Of Il national guard, is the education OF
d citizen Soluiery i'll time OF peace, that
the uaIon may, without entailing the
burdens and dangers OF Il great stanullls,
;tlnly, Ue able TO cope Win any foreign
Zoe. Such Il military force, While in 10
proper sense Il state police, is Ill the III
Lure Of public safeguard, and Wiscoll-
| sln is, and Wen may be, proud of its ma
! tional guard.
Our present military laws need reyis-
ion, lis MANY OF their provisions are III
CongruouS or obsolete.
Inc numerical strength Of our mill
tary force should be carefully adjusted
! To the needs OF the state, and ap-
I preparations for its maintenance should
f., be 50 made as to bring that force to the
, highest state of efficiency without call
+, ing for unnecessary sacrifices upon the
part Of officers or men.
| The military reservation near Camp
! Douglas is OF the greatest value to the
! state, and its proper maintenance and
improvement should be provided fol
! For nearly eight years the adjutant
/ general UilICe HilS been engaged III the
/ " DIX vi preparing the individual history
OF the " lsCOnsln troops i'll the war for
! Tie t.nIUlI. Inns WOIk las been very
| much expedited III the past two years,
and L am able to announce that it is now
ready Tor tie printer, and that the
aGJ t;,aut general has been able to ma
| teriaIiy reduce the clerical force OF his
office. The cost OF the work UP to the
present stage has been about S14O,UUD.
| The subject OF the Improvement II
! our country roads is one OF universal
| Importance, and comprehensive PLAZA
| should, ii possible, be devised that viii
not only promote this desirable improve
ment, but will insure uniformity and
system in the progress of the work.
| conclusion
in concluding this brief and somewhat
circumscribed review OF state affairs,
have cndeaYored TO cOnIine myself to
sab jccts that, 10 me, seem to press most
! ,,rUntlilpntiy for legislative attention.
There Is sun one topic to be considered
| that OVer-Sh;ldoWS all others in the
minds OF the taxpayers, that is, adher-
i ence to the StricteSt economy i'll Au
public expenditures, however small, con
siStent with efficient service and wise
conduct Of state affairs. The SHOWING!
made by the economies of the past two
years, though so large that it will, Ne
doubt, prove a surprise to many people
is by no means complete. There are
opportunities still left for the Legislature
to dispense with needless officials and t,
istill more restrict expenses in certain
branches Of state government, with tht
assurance that the result will follow
as it has in the past, that money will b,
saved, and the service improved at The
same time. No detail of this subject L
so small us to be unworthy of your mos
serious attention. Extravaganza in TIL
conduct of public business results il
: needless burdens upon the people, an'
r what is worse, breeds official neglec
I and corruption.
knowing that one of the most valr
| able aids to the last legislature in tn
consideration of appropriations was it
> Joint committee on retrenchment an
/ reform, I recommend that this legislf
t tllre appoint such committee to WhOl
+ shall be referred all bills for the e1
r penditure of money.
/ Believing that the legislature in II
{ wisdom will be impressed with the hig
d and patriotic Importance Of discoura:
: ing all tendencies to loose and LAWS
public expenditures as first essend'
# OF good government, 1 commend
e you these suggestions regarding IL
# PUBLIC business Of the state.
II Geo. W. Peck
Madison, Wis.