The Monticellonian., 1895-01-18

declaration of war. Almost every week I am called upon to offer rewards for criminals. who commit crime in this state and flee to this refuge.
 Just what steps if any, the General Assem-. bly, should take to protect our society against this national pesthou is matter that will address itself to your sound discretion.
 I do not see that 1t can take any steps except to protest against 2 further continuation of tho existing condition.
 CENSUS REPORTS.
 Inasmuch as 1t was brought to my own per sonal knowledge by my own personal experi- ence that the late census of iSS9 taken by an- thority of the United States government, in all that pertains to agriculture, horticulture and stock raising in this state Is utterly worthless because utterly unreliable, I would recommend that the state through it's several assessors, gather yearly such statistics as would be Of benefit to our agricultural inter ests, and publish them in the biennial report Of the commissioner of mines, manufactures and agriculture. There Is no estimating the value of accurate statistics to intelligent citi- zenship in any community but oi all the states in our union Arkansas has most reason to tn- yite accurate statistical information, for the reason that they will reveal most of which she can be proud, whether in regard to moral or material resources. The plan suggested for gathering this information has been tried in
 
 given general satisfaction.
 CALL IN DEBIT.
 During the last session of the General As semby sent in 10 that body the following message.
 STATE OF ARKANSAS, EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
 LITTLE ROCK, January 3i, 1855 Gentlemen Of the General Assembly.
 In obedience to the duty imposed by our con stltution upon the executive, beg to call your
 
 mendatons
 FIRsT.-The burning board who investigated the condition of our state treasury more than a year ago, published September 30, 1891. the humiliating statement that so far as the books of the auditor and treasurer are concerned, il is impossible to learn from them, in their pres ent condition, whether Woodruf's shortage be only about s55 600, or moro thaa sl3s oo0. This Is true: and whatever the explanation, 1t is inexcusably disgraccful because it is true SECoND.-There has recently been offered for payment to the state treasurer a8 030 of coupons which, according to the records arc stolen property. They belong to the state and are out of her possession by theft, and as 1 far as any records show may have been yinl in hiding for twenty years past. While many thousands of dollars of others are unaccountet 1 for.
 THIRD. There Is, according 10 Simms re l port s92 530 of interest bearing scrip known as Page scrip, missing from the vaults Of tho l treasury, and there may be forty, fifty onC hundred thousand dollars ot fraudulent ol l stolen evidence of debt out somewhere, in the markets of the world, still lying il wait fol some dishonest treasurer to redeem them; no body and no record discloses how much or where.
 FOURTH The bond register shows stf 00o ot bonds which have been redeemed, but are missing from the vaults Of the treasury I1ol the markets Of the world, 1t Is impossible from the books or register 70 tell
 FIFTH-Thc Irregularities and complications of the bond register and book keepfn in the offices Of the auditor and treasurer or eIaatfne as early as 1888 preclude the possibility oi knowing how much fraudulent or stolen evi dences of debt of various kinds are out against the state, covcrtly biding their time. when they will be slipped in and redeemed un awares, just as has been attempted twice within the past two months.
 This condition of things constitutes q con stant menace of robbery of the taxpayers oi the state, against which there appears to me but one available remedy. I respectfully re commend this remedy:
 would suggest the passage of m act au thorizing and directing the treasurer to give ample notice in the financial centers Of tho world that all evidences of debt against the state of Arkansas of whatever kind or dcscrip tion, shall be brought to tho treasurer on ol before a certain date, giving ample time to ht by the state debt board examined, registered | and stamped, and that all of such evidences of debt which shall not be brought Tn on or be | fore that date shall be forever barred iron payment; making it felony for any officer o | the state, after this date to receive or pay any of such evidences of debt which are not st regi3tered and stamped.
 would further suggest that collision be 1 s,1 ony and that where the same error Is found il the books Of both offices 1t shall be taken a prma facia evidence of collision.
 It is alleged. know, by those who favor th, existing condition of things, that injustice may be done innocent creditors who may no be reached by the treasurer's notices This i not at all probable but if such case shou1, occur, 1t will be within the power Of any sub sequent legislature to rectify any such wron; upon proper proof. IL is much better that thes | few, if any should be put to the trouble O such proof than that our taxpayers be robbed nobody can foresee to what extent.
 Respectfully submitted.
 w. NJ. FIsHBACK Governor.
 Since this message was sent in, severa other bonds and scrps aggregating seyera thousand dollars have been presented for pay ment, and which, upon examination were foun, to have already been paid by the state cannot too earnestly renew the recommen dations.
 PUBLIC ROADS. | If every farmer m Arkansas would take tn 1 time to calculate how much taxes he pays in directly to bad roads, in the shape of wear an, l tear Of vehicles, of mule and horsefesh 0 l time and labor and Of the wear and tear of pa | tience and therefore of health, he would appre bend why 1t is that the French people who arr | the most prosperous people in the world ta, themselves every year to keep mp their publ | 1,f, solo, much as Arkansas taxes herself for all pur poses. They do it because 1t pays. One hors | in France hauls more than four horses do il | the rural districts of Arkansas, and vehicle | last more than three times as long without re | pair
 The present road law has well nigh all tn defects that could attach to a statute. It i burdensome; 1t is unjust and it is wholly in 1 efficient. recommend its repeal. | Under our constitution the state is allowe, 1 to levy a ten mills tax for state purposes l Only half of this is ever levied recommend that an additional three mill tax be levied for public roads, to be divide, among the several counties according to thei respective assessments and to be expendel under state supervision through county officer l in general system Of road making and tha short term penitentiary convcts and countl | convicts heretofore worked on convict farm, | be worked upon the public roads. Under well organized system upon this plan 1t woul, l not be two years before the people would real | ize it's utility and would insist upon its exten | sion until every public road would be a sourc | of profit as well as pleasure to our rural popu lation.
 GEOLOGICAL REPORT. | Arkansas is perhaps rich in natural bu | undeveloped resources as any other equal arc. on the American continent.
 | Among her many mineral resources, not on exceeds in value her zinc field, Professo | Branner informs me by letter that our zine orc i are many or them within one per cent of theo retoally pure zinc ore and have minimum O iron. and that being above drainage they cai 1 be much more cheaply mined than the zinc or, | of Missouri. I regret that his report upon Zin 1 has not yet been pnhlished That vnn ma,