The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-01-12
GOV. sHELDoN's MESSAGE
On the Whole the Document Is
Embarrassing.
The Executive Fails to outline a Polio,
for his Party-confned Almost
Entirely to a Recital of
Facts and Figures.

branches of the state government for
the past two years. The governor de-
parted from the presidents by incor-
porating into his message all important
matter q from the reports of the state
oficiuls and the document is therefore
several times longer than is customary.
1t was also noticeable for being con-
fined almost entirely to u statement OF
facts and figures and except in two OF
three cases made no recommendations.
1t has been looked forward to with
interest in the expectation that several
questions OF the highest Importance
which have been largely discussed dur
ing the last few weeks would be dealt
with at length and n policy outlined
for the legislature and for the republic
can purity. The almost complete abb
sence of suggestion upon these ques-
tions leaves them wholly to the legis-
laturc. In a few Instances the governor
makes suggestions concerning minor
details, but on the whole the message
will not excite general comment. All
of the state officials except the super
intendent of schools are warmly COM
plimented and it is believed from the
message that the appointive officers
willin nearly every case TO retained
for another two years. The messnge is
too long 10 be printed ndetaii, but the
following is u succinct summary:
The Governors Message.
1t begins with the statement OF the ne
cessity which compelled the levy of u 2
-..N y ,,.r "a. -, SSnp er,,J ,,ptnfc. mt
that such taxes must be laid year by year
unless the legislature in some way
s%traightens oct the financial condition of
the state. The governor says The board
adopted what it believed the only proper
course, made the levy and saved the credit
dollar of their due. 1t ought to be a
matter of congratulation that during
the past two years of money
%stringency and hard times resultant
from national legislation unfr'endly to
important interests of our state, the effects
of widespread disastrous drouth forbid
ding in many instances the prompt pay
ment of taxes, the credit of South Dakota
has been preserved by the faithful, intelli-
gent acts of her public servants" The
treasurer's report shows the total receipts
for the two years ending june 80. 1894,
rants sold and not entitled to be counted
us revenue. Disbursements for the same
period were sll2, 60l, of which amount 1918
were for funding warrants.
The report of the secretary of state shows
8 1909 collected in official fees aud $l49.45
from the sale of session laws, making
S6,417.16 which has been aturned into the
state treasury. 1t also shows that there
have been inco: porated during the past
two years 37S domestic corporations. One
hundred and f~orty-siX were for benevolent
and charitable purposes and a33 for
profit.
County Treasurcrs.
After complimenting the state auditor
and his report the governor continues:
Your attention is especially respectfully
called to the part of the auditors report
relating to the county treasurers
and their accountability to the state
for funds which they have collected.
1t is earnestly hoped that in your wisdom
you will frames law that will in some
way give greater security that taxes col
lected for the state shall be paid to the
state. These moneys seem to me to re-
main too long in the hands Of county
treasurers and afford unnecessary oppor-
tunity for loss, which might be avoided IL
mGnthly payment were required. In any
event authority ought to be given the
auditor to force compliance with the law.
The assessment of tho property of the
state as fixed by the state board
in 1892 was sl2I. 81 900, in 1898 s1s6, os2 $40,
Ill 1904 siSsiVtO, tCO. Liz ttIlOllu " IellIl-
quent taxes due the state July !, 1894,
amounted to 1871 ,653.45. The credit of the
state must be maintained and this can
only be done by bringing disbursements to
IT, level of receipts. Your duty is imper-
alive. 1t is not reasonable to expect the
liberal payment of taxes in the immediate
future. am sure it will be you wish to
consider carefully the requirements of all
the institutions of the state. for the main
%tenance of which appropriations are made
by the legislature, and that in your delib-
c~rations the requirements will be made to
conform with the states ability to meet
them without hazard to its credit"
The governor calls attention to the fact
that the law providing for the assessment
or railroad, telegraph and telephone lines
and the appOrtionmant act were never
legally passed as was shown in the sue
company to the tax levy and recommends
that these measures be made legal.
school Lands.
After giving three pages of statistics re-
garding the school lands Il school funds
the message recommends the repeal Of
chapters 14T and las of the session laws Of
1892. These chapters provided that where
leased lands were afterwards sold before
the expiration of the lease the title should
less of the ~lessee's rights. The gov
ernor points out that in cases OF long
lease the rentals are much higher than
those for shorter time and that it is not
fur when a man has paid one years rent
for land and a long or high rate to deprive
him of his lease. The governor has refused
to approve sales of this kind and urges the
legislature to repeal the law. He also
urges the repeal of the provision that
when a purchaser fails to make any de-
ferred payment when due the circuit court
may forfeit the land to the state and while
i hn ~ "a L m O. ~ aNn1, En .-.N, 49, N-As~ -. H.
points out that it is severe hardship for
the man who has paid n large proportion
of the contract price for a piece of land
and who has become so unfortunate as to
miss the payment for the balance to lose
everything that he has put in.
Superintendent of Public Instructlon.
OF the office Of superintendent of public
the year no report from tho superintend-
ent of public instruction was received by
the executive. The latter was therefore
forced to visit Sioux Falls to ascertain il
possible whether the report was in the
hands OF the printer and was accessible.
plete as to make m intelligent p~rcsenta-
ton of the condition Of the schools at this
time impossible" He refers to the law
that provides that county reasur shall
levy a school tax of 2 mills to be divided
according to the school population among
ptiC CN0Ad NE AItSs tall Il SUtGCS UlihDr ~ IN
not generally enforced. He recommends
that the counties be compelled to obey it.
State Institutions.
He reviews the condition of the state in
situations and briefly refers to the conflict
between the board Of regents and board of
trustees, but makes no recommendation
to straighten the difficulty except a gen
eral remark upon the evils Of dual admin
istration and the success which the single
board of charities has attained as com
pared with the trouble found by the two
boards OF educational matters. He gives
q full account of the F~reudcnfeld failure
by which the state lost S11, 900. s24 of
which the ex-treasurer returned and g., 600
of which was recovered from his bonds
men, leaving deficit of 81, 700 which is a
permanent. loss.
Tho report of the educational institu-
ton shows that of the two years appro-
priation of S13s, st1.46, {0,s3640 remains
uneSp nded and the hoard of regents esti-
mates that $1,000 additional will be sent
from the appropriations this year. The
total attendance ut these institutions was
95l in 1898 and last year increased to e57,
Tbs board expects u further increase to
LOCO during this year. Tho institutions
hold at the present time s., 005 zoos Of real
estate and $4,000 of personal property.
The educational agricultural college
/ draWs from thu statn S7 Tn0 a yaor on1