The indicator., 1897-01-16
GREAT NUMBER OF FRECOMMENDATIONS MADE.
Wants the Legislature To Be Economical Objects to
Present System of Taxation for State Insttu-
tions-Praises the State Militia and Dis
cusses the LeadviIle Strike Recon-
mends Board of Arbitration.

clgbic Increase in the total sum of taxes
collected from the taxpayer.
Ihc excess OF the estimated expenditures
q In ls!lIs9s over the revenues for the same
period: as estimated by the auditor, amounts
to Sl6l ,932, or SS3,gGl for each OF the two
! years II, ns a result of limiting the levy,
as Indicated, the assessed valuation OF the
! state shall be increased Si5,rro,Ooo in the
year 1897 the resulting revenues to the
| state from the .. mills which Is the part
OF the mills which goes to maintain the
state government. will be sufficient TO meet
the estimated deficit. The law ns 1t now
reads directs that property shall be assessed
at Its full cash value, without II limit to the
levy for general county purposes, and indeed
for all purposes, the application of the law
so as to assess all property nt Its full cash
value wonld result in an unreasonable in
Jury to the taxpayer, but with proper
hred limit to all levlcs then there can be no
better, more equitable or more satisfactory
basis OF assessment thnn the full cash value
Whenever the assessor fixes the value of
properly ut some other value than its actual
value, inequalities, incuutHble and oppress
I'VE Vh some ann nhhuly tnforable TO others,
must necessarily result. II gives an oppor-
tunity for fnvoritism resulting in oppression
10 those least able 10 endure 1t, and partial
escape from taxation on the part of those
who should bear their full share of the bur
den.
The state government. during the present
period has been economically administered.
II Is probably true that, outside OF the sal
aries and expenses of the three branches Of
the government, which are fixed by the con
stitntlon and statutes, some saving could be
made in the general contingent fund from
which has been turned bncl, into the treas
ury ST. Tg5. 30 although this is not certain
because IT might be necessary To offer re,
wards for fusitlves from Justice which
would consume more than that amount and
there Is opportunity for having n more eco
nomlcal adjustment OF the salaries of the
auditors office which turned back $500:
possibly IN the attorney generals office, and
say 5000 IN the secretary Of states otlce;
also some 81 300 in the land office. The saw
Ing by the adjustment Of the boapd of cap
lto managers would not aid the situation
n
payment OF the capitol warrants. The In
PRODUCTION of industrial employment at the
where recommended In this message, would
relieve the states revenues of an incrcns sing
proportion OF the cost of those institutions,
although the results would not be felt for
some months. From some, all of the
sources, or through the economical methods
suggested the additional revenues to pre-
vent the deficit Indicated must he derived
certainly. mt least. until an adequate eco
nomicnl revision of the laws controlling rev
stress cannot he laid upon tho necessity and
duty devolving upon Won Of combining np-
preparations 10 the limit set by the rev
cnues. II Is as much the duty Of the Cen
nrnl Assembly to keep within the revenues as
Il Is of the state auditor to meet them, in
past to observe this fundamental rule has
been large factor In causing the issue Of
excess warrants, and has resulted In causing
stigma 10 he cast upon the business name
Of the state.
Revision of R"vonu" L,w-
The General Assembiy's attention is cnr-
nestly called to the condition of the rev.
enuc laws A revision of them. and new
laws In the direction of economical admin.
istrntlon OF affairs. are exceedingly dcS'r.
able. It Is difficult to reconcile the incon-
sistcncics In these nets. and general re.
vision. looking to the total elimination Of
some expenses and tho lessrnlng of others
In order that tho revenues may have less
drain upon them in the direction Of unncccs-
snry outlnys and unecnnomicnl expenditure
A commission of three, in the Judgment of
the executive. should he provided. to he an.
pointed by the governor comnoscd of men
having knowledge of public affairs. and es.
neclally the financial affairs Of the state
This commission to report. Mt the next ses.
sion of the Legislature. such revision and
such rcpcnls and cnactmrnts as may seem
desirable for uniformity and the greater
economy OF the financial administration.
As the law now stands concerning the
revenues. there Is practically no check on
tho county treasurer In the matter of tho
collection and payment of the stnte taxes.
The state has no direct means of knowing
whether II Is receiving Its revenues or not
Tax sales are mndc in different counties
without regard to uniformity as to time
There is n conspicuous lack Gf uniformity
In the salaries of tile subordinate officers In
the various departments Of the state. For
Instance, the deputy auditor receives the
same pay as does the auditnr himself, who
surancc who is deputy of the auditor,
Clerks for like class Of service should re.
ceive like pay. This is conspicuouslv not
the case. Stenorraphcrs should have uni
form salaries. These are only instances
The commission suggested should examine
into the expenditures by the state Of what
ever nature, and among other things
whether the number Of judicial districts Is
might properly he brought about. Also Into
the expenses Of the vnrious state institu
tions, educational and penal suggesting
whenever needed. such reforms ns might
seem desirable and economical.
The governor suggests that every citizen
be required to show pol-tax certificate be
fore being allowed TO vote. This he thinks
would increase the military revenue from
$50 600 to 100000. He recommends that the
expenses Of the insurance department be
provided for by appropriation, instead of
by the present fee system, and that the sal
aries of state officers be cqualzed. The
salary OF the treasurer should he cut down
and n board of state officers should desig-
nate the banks of deposit for state funds.
Brief reference to the reports Of state of
hccrs is then made. lie recommends that
the state capitol board he abolished after
six months.
The policy of the present state land busrd
differs from that of the two preceding
boards In some respects, particularly con.
cernng the sale of lands.
The present board has deemed IT wise to
sell lands to actual settlers, chiefly for two
reasons one, because of the necessity of
securing water upon the lands before all of
the water shall have been taken by owners
of other lands, in which event the state
lands would have value only for pnsturagc
purposes. Second. because such sales would
result In the settling up of the agricultural
regions, resulting In Il development of those
sections, and the payment to the state of
taxes.
The selling of state lands in large bodies
to corporations, or for speculative purposes.
Some lands have been taken back from
companies which have bought them: in
every instance after an equitable settle
ment
state ppUlte
The state institutions are next referred to.
In regard to the pententiary the governor
says:
The management of this penal Institution
has been economical, humane and emincntly
satisfactory. The expenses per capita of tho
prison population has been reduced 1O.7 per
cent. being 3G.Os cents per diem. The cost
Of maintenance for the biennial period of
1S93-9i was S2O7. 1s9. 10. to which must be
added n deficit Incurred amounting to SIP
513.7l. For the present like period, the cost
of maintenance was S1oG, I0253. of which
Sl69,lIn.1i came from appropriation This
sum has, under the careful. economical and
conduct the institution without a deficit,
although the average daily population has
Increased 5.d5 per cent. and The earnings
have fallen on very materially owing to the
decreased demand for the limited class OF
articles produced. consisting mainly or en-
tirely Of lime and brick and stone The de
S23,551 for the two years The cost per
diem per man, for provisions, has been 81
cents.
Although the penltentlary has cost less
to conduct under the present management.
nevertheless the welfare Of the prisoners hns
been carefully regarded. and the food cloth
Ing and care fully up to the standard. The
saving has been made through careful buy.
Ing, strict economy In the use of the mr..
tlcles bought, better prices obtained be.
cause of prompt payment by the state for
goods received, and the lower prices which
generally prevail; but the chief saving has
resulted from the thorough business man
agement of the warden.
wish to recommend for your consdpra-
tion the remarks of the warden on the en-.
ployment OF convicts while in confinement
and the harsh conditions that exist for
them after their discharge
In the opinion of the present executive,
radical and promDt reform is needed In