Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-04-22

| services performed" In some cases a
number of clerks in a department are
paid as high as 81, 800 per year. The re.
| port recommends an extra special COM
| mittee at each biennial term Of the leg
islature to whom each state officer shall
| be required to submit proposed list OF
the employees and clerks for the ensuing
term, and that their salaries be fixed at
the time. The report criticises the
methods Of keeping accounts in the
supply department as being "unsatis.
factory and unbusinesslikc." The re-
ducticn in the number of committee
| clerks for the Legislature and discon.
tinuance of stationery to press reporters
was also recommended
Sensational Features.
The sensational features of the report
| are connected with the census of 1895.
| The report says that the cost of tabu.
| lating and publishing the census after
| it reached the Office of secretary of state
was $G4, 03O.44. This, it is assumed, is
| half the actual cost, when the ex-
| pense to the different counties is con-
sidered, thus making the entire cost not
far from $4,000. In regard to the
| printing of the report the committee
says that after careful investigation
they find the work of the state printer
has been fairly and honestly done, but
find that large portion of the Stats
tics presented in the report are of no use
whatever to the people, and advise that
future reports be cut down so as to sim.
ply give the statistics OF population. In
regard to the work of the census bureau,
which was under the charge of ex-Sec-
rotary of State Mcfarland, the report
says that clerks were paid So per day,
while all the witnesses, including the
ex-secretary Of state, agreed that the
same help could have been hired at 50
per day. In this way there was an un.
necessary expenditure of over 10000
In addition to this the report gays also
that the witnesses who were questioned
on this point agreed that one-half the
| number Of competent clerks working as
ness houses, would have performed this
work in better manner and in as
short time as it was done. In some
instances some of the witnesses stated
that they had been told by heads of di-
visions not to work too hard as they
wanted the lob to last" The report
finds that something like $4,000 was
misspent in these ways. 1t is also said
that certain clerks were carried on the
census roll, while at the same time they
were drawing pay as clerks in the office
of the secretary of state. Another Sec
ton of the report is as follows: 1--WE
find that q large number of clerks en-
ployed on the census, on one pretext or
another through fear of dismissal, were
compelled to contribute of their earn.
ings sums varying from $40 to $50 per
month to the then secretary of state"
The report makes no recommendation
and closes with the statement, with
malice toward none, with charity for
all, with only the good of our common
wealth in view, we respectfully submit
the foregoing findings" This report
was signed by all the members of the
committee and unanimously adopted
by the house. To follow out the sug.
Rested reforms committee has been
appointed, Of which Representative
Funk is chairman, to report q bill to
tho house as soon as possible which
shall provide for q more economical
administration Of affairs in the state
departments.
| Abolish Oil Inspector.
The senate has passed the bill for the
abolition Of the state oil inspector. 1t
provides for the retention of the depu-
tics as district inspectors, but not to ex-
coed ID in number. Their salaries are
to be paid from the fees, not to exceed
500 per month. The secretary of the
state board of health is made the head
of this system of inspectors and all con-
troversies between the inspectors and
owners Of oil shall be referred to him.
the governor. For these additional du-
| tioo hi o1aru m no ircroo col 1QnO 49,.
year. making it 81, 500.
Senator Henderson has an amend
ment pending which makes it a misde-
meanor for any public officer or any
person elected or appointed to a public
Office under the laws of the state to ask
or receive for himself or another any
free railroad pass or telegraph or tele-
phone frank, and person guilty Of vio-
lation Of this section may be impeached
| for such offenSe. This section is looked
upon as huge joke.
The senate has passed bill govern
ing penitentiaries by which there is
reduction made in the support fund for
| convicts at Anamose penitentiary from
$40 to $3.50 per month, Senator Rowen,
who championed the measure, says this
will save the state at least $4,000 per
year. Another amendment permits the
warden to dispose of the surplus rock of
the state quarries as he may see fit,
and in this it is stated that there will
be another saving of at least $1,000 per
year.
The bill providing for state annexation
and publication of the new code passed
the senate last week. 1t is believed by
those who have given the matter care.
full consideration that something like
$4,000 in profits will be realized by the
state.
| School Laws Agreed To.
The school laws have been acted upon
by both houses and agreed to. AS
adopted, they are said by Superintend-
ent Sabin and other educators to be a
great improvement over the old laws.
They have been coditied, simplifed. and
rendered much more easy Of compre-
hension by everyone.
Among some of the important
changes made are the following:
School districts are termed school COR
porations; this term includes all classes
| Of districts; the directors in independent
districts are elected for three years, in
! subdiStrictS one year: in cities of the