Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-01-20
GOV. BRAKES MESSAGE.
Retiring Executives Final Words
to the Iowa Legislature.
The Financial, Educational, Conn
mercfaI and other Interests of the
state acknowledgements Sum-
mary of the Address.

mary OF the Auurcsss
To the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives: / esteem it a high privilege TO con-
graduate you as the chosen representa-
dives of the people of this great common
wealth
agricultural financial, commercial and
otherwise-have been intrusted to your
care and consideration, in the belief that
they will be well guarded and judiciously
crowded for; that while you will closely ad-
here in practice to the principle of economy,
and aim to be dligent in tightening the bur-
dens of taxation, you will not fail to make
suitable and liberal provision for the state
institutions and the advancement of their
interests, to the end that Iowa may never
be found tagging behind in the forward
movement of Christian civilization and the
onward march of progress.
I congratulate you also on the improved
condition of our state and the country at
large. Not for years has there been such
evidences of prosperity, such glowing prom
trial world is alive with new eva actiVjtY and
agriculture rejoices with commerce over
enlarged compensations for labor and more
6estowal of these blessings let us not fail
to express our gratitude to the Great Ruler
of the universe.
The Finances.
Finding from the state auditors report,
made about the 1st of January, 1897, that a
deficit existed in the states finances in my
message to the TWenty-siXth General as
sembly at its extra session called atten-
ton to the fact and recommend such
legislation as would reduce expenses and
provide for the early eXtinguishment of the
states Indebtedness. In pursuance Of such
policy, Investigations into expenditures
were made and measures taken resulting
in quite a saving, and in cutting down the
expenses Of the state. Steps were also
taken toward increasing the revenue, or
which l will speak presently.
The receipts into the general revenue OF
the state amounted during the term to $4,-
a
seated" by, warrants drawn to I73l ,7643 SO.
TIE Iexpenses were therefore $63O,3S7.49 in
rants outstanding at the beginning of the
term amounting to S73,950.25, making the
total amount of expenditures to be met S4,-
ming of the term was 1912, S57.41, which add
ed to the amount Of receipts above stated,
made the resources of the treasury 81, 414,-
deemed to the extent of s4,35S,213.S5, and
interest was paid on warrants to the eX-
tent of SIS, Bay A. making the aggregate dis
treasury at the close of the term, therefore,
amounted to ,672.96 and the aggregate OF
the optstanding warrants to $447. 500.7S, max
This amount of Indebtedness is largely
the effect of excessive appropria lions made
by the TWenty-sixth general assembly, yet
not altogether so. This fact is We'll brought
out in the report of the auditor of state
But for the destruction of the main build
ing at the Institution for Feeble Minded
Children, an expenditure amounting to $780,
200 during the term, and more subsequent
ay, would have been avoided. The extra
session OF the general assembly, the labors
of which, in my opinion, abundantly justi-
fly it's cost, entailed an expense, including
the publication of the new code, of $780,
1888. The advance of one quarters sup
port for the hospitals for the insane, a
measure in the interest of saving expense,
took S1O7,S2 more. These three items make
the floating debt greater by $685., SIS. SO than
1T would have been had no such expendi-
lures been incurred. Without these ex-
penditures the debt would have been only
73,309A.
The Twenty-sixth general assembly made
provision for meeting much of the extraor-
binary expenses incurred by additional
not heretofore known in this state. One
of these was that on capital stock of cor
porations another was that on collateral
tnheritances. Provision was also made for
taxing express companies. Moreover, the
fees for notarial commissions and those to
be paid by commissioners of deeds in other
states were made much larger. An in
crease in the amount of taxes to be coll
ieCted from insurance companies is also
made by the new code. Mainly because of
the tax on corporations and the increase of
the fee to be paid by notaries public, the
moneys turned into the treasury by the sec
rotary of state during the fiscal term
amounted to S2S,21G.70, an increase over the
preceding term of more than $4,000. The
auditor estimates that the receipts from
amount to $4,000, gain of nearly 100 per
cent: Other additional taxes brought in
nearly $1,000. AS most of these additional
receipts came in during the latter part of
the fiscal term under review and some of
the laws providing for such increased pay
ments into the treasury did not become
operative until after that term had expired,
the additions to the revenue from these
sources may be expected to be much larger
an the future.
Interest on Public Funds.
'' AS another source of revenue, may call
your attention to the subject, already agi-
lated, of interest on the public funds. 1t is
regarded by successful men of business,
firms and corporatio3s, as good financier-
ing to utilize all available assets as far as
may be reasonably done, for increasing
revenues, and am unable to see why such
rule may not be applied to the funds be-
longing to the state that are not immedi-
ately needed, and reasonable rate of in
terest secured by the state rather than by
individuals and corporations from that
source.
This system should also apply to the
counties, school districts and municipali-
crate sensibly to increase the receipts of
the state and local treasures. 1 recon-
mend that steps be taken to bring about
such system.
The Library.
The period has witnessed great improve
nient in the state library. It has been ex-
tensively rearranged; and a large addi-
tonal space utilized that was, previously
unoccupied. The additions during the
torn amounted to 1929 volumes, including
3,0l5 by donation and exchange. Procuring
the latter occaSloned an extensive CORE
spondence, resulting in adding an eXcep-
tionally large number of volumes to the
collection without cost to the state.
The Schools.
The retiring superintendent of public in
Struction closes his long and very useful
incumbency of that high office with re-
port of great ability, which l deem espe-
cially worthy the attention of the gen.
eral assembly in all its recommendations.
The enumeration of persons between the
ages of five and q is 727, 694, an Increase of
1862 since the last biennial report. The
enrolment is 5i6,S36, a gain of BOP; and
the average attendance reported is 347,-
$50. The number of schoolhouses is 49,
744, OF which 241 were built during the past
year. The value of the schoohouses is
SIG. 355,&2, or $780, more than in 1895.
The amount paid teachers last year was
$5,H4,S54, an increase of about % per cent
In the decade, while the cost of tuition has
diminished during that time from 50 O4 per
month per pupil to $1S. The number of
inexperienced teachers is yet very large
OF N,A5 certificates issued during last year
more than 30 per cent. were to persons
having had less than one years experience
and nearly 10 per cent. to those with no
previous experience. The recent changes
an the school laws, notably those proyid-
Ing Tor furnishing text books free, and
allowing boards in the rural districts to
furnish TRANSFORMATION IN p,,piIe aya, he