Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-01-17

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Gov. Shaw's biennial message was de-
liyered to the State Legislature on Tues
day. The Governor. according TO his
message, finds State finances and
various State affairs in very sat
isfactory condition. Never in our
history, the message says, has labor found
more ready employment or more liberal
remuneration; never has agriculture gen
orally been more prosperous or yielded
better returns, and never has business
beenmore universally active or reasonable
profits for invested capital more secure.
Liberal extracts from the important parts
of the message are given:
1t is gratifying TO know that the judi
cious provisions made by the Twenty
sixth and Twenty-seventh General AS
semblies, for the increase of public reye'
nues on the one hand, and the reduction
of expenditures on the other, enabled the
State to meet all its obligations, past
and current, and to accumulate in the
treasury, at the end of the fiscal tern
under review. a surplus of S414,294.0.
over and above all outstanding warrants
subject, however. TO the yet unexpended
appropriations OF the Twenty-seventf
and earlier General Assemblies. Oh
these less than 100000 remained un
drawn at the end of the fiscal term. With
these amounts all expended, there will
remain fully $4,000 to meet the expendi'
lures of the current term.
The treasury is in better condition than
it was two years ago by Sl,OOS,oS0.5o
The surplus of $5S7 ,259.J1 is subject tt
reduction by the special appropriations
yet undrawn of past general assemblies
amounting to less than $100,000. The
auditor of State estimates the receipts
for the current term at $4,o64,20O; and
the expenditures. without any special
appropriations made by the Twenty
eighth General Assembly, at $3,o17, ABB
giving a surplus of receipts for the cur
rent term of $9S6.177. Adding to this
sum the balance of 100000 cash in the
treasury ut the end of the fiscal term in
excess of outstanding demands and un
drawn appropriations, gives fully 200
600, which this General Assembly car
safely appropriate for special purposes.
Iowa has more banks than any Other
State in the Union, and the condition OF
these institutions is very encouraging
At the date of the reports of incorporat,
ed banks nearest the first of October
1897, the bank deposits of Iowa were as
follows:
State and savings banks. Us g, 49l,5 25 81
Private banks testimatedj. =. 5000. 900 ot
Total h .;.;a :; nj. ,a:, .sI 9s sse s.
posits were MS follows:
State and savings banks.....$ sl,4I6.I91 81
Prirote b enhss ,estimated, 49aSsoS9 n
An Increase of over IS per cent. i in two &c
years.
OF the more than S110,0O0,OoO held by
national. State and private banks. inves
tigation convinced me that certainly oyel
one-half is owned by farmers; and the
SOL 100000 on deposit in savings banks
is held almost exclusively by wage earn
ers and people of limited income. I'm
questionably the proportion of unincum
bered farms in the State exceeds that OF
any other period. In addition. the value
Of all agricultural lands and of farm
animals has very materially appreciated
within the last few years.
Under these favorable conditions,
think the Twenty-eighth General Assem-
bly, will be justified in making somewhat
more liberal appropriations than in for
mer years. Great care. however, should
be exercised, for it must be borne in mine
that it is ensier for n State. as well az
for an individual. to incur liability thar
to discharge one.
Board of Control.
The Twenty-seyenth General Assembly
made provision for board of control
which. for nearly two years, has had til.
management of all our State institutions
excepting those purely educational THE
policy thus inaugurated has resulted in q
very considerable saving to the State
and in addition the service at most of the
institutions, | am persuaded, has beer
improved. TO justify the board of con
troll system, it is not necessary to defend
each separate act. or to indorse the pol
icy of the board in every particular. II
errors have been committed, the lessons
taught thereby will not need repeating
Time will strengthen that which is weak
and experience will supply whatever may
be wanting.
The report of the board is so full ant
comprehensive that it will not be neces
sary for me to refer to our several elee
mosynary, penal and reformatory insti
tutions. in detail.
Great care should be exercised tina,
the revenues of the State be not wasted
but while this is true. the unfortunate
inmates of our hospitals for the insane
the institution for the feeble minded. ths
college and the industrial home for thu
blind. the school for the deaf, the sol
diers' orphans home. and especially ths
soldiers home. should be cared for-no
layishly, but literally. The people OF
sures ample food and suitable clothin.
for the inmates of all these institutions
and the employment of teachers, wher,
required, the equal in qualification an,
aptness with those engaged by publ,
school boards to instruct the more fortu
nate. The dominant sentiment of low,
is favorable to good wages. and the Stat,
porations lessons in economy at the ex
pense of labor. All that the people %
the State of Iowa require is 100 cents il
service for each dollar expended, and n,
one need ever expect more The board
Of control will neither sQuander nor reck
lesSly eXpend any appropriation the Gen
eral Assembly may pllre at its disposal
The several institutions under the con
troll of the board have in the aggregat,
Also acres of land, valued at $3OO,S
The buildings thereon are valued at 81.
4S2,I35, and the personal property a
S591, 134.Il, making n total of $3.50,
1877. There were being cared for a
these institutions June 80, 1899, 6,9St
persons.
There was expended during the
period for the support of In
mates $3.50. 80; 22,114,G1s a
and grounds ................ 452,e5s 81
Total expenditures of the
OF the support fund Sl.jis. i28. So was ex
pended the first and s986, 1925 the secont
year of the biennial peried-a difference o
s1s1. 633s5 in favor Of the last year of tn
term.
Public Schools.
The public school System of Iowa ha