The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1901-01-12
Retiring South Dakota Executive
Urges Reforms in System
Of Taxation.
CORPORATIONS SHOULD PAY MORE
Railroads, Telegraph, Telephone and En-
press Companies Not Bearing Their
just Share of ~Burden-some
Sharp Criticism.


was as follows:
In compliance with constitutional re.
quiremcnts I have the honor to submit
to the representatives of the people my
third biennlal message. During the past
two years there has been no occurrence
of unusual moment to disturb the tran
guilty of the state. The seasons have
been fruitful and the people have so far
giles to the physical conditions of the
country that the loss Of one or two crops
car no longer result in distress and en-
strongly in our direction. the late census
showing an increase in our population
of "a per cent. during the decade. This In
crease of population represents a steady,
permanent growth. 1t represents a solid
acquisition of solid people who awe come
mere because they know the value of the
state as q place to make homes and are
fully advised concerning the best means
to that end. The public health has been
good; the public peace has been undis-
turbed: the education OF sthe youth has
gone on apace, stimulated by a school
fund whose total has reached SO. 81, a2G. 16,
and. which Is now annually contributing
an income to the support Of our common
schools aggregating over s2oO, 600. Phys
lcally speaking our people have much for
congratulation. So fer as their w ef-
forts and a kind providence are con.
cerned they have prosnered greatly. But
the movement of civilization is not back
ward; 1t Is forward, and it is to the
questions of tomorrow the representa-
u. lNol'V ltoit -aN = NhiSh
selves, faithfully seeking the path which
VIII most, certainly and speedily lead to
the moral and material advancement of
those they have the high honor to rep
resent.
Appropriations and Revenue.
So long as the present system of tax
alton prevails the question of revenue
We are forced to build our state institu-
tons with "A Wow to the ever Increasing
demands of this young and growing state,
and expenditures have more than kept
pace win, the increase in property here
tofore subjected to taxation. AS n con-
sequence we have been borrowing next
years revenues and paying interest upon
them to meet this years expenses. The
heads of the various public Institutions
are asking for appropriations which will
is greater than the total expense OF main
tanning the state during any previous bi,
ennial period prior to 1899. The auditor
advises that we may expect q deficit be-
July l, 1901, amounting to from $50, 600 to
S20C, COO. To meet this large deficit three
ways are open.
J. Register warrants at q high rate of
interest and take them up as rapidly as
the incoming revenues Will permit.
g Issue bonds which. while lower in i'm
mediate Interest rates, are %costlier In the
end than registering warrants.
3. The most business-like way is to tax
all the property of the state in an equita-
Bile manner instead of allowing railroad.
telegraph, telephone, express and mining
Interests TO escape their just burdens OF
taxation because they have passes and
the board of equalization and assessment,
or because they are supposed to influence
the votes of employees in return for OFF,
cial favors. The state board Of equaliza-
ton and assessment pretended to raise
the railroad valuations in 1899 and 1900,
but the increased valuation placed upon
other forms OF property held by the peo-
pie was SO great that the railroad COM
pailes paid actually less money into the
state treasury than they had previously
done with smaller valuations. To avoid
the undue influences of the railroads on
the board of equalization and assessment
a.law should be enacted giving the w
rious counties in which such properties
lie. 1t is much easier to influence the as
and valuations when made by
q few men than where they are made
by assessors of the various counties who
IRE elected by the people for the sole
duty OF assessing property for taxation.
There are millions of dollars Of mining
property In this state exempt from AIDE.
quate taxation.
also recommend that the telegraph
and telephone companies be placed I'M
der the supervision of the railroad com
mission and that the commission be
given power to regulate rates charged
Tho tariffs of the TELEPHONE companies
are outrageously high: the rates charged
amount to more each year than the cost
OF construction and operation. Measure s
should be taken to insure the Use Of the
telephones at reasonable CHI. ges made
according to distance talked A reduc-
ton OF more b 30 Der cent. ca1l he
made without danger of q tr1erai court
holding 1t confiscatton OF prcr,1ty The
state ought to buy up the present teic-
phone lines or build and ts1e:i lie rs own.
Such a measure Is p~actic tnle ard would
forever settle telephone and telegraph
charges within the state.
Penal and Charitable Institutions.
The penal and charitable institutions
or the state are IN better cOp1ffjpD thu
they have ever been. The Institutions
We're received by the present board Of
the spring and summer of 1899. Attic
hospital for the insane everything posi-
BILE was done TO delay the transfer and
ployes to embarrass the new superintend-
ent and his chiefs, The public
made an exhaustive report upon the con-
had never been an invoice taken of the
property. Wian the former sunerintend-
ent, DIR. Meade, retired from manage
ment he took with him an enormous as
sortmcnt of household goods which he
claimed as his own ana which could not
be identified as belonging to the state be-
erty had ever been kept.
In this institution it had not been the
nolley 60 Keep an accurate set of books.
rely in making his Investigations upon
vouchers on file. 1t was found that ex-
cessive prices had been paid for almost
eve bought, but there was no
been credited to the state. 1t is bv ofH.
ciai collusion with favored bidders that
the state pays high prices on its pur-
an opportunity to share in profits made
by those who supply the merchandise re-
fGult to remedy such things by statute.
The employment of public servants pos
sessinS civic virtue is the only known
method Of protecting the state treasury
.IIOII III 1T1lI1tpG sLH
During the past two years the hospital
mas undergone many necessary improve
which the last legislature made an appro-
priation of $35, 900 is we'll under way. the
walls now being two stories above the
The building has been well
While the legislature appropriated only
$So. 600 for this building the plans drawn
bga ~ tne "a are 9 and accepted by the
and this estimate was evidently without
including plumbing and fittings. II any
wrong was In this connection
which purposscly laid out work which, 1t
could plainly be seen, would require
twice az p,urh money as was available.
One peculiar feature of the contracts
ior the construction Of these buildings
IS that they were all let to be built dur
ing one season; 1t seems that the old
governing board was anxious to let all
the contracts and eSpend as much Of the
money as possible before theis successors
HoiiiCc Snoulu enter upOn their duties,
Why they should do so can better be
surinised than explained.
The present population of the institu-
ton IS 5l5, a gain of 30 during the last
two years. Applications are Constantly
being made Which tax it's capacity 10 the
In this connection 1T seems to me. that
the money levied for insane purposes
upon the various counties having in
mates should be appropriated for the in
sane and that the legislature does n
wrong In Withholding it or employing the
laIids Tor any other purpose. If the
present per capita charges are too high
the counties should be given the benefit
of a reduction.
The northern hospital at Redield has
been completed during the last year and
awaits an appropriation for furnishing.
water, barns and maintenance, II is On.
paDie OF caring for about fifty patients.
ana Is enc of the bestxand most bea,1tf-
1ui OF all the state buildings. There nre
said to be enough fecble-mindcd children!
IN the state to fully occupy the building
and there is an urgent necessity that it
De opened as soon as practicable.
Reform, School Needed Reforming,
the management of The reform school
under z. w. AilsWorth lacked in business
sense or common honesty, or both. His
inethods OF discipline We're better adapted
times.
Young people have had no reason
10 complain of their treatment by Slper.
intendent T~ompkins. whose conduct OF
Il ne - 4 nCt u 80 No. - - T@-