The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
NEW YEARS EDITION. 1902.


600. This with the $1,000 for rental of
the plant makes over $4,000. During
the last three years nearly $1,000 has
been paid into the state treasury for
convict labor, making about $4,000
which the Lowenberg & Going 90. has
paid into the treasury for all purposes
the past three years. The taxpayers
can hardly ask for better business
management than this.
The Geer administration has put the
management Of the state school land
funds on higher plane OF efficiency
than ever before. A system Of promptly
collecting interest on the irreducible
school fund was inaugurated at the be-
ginning Of Treasurer Moore's term that
has resulted In marked improvement.
One Of the most difficult things in the
management Of the school fund is to pre-
vent delinqueucies in the collection OF
interest. The borrowers are situated In
every county of the state and many of
them in remote districts. Many are
inclined to regard the state as their
easiest creditor, with which they can
settle last. On the first Of January,
1899, there was about ten percent OF the
interest fund delinquent from one to ten
years. At the present there is less than
one per cent. due, and the interest on
every note in the state treasury, except
ing only about twenty, is paid up TO
some time in the year 1900. Compared
to the same kind OF collections in pri-
vate institutions, it would be hard to
find better business management than
this. The entire service in the state
school land department has been i'm
proved, as IL is only natural and proper
that it should be with the development
of the state and the experience gained
by successive administrations. Prior to
the year 1899 the duties of the state land
agent were confined to the selection OF
lieu lands. The retiring agent reported
to the legislature Of that year that there
was no more land to select in quantities
that would justify the continuance OF
his Office for that purpose. But for
many years there has been no one
specifically designated to look after the
farms which bad become the state pro-
perty through foreclosures, or to lock
for purchasers, or to find renters and
collect the rents. For this purpose the
Office vas continued with the intention
OF having some one look after these ad-
ditional duties. At that time the state
owned A farms. During the succeeding
two years there were 100 foreclosures,
and 92 farms sold for $lSs 900 which had
cost the state $l65,OOO, and 200 had
also been collected for rent. During the
present year there have been S6 toreclos-
ures, and "A farms sold, leaving l0S on
hand. The farms are practically all
rented and the rents are collected prom
pity, which in addition to the Gales
makes the state land agent very busy
officer. The states farms are all for sale
and since the average money lender who
is compelled TO foreclose farms foI
security, seldom does so without loss
the record of the state land agent in the
matter OF sales lie worthy OF considera-
tion. The state land board has adopted
very strict and careful system Of inves
tigation in every instance before makinG
loans and the general character Of loanI
has been improved for the past thre'
years.
There has been reduction in the run
= ming OK xpenses OF nearly all of the stat,
institutions. The state reform school an
) nual expenses have been kept down t,
the economical standard maintained b.
the preceding administration. All sup
= plies are now required to be purchased
0 Of the lowest bidder here as in ever
l department of the state. The industris
Y and educational work have been extend
8 ed and the general health OF the boy
y improved. Like the penitentiary it ha
q been placed under good business man
y agement. The same has been done viii
7 the Soldiers home at Roseburg. Unit
a the beginning OF the present administra
0 tiOn the management was under boar
1 Of trustees. The fact that there wa
a more or less strife existing there wa
Q not allowed to drop out Of the mind q
IL -