The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-01-16

tuueu AT an adequate salary, to be chosen
Ill the same manner as city superintcndents,
ana with analogous duties and responsible
ities 1t would revontionze our school sys
TEN for good. The salary should be fixed
Nv law or the position would be let to the
lowest bidder. as our rural schools largely
are at present. 1t is feared that some of
the teachers have little else to commend
them than kinsllip to the director. Nepotism
| Is generally condoned If the compensation
is low enough. Neither can very much be
expected of u county superintendency I'M.
der Il system that invites considerations of
availability only. If these changes We're
maize. some or you gentlemen might not be
returned; but , You C can afford to sacrifice
serve and save the youth of Iowa. They
Will have no committee on legislation. 9th.
Hou % be appsS
cyl so manifest Is the resultant of wave
of sentiment that has in comparatively re-
cent years RS, created the impression that econ
The Twenty eighth General assembly au.
| thoriZcd the creation of commission to in
vestigate and recommend such improvement
of the capitol and other property of the
state connected Herewith, including deco
rations. works of art, electric lighting. and
burglar alarms, as in the, opinion of the
commission would place the capitol build
Ing in state of perfect repair and equip
the same with modern Improvements. In
obedience 9i to this provision, Hon. Peter A:
DeI. VINO was Il member of the original
capltol commission and who bore Il con-
ssplcuons part in erecting the present cdi-
nee: Prof 1h Chas. Cummins. an artist of
more than state reputation; and Henry S.
Josselyn. learned and practical architect
were selected. Their report is on file, and
Is g"mmended to Your careful perusa and
recoinmends the expenditure in the aggre-
gate of S230.ooo ! think it should all be
provided pr, VII for at one time, but it need not
an ne made available in one year. l think it
Would be unMise to mutilate the recon-
mendations. The commission went very
thoroughly into the subject and consulted
In f,n "a
Is doubtful If its conclusions can be hastily
improved upon. The whole scheme has
been carefully wrought out, Those com
petent to judge believe the result will be
most satisfactory. The capitol is consider
ed the third best in the country. and it's
a a, makes possible more artls-
membercd that the original commission was
suddenly amid unceremoniously discharged
hetore the contemplated work was complet
ed. AS result. for nearly the fifth of
century, visitors have stood on the outside
of the building in great admiration but
nave entered 1t only to be shocked Mt bare
mendation of this commission with refer
ence to an electric lighting plant is csre-
cially lndorsed rs matter of economy.
portant. In the same connection, suggest
that an artesian well be bored mt the pow
er house. the expense of which can be
nearly, if not wholly saved in one hien
mum.
The members of this commission have
performed their duties so thoroughly and
have so periodically given their time to tie
work, that recommend that they be re.
imbursed for the expenses incurred in ex-
cess of the amount allowed by the act Gre
atlnS the commission.
The centennial of the purchase and cos
sion to the United States in 1903 of the
larger portion of our national domain west
of the Missouri river is to he commemoratcd
by what promises to be the most extensive
exposition the world has vet seeu. With
your honorable body rests the responsibility
n tits event. Wisely: this state contributed
little 10 the Trans Mississippi exposition in
l l; nothing TN to the Pan American exposi-
tiGm in ls9l. y and n9thng to the South Car
is now in progress. But | am of the onn-
ion that the people of this commonwealth
VIII approve such provision for the Louis
lana Purchase Centennial exposition as will
leave no doubt in the minds of visitors that
IOWA constitutes an important part of that
priceless PR acquisition. Something worthy of
the state, or nothing, should be our motto
Certainly there. ought not to be created a
commission with such limited means as to
belle our prosperity and libel our resources
The government has recently established
a National Park ut Vicksburg. and the
Twenty eight General assembly authorized
a commission to lcate the position of tile
thirtX-tWo Iowa regiments and other organ
Zations which took part in that memorable
siege. and to recommend such legislation as
snail suitably and permanently mark the
positions thus ascertained and worthily
commemorate the valor and services of
Iowa soldiers in the campaign and seye of
Nl;cksDurg This commission was duly ~:
pointed and has filed it's report, which Is
submitted to your honorable body with the
that it be published In
suitable form for distribution. The commits
sion recommends the appropriation of $50.
WjO for the erection of suitable Monuments
am of the opinion this amount is not on
cesSlve. A larger proportion of Iowa troops
battle or siege. and numerically more sol
chefS from Iowa were there engaged than
from any other state save Illinois. Visitors
ought never 70 leave this park doubling
either the patriotism of Iowa soldiers or the
appreciation of Iowa people. The Light
81 In the famous charge at Balaklpva
immortaliZed their valor. The Twentv-scc.
ond Iowa in a single charge at vicksburs
;ost eishty-two per cent, several other reg.
the privilege of the Twenty.ni General
assembly to permanently commemorate both
their valor anu their awful sacrifice.
i am still of the opinion that the salary
Of the chief executive of this state ought to
DC be Increased. A bill fixing the salary at
tys-eighth General assembly, but for wan,
OF time failed to pass the senate. Salaries
OF an :, state officers are very low. They
were much lighter than at present
In former years the bond of the treasurer
81 81. state was S30OGoO. This. through the
mas been recently increased to $SOO,OOO For
more than six months the balance in tie
ttreasurGr's bond ought to be approximately
large am also of the, opinion that this
hond should be furnished at the expense of
the state. The market value of the bond
now furnished by the state treasurer is
H4.ooO per annum. The present treasurer
;a.settnally paid $l,5OO in cash for his bond Of
S3WooHO The proposition on final analysis
resolves Itself thus: The state treasurer if
ms bond Shall remain at $SO0OOO must p;N
sl.Su per annum in excess of his salary
or he must secure by subscription among
his friends that which is purchasahle in the
mi, ! think similar provisions should
be made with respect to all bonds required
of public officers
In view of the large treasury balance
much OF the time, recommend that pro
vision be made whereby the state may re-
ceive interest on at least the greater nor
tion. and ! am gratitied that the treasurer
joins In this opinion and Recommendation.
The executive council, sitting as a board
of equalization In July of last year passed
the following resolution:
The executive council recommends to the
general assembly such modification of the
statutes of the state as will allow the board
of review to adjust the assessment of all
property at the same time, and 1t suggests
the following ways in which this may be
done. Either the railroads might be as
scssed primarily by the railrond commits
,ip (yl,o In, VI 81,