Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-01-23

nlendations. The commission went very
thoroughly into the subject and consulted
Is doubtful IL 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 its
architecture makes possible more arts
membered that the original commission was
suddenly amid uneeremoniously discharged
before the contemplated work was complet-
ed. As result for nearly the fifth Of n
century, visitors have stood on the outside
OF the building In great admiration, but
have entered 1t only to be shocked at bare
walls and unfinished corridors. The recon-
mendation of this commission with refer
enee TO- ,, an electric lighting plant Is esne.
'ah he naf%s Is Hso @
that an artesian well be bored at the pow
err house. the EXPENSE of which can be
nearly, IL not wholly, saved in Que blen.
MUM.
The members Of this commission have
performed their duties so thoroughly apd
nave so patriotically given their time to the
work, that ] recommend that they be re-
imbursed for the expenses incurred in ex-
cess Of the amount allowed by the act ere
atng the commission.
The centennial Of the purchase and ces-
sion to the United States In 1903 Of the
larger portion of our national domain west
or the Missouri river Is to he commenorated
exposition the world has yet seen. With
your honorable body rests the responsibility
Of determining , the part Iowa shall take
ISIS, nothing 10 lie Fan RpneSia expos
tion In 1901, and nothing to the South Car.
DINA ana West Indian exposition which
! Is now In progress. But am of the opin-
Ion that the people Of this commonwealth
VIII approve such provision for the Louis
lana Purchase Centennial exposition as will
N N 1flh In IA mir NJ via tnrc hat
Iowa constitutes an important part of that
priceless acquisition. Something worthy Of
the stste. or nothing, should be our motto.
commission with such limited means as to
belle our prosperity and libel our resources.
The government has recently established
National Park at Vicksburg, and the
Twenty eight General assembly authorized
commission to lcate the position of the
thirty-two Iowa regiments and other organ.
izations which took part In that memorable
| siege, and to recommend such legislation as
shah suitably and permanently mark the
positions thus ascertaned and worthily
commemorate the val0r and services of
| Iowa soldiers In the campaign and Siege Of
Vicksburg. This commission was duly ~,
| pointed and has filed Its report, which Is
| submitted to your honorable body with the
| Recommendation that II be published In
suitable form for distribution. The commits
sion recommends the appropriation of $780,
OOO FOR the erection Of suitable monuments.
! am of the opinion this amount Is not ex-
| cessive. A larger proportion of Iowa troops
took part In this siege than IN any other
battle or siege, and numerically more sol
diers from Iowa were there engaged than
| from any other state save Illinois. Visitors
ought never 10 leave this park doubling
| either the patriotism of Iowa soldiers or the
| appreciation OF Iowa people. The Light
| Brigade in the famous charge at Balaklpva
lost sixty-three per cent. and Tennyson has
| immortallZed their vnlor. The Twenty-sec
| ond Iowa In n single charge at yicksburg
| lost eighty two per cent, several other reg
iments during the Siege lost from fifty to
/ ANA nj nan "A L.
| the privilege OF the Twenty ninth General
assembly TO permanently commemorate both
| their valor and their awful sacrifice.
| am still of the opinion that the salary
| of the chief executive of this state ought to
| be increased A bill fixing the salary at
5000 passed the lower house of the Tween
of time failed 10 pass the senate. Salaries
OF all state officers are very low They
were fixed at time when living expenses
We're much lighter than at present
| In former years the bond Of the treasurer
Of state was S300,OOO. This through the
discretion lodged with the chief executive,
more than six months the balance In the
| treasurers bond ought to be Approximately
large. am also OF the opinion that this
bond should be furnished at the expense OF
the state. The market value OF the bond
now furnished by the state treasurer Is
$4,000 per annuin. The present treasurer
actually paid 81 800 In cash for his bond of
$SO0;Oo0. The proposition on final analy sis
1 resolves Itself thus: The state treasurer II
4 his bond shall remain at $S00000 must pf 4
$3.50 per annum In excess of his salary,
For he must secure by subscription among
| his friends that which Is purcha sable In the
market, ! think similar provisions should
be made with respect to all bonds required
| In view Of the large treasury balance
| much OF the time, ! recommend that pro-
vision he made whereby the state may re-
| ceive interest on at least the greater Dor
ton. and ! am gratiied that the treasurer
| Joins In this opinion and recommendations
The executive council, sitting as a board
| of equalization in July OF last year. passed
4 the following resolution:
Il The executive council recommends to the
general assembly such a modification of the
Of review TO adjust the assessment OF all
property at the same time. and Ii suggests
II he following ways In which this may be
'one:. Either the, railroads might be as
N ksed primarily by the railroad commits
II ners twho, In view Of their duties should
INAthe better prepared than any one else
vNudge Of the relative value Of the several
Ns). and then the executive council ad-
n all assessments at the July meeting;
| - the time of assessing railroads. IL left
XNs the executive council. might be
| ekSsged from March to July, SO that the
| wvNte subject should be before the council
fol adjustment at the time"
N > action was not taken for the purpose
of eaping responsibility, but In view OF
thek Yet that the present law requires the
| executive council to assess railroads an
| nuAlly Mn the month of March and equalize
4 tud NeoShitht All pTpptTtN III
Jun following. II does not contemplate a
| revtiont of the railroad assessment already
mad The following Illustrations will. |
thinl, Justify the recommendation. In
Mardh 1899, the railroads were assessed at
l slilht Increase over the figures Of any
tpreylpns year. but In July following 1t was
Ifaund that real estate had been assessed
So. 0Op 900 less than two years before. In
March,. I.0l. while the railroads were as
sessed Zoo higher than In 1899, In
July II vas found that real estate had been
Il n Nt4 biuhar than In
The twenty eighth general assembly pro-
vided Or tile employment of parole clerk
in the otice Of the chief executive. This
pross ~ poy witch has sroWn up n
the stale OF granting conditional pardons;
and by teastn of this additional assistance
hive ileen able to Investigate to some ex-
tent thel practical workings of the parole
Duringl the ten years prior to the com
mencemelt of my administration, In addi-
sentence, l34 eonvicts had been released
conditionally, most of them In the very re-
cent past. OF this number eight had been
rs!urned Under reyesstionss aud 4 have re-
Iinvesugated. and their Whereabouts. their
conduct, and sheir standing. havs been care
fully inquired lntp. Very favorable and sat
Isnftysthree and to these have granted full
and uncondl tional pardon and restoration
to citizenship. The term for which six
others were committed has not yet expired.
| Eleven are dead or insane. Only meagyi'
| reports, not sufficient TO Justify action,
were secured from thirteen. Unsatisfactory
| reports were received from fourteen. l have
j been unable TO locate or get any reports
4 from twenty-eight.tg IA. does not follow,
/ Tvitiosis lives Tie seports received from
4 the ffty and u,ore to whom full pardon has
4 ocen granted were most gratifying Several
wrote asing slettef- hends that bore their
| trusted position with prominent business
| houses and industrial corporations. One
was the incumbent ef an official position of
| trust and responsibility In New England
city of more ohan 100000 Inhabitants.
| Many were repdrted to have become In
dustrious citizent. aud to have won the
nnnlties In whi3h they reside.