Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-14

| valor. The Twenty-Second Iowa IN
single charge at Vicksburg lost 81 pei
cent Several other regiments during tbs
| siege lost from so to over 20 per cent.
and it will now be the privilege of the
Twenty ninth general assembly to per-
manently commemorate both their valoi
and their awful sacrifice.
| SALARIES.
| ] am still of the opinion that the salary
CT the chief executive of this state ought
to be increased. A bill fixing the salary
at $4,000 passed the lower house of the
Twenty eighth general assembly, but
for want of time failed to pass the SEN
! ate. Salaries of all state officers are
very low. They We're fixed at time
when living expenses were much lighter
| than at present.
| OFFICIAL BONDS.
| In former years the bond of the treas
urer of state was 100000. This, thru the
discretion lodged with the chief execu-
| tive has been recently increased to $780,
600. For more than six months the bal
ance in the treasury of the state has
exceeded s1.000,00O, and / am of the opin-
ion that the treasurer's bond ought to be
approximately large. l am also of the
|
nished at the expense of the state. The
market value of the bond now furnished
by the state treasurer is $4,000 per an
| rum. The present treasurer actually
paid $1,000 in cash for his bond of $780,
600. The proposition on final anlysis re-
solves itself thus: The state treasurer,
II his bond shall remain at 100000, must
pay $500 per annum in excess of his
salary, or he must secure by subserip-
ton among his friends that which is
purchasable in the market. think SINH
lar provisions should be made with re-
spect to all bonds required Of public Of
ficers.
INTEREST ON FUNDS.
In view of the large treasury balance
much of the time, ! recommend that
provision be made whereby the state
may receive interest on at least the
greater portion, and I am gratified that
the treasurer joins in this opinion and
recommendation.
EQUALIZATION OF ASSESSMENTS.
The executive council, sitting as a
board of equalization in July OF last
year, passed the following resolution:
1.-THE executive council recommends to
the general assembly such modii1ca-
ton of the statutes of the state as will
slow the board of review to adjust the
assessment of all property at the same
time, and it suggests the following ways
in which this may be done: Either the
railroads might be assessed primarily
by the railroad commissioners (who, In
view of their duties should be the better
prepared than any any one else to judge
OF the relative value of the seVera.
roads,, and then the executive council
adjust all assessments at the July meet
ing; or the time of assessing railroads,
If left with the executive council, might
be changed from March to July. so that
the whole subject should be before the
council for adjustment at the time.
This action was not taken for the pur-
pose of escaping responsibility, but in
view of the fact that the present law
requires the executive council to assess
railroads annually in the month OF
March and equalize the assessment OF
all other property in July following. 1t
does not contemplate revision of the
railroad assessment already made. The
following illustrations will, / think, JUS
tify the recommendation. In March, 1899,
the railroads We're assessed at slight
Increase over the figures of any previous
year, but in July following 1t was found
that real estate had been assessed S22.-
000,0 600 less than two years before. In
March, 1901 while the railroads We're as
sessed $2,500000 higher than in In 1899,
in July it was found that real estate had
been assessed $14,000,000 higher than in
1899
THE PAROLE SYSTEM.
The Twenty-eighth general assembly
provided for the employment of parole
clerk in the office of the chief executive
This action have interpreted as legisla-
tive approval of the policy which has
grown up in the state of granting condi-
tional pardons; and by reason of this
additional assistance have been able
to investigate to some extent the prac
teal workings of the parole system.
l think additional legislation should
the parole system with specific re-
strictions l think the chief executive
should have absolute authority to re-
lease at pleasure any one charged with
a less offense than murder in the first
degree, and to return him to the peni-
tertiary at his discretion. The statua
tory provision for shortening the term
because of good conduct should be so
amended as to permit the governor to
declare the same forfeited in case the
conduct OF the prisoner when on parole
is not satisfactory Each case is dis
tinct from all others, and plan can be
formulated with sufficient elasticity toll
meet the requirements of changed and
ever changing conditions. Under stat
utory provisions, as distinguished from
free exercise of an unrestrained discre-
ton, it is as easy for the intentionally
vicious to earn release as for those of
honorable and Yirtuous instincts. /
have paroled several before they have
even seen the penitentlary. This have
not done, however, except upon the rec
concentration of the trial judge and the
county attorney who prosecuted. There
are two quite distinct classes of Grim
inals; the one deliberately and perma-
nently vicious, the other to some ex-
tent the creature of circumstances, and
no law can be made that Will enable a
chief executive or pardon board to
wisely. Mistakes will be
made at best, but on the whole believe
in the greatest possible discretion. and
the free exercise thereof. / have re-
turned several to the penitentiary be-
cause their early education was neg
lected. They had never been taught to
work, and when released would not
seek or accept employment. They are
now in the tool factory at Fort Madison
acquiring what they should have been