The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-01-17

the board of review to adjust the assess
ment of all property at the same time, and
1T suggests the following ways in, which
this may be done: Either the railroads
might be assessed primarily by the rail-
road commissioners (who, in view of their
duties should be the better prepared than
any one else to judge of the relative value
of the several roads,, and then the execu-
tive council adjust all assessments at the
July meeting; or the time of assessing
railroads, if left with the executive coun-
Gil, 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
purpose of escaping responsibility, but
in view of the fact that the present law
requires the executive council to as
sess railroads annually in the month
OF March and equalize the assessment
OF all other property in July follow
ing. 1t does not contemplate a reyi-
sion of the railroad assessment al
ready made. The following illustra-
lions will, l think, justify the recon-
mendation. In March, 1899, the rail
roads were assessed at slight in
crease over the figures of any previous
year, but in July following it was
found that real estate had been as
sessed $22,ooo,ooo less than two years
before. In March, 1901, while the rail
roads were assessed $4,000 900 higher
than in 1899, in July it was found that
real estate had been assessed $14 ,OOO,-
600 higher than in 1899
The Parole System.
The Twenty-eighth general assembly
provided for the employment of a pa
role clerk in the office of the chief ex-
ecutive. This action I have inter-
preted as legislative approval of the
policy which has grown up IN the
state of granting conditional par
dons; and by reason of this addition
al assistance l have been able to in
vestigate to some extent the work
ings of the parole system.
During the ten years prior to the
commencement of my administration,
in addition to full pardons and com
mutations of sentence, 1874 convicts
had been released conditionally, most
of them in the very recent past. OF
this number eight had been returned
under revocations, and / have re-
turned one more. The remainder
have been investigated, and their
whereabouts, their conduct and their
standing have been very carefully in
quired into. Very favorable and sat
isfactory reports have been received
from SO, and to these have granted
full and unconditional pardons and
restoration to citizenship. The term
for which six others were commit
ted has not yet expired. Eleven are
dead or insane. Only meager reports,
not sufficient to justify action, were
received from IA. / have been unable
to locate or get any reports from 2s.
1t does not follow, however, that all
of these are leading vicious lives. The
reports received from the so and more
to whom full pardon has been grant
ed were most gratifying. Several
wrote using letter heads that bore
their names. Others We're holding re-
sponsible and trusted positions with
prominent business houses and indus
trial corporations. One was the in
cumbent of an official position of
trust and responsibility in New
England city of more than 100000 in
habitants. Many We're reported to
have become industrious citizens, and
to have won the full confidence
and esteem of the communities in
which they reside.
Very few pardons and less commu
tations have been granted during the
past biennium; but, encouraged by
the action of the legislature, 1 have
been quite liberal in granting pa
roles; and have released 2O1 on con-
ditions more or less exacting. Suit
able employment has usually been Sc
cured before the release, and the pa
role has been upon condition that the
recipient employ his time industri-
ously, spend his evenings at home,
absent himself from all places where
Intoxicating liquors are sold or kept
for sale, and report every 80 days to
this office the amount earned and the
disposition thereof. In addition l
have number OF benevolently dis
posed persons in each county who,
unbcknown' to others, watch the con-
duct Of paroled prisoners, and report
their conduct to this office. The re-
suit in most instances has been very
50 tisfactory. OF the 20l paroled, un-
favorable reports have been received
from 81, and they have been returned
to serve out the uneXpired portions
Of their sentences. The present
whereabouts Of Is others is unknown.
Most of these had but few months
of their terms remaining, and they
were released in the hope that the
conditions imposed and the system of
surveillance inaugurated might have
helpful influence. The remaining
155 are doing reasonably well, and
many of them eXcellently. Some OF
them, however, if they should chance
to be thrown out of employment
would very likely lapse into vice. a
volume could be written that would