Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-29
STATE WARDS GET GOOD CARE
State Board Pays Visit to Feeble Minded
and School for the Deaf.
BOOKS At BEATRICE ARE IN BAD SHAPE
Trouble g. n Relic Of the Fusion
Regime and Not the Present, and
VIII Require an Expert to
straIEhten Them Out.
CFrom a STAFF Correspondent)

-
From a stan Correspondent)
LINCOLN, April 2s.-(Special.) The
State Board visited the Institute for the
Feeble Minded at Beatrice last Friday and
found the affairs OF the Institution In a
most satisfactory condition, although there
was still abundant evidence Of the neglect
and waste for which the last administra-
tion was responsible. An instance OF this
is the bad condition Of the books, and It is
probable that the board will authorize the
employment Of an expert to strsighten out
the accounts.
There Is now on hand at the institution
over 81, 200 In state warrants issued while
Lang was in charge, and which the officers
are unable TO D. to use on account OF the
deplorable conu4tion Of the books. The
warrants seem to have been secured on ac-
count OF the per capita expense money paid
in by the counties, but It will take an
expert to find which is the proper account.
Some Of the warrants are included in the
last call made by the state treasurer.
Some Of the state officials have also Just
recently visited the Institute for the Deaf
and Dumb at Omaha. and the report OF is
management under the present officials is
as fattering as that from Beatrice. Auditor
Weston said today: Il am not a member
of the board, but l was one of those who
visited the Omaha institution, and l wan.
20 say that things could not be in finer
shape. Everything Is neat and clean, ano
among the inmates, pupils and employees
there is an air Of co~ntentmeut. There Is.
however, great need of repairs in the old
building, and no fund available at this time
Tor that purpose. The school building
which was built recently is in good con-
dition."
General Tax Reform Needed.
Discussing today the coming meeting OF
the State Board OF Equalization a prom
inent republican said: What we need
more than a raise in the valuation of any
certain species Of property is a general re-
form In the methods of assessment and an
enlargement Of the powers Of the State
Board OF Equalization. At the present time
the powers Of the board are limited, and
the so-called equalization is a farce. For
instance, one county with so. 900 head OF
cattle values them for assessment purposes
at " per head. An adjoining county pos.
sibly fixes the rate at Sc or $40 per heao
In some counties land is valued at one
third actual value and in others at one,
tenth. There seems to be a total lack OF
system and the State Board is helpless to
provide the remedy.
Take fof instance the assessment of cat
tie the state over. In 1893 the total assess
ment on this property was the highest II
has ever been. 1t was u per cent lower
last year than in 1898, although there were
100000 more cattle returned for assessment
and the actual value of cattle was much
greater than in 1898. as those who have
purchased meat are willing to certify. II
more revenue must be raised, and It is evil
dent that the state must have more-then
LOT nG haUa n no,r Io-- -
valuation OF all property"
state OniciaIs to Attend Funeral.
All of the state officials who are in the
city will go TO Nebraska City "wednesday
forenoon TO attend the funeral of ]. ster-
ing Morton, II Is probable that the Office
OF secretary Of state, where Morton once
served VIII be closed during the afternoon.
and possibly others OF the offices will also
close, Quite a large party OF prominent
citizens and old settlers will
the party to Nebraska City.
Articles OF incorporation for the Provi-
dent Land Investment company were fled
with the secretary OF state today. The
authorized capital stock Is 500, 900, and
the business to be conducted is a real es-
tate and loan business. The incorporators
are c. M. Chittenden and o. H. Davidson.
The application for a charter for the new
bank at Decatur, Burt county, has been ap-
proved.
State Treasurer Stuefer is detained at his
home West Point by the illness OF Mrs.
Stuefer.
Norris Brown, deputy attorney general, is
sick at his home at Kearney. While he has
been In bed for Ave or six days, It is not
apprehended that his illness is likely to
De serious.
]. r. Buchanan Of the Fremont road, ac-
ocmpanied by John A. Kuhn and r. w. Nc
Ginnis OF the same company, took luncheon
at the Commercial club today. Governor
Savage and Secretary Of State Marsh were
also Of the party at luncheon.
Western Teachers In Earnest.
State superintendent Fowler has Just re-
turned from a trip to Sidney and ogaIlala.
At the latter place he attended the meet
ing OF teachers. several of the adjoining
counties taking part in a union association
Mr.. Fowler says Of them; THE western
teachers may be deficient in the matter OF
fine furniture and apparatus for their school
rooms, but they make 1t up in earnestness,
so that they do not take second place 10
the teachers OF the more favored counties.
They make the association meetings bright
and interesting"
There Is a general movement in LAncas-
ter county toward a change in the primary
system. the tendency being toward some
thing like the Lincoln system which is In
use In the city nominations. The principa