The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-17
GOV. CUMMINS NOW
AN IMPRESSIVE INAUGURAL FOR
IOWA'S NEW CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
FIRST ADDRESS IS POINTED
Tariff System Is WrOng-Tax DodS-
ers Are Unworthy Citizens-GOv-
ernment Should Protect
Labor Against Capital.

DIES MONIES, Iowa, Jan. lGr-The in
auguration of Gov. A b. Cummins took
place this afternoon with imposing cere-
monies at the auditorium in the pres
ence of 5000 people. The parade, which
formed at the state house and passed
through the principal streets to the Au-
ditorium, was ecorted by five companies
of this state militia. 1t consisted of the
full membership of the legislature, state
officials, former governors, United States
Senators Allison and Dolliver in car
riages.
At the Auditorium the exercises were
opened by Lieut.. GOV Milliman. Bishop
Morrison of the Episcopal church, de-
livered the invocation and was immedi-
ately followed by the administering of
the oath of Office to Gov. Cummins by
Chief Justice Scott NJ. Laid. The gov
ernor then delivered his inaugural ads
dress.
At the conclusion of his address the
governor was escorted by the members
of the legislature in carriages to the
state house, where he formally took
charge of the Office.
This evening Gov. and Mrs. Cummns
will hold reception at the state house.
In his inaugural address Gov. Cum
minis dwelt at length on the necessity of
radical changes in the tax system; touch
ed upon the need of legislation, rather
than publicity to curtail the growth of
industrial combinations and treated the
lobbyists to severe scoring. He said
that the American people cannot toler-
ate a tariff system which permits the
sale of American goods cheaper abroad
than a t home and advocated legislation
looking to governmental protection for
labor against capital. Touching the tax
system, he said in part:
THE most fragrant defect in the execu-
ton of our taxing law is disclosed in the
escape OF so large part of the personal
property within our jurisdiction from the
has been recently adopted to bring it to
light cannot be said to be permanent in
its character, and eventually some Of
ncer of the county must be entrusted
with the duty that contractors now per-
form. Final relief will come [ believe,
first from the gradual growth of senti-
ment that the tax dodger is an unwor
thy citizen. There ought to be, and will
be, quickened conscience that makes
the duty of the taxpayer much palmer
than it now is and that will command
the truth and sincerity in dealing with
the assessor that is practiced in all other
business matters. / believe further that
there ought to be imposed a reasonable
penalty upon the failure to list taxable
property.
My observation reveals another weak
ness Which may well engage the atten-
uon OF the general assembly A casual
examination of the reports OF the state
board Of review shows that many of the
assessors of Iowa sadly mistake their
duty. 1t is probably true that personal
property fails to bear its just measure
of taxation, partly through the weakness
or the conniVance or both, of assessors;
but the more serious charge to be
brought against them, or some OF them
is their disObedience of the statute which
requires that the true value of property
shall be made the bass of it's assess able
value In my judgment, the compensa-
ton provided for assessors is much too
low, and as is usual when economy of
that kind prevails, many of them do not
earn the meager salary which the Jaw
allows. The effort to make tax1tIon
just and uniform begins with the assess
or, and the general assembly cannot rem
DER a greater service to the state than
by diligently inquiring whether there is
any method of selecting assessors shat
will be likely to yield better results than
are now before u.s.