The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-01-08
THE FINANCES ARE IN GOOD SHAPt
BONDED INDEBTEDNESS IS RE-
pUcED s1ss,OOo DURING THE
PAST YEAR.
IS FULL OF RECOMMENDATIONS
VARIOUS %eTTERs'GPoN WHICH
SoLoNs ARE uRGE0tTo
PONDER.

The following is a synopsis of the mes
sage Of GOV. herreid:
The message opens with a reference TO
the deaths Of Senator Kyle, Attorney Cen
eral Oyle and Judge Washabaugh, and
speaks Of their public services III terms
OF highest cOmmendation.
The first two years of the century have
been a period Of cOntentment and happi-
ness IL has been a period OF wonderful
growth and unriyaled prosperity; All m
dustrial and commercial energies nave
iiourished under most favorable condi-
tions
In the appointment of officers for the
various positions the governor says ne
has constantly endeavOred TO enforce the
doctrine that the offices were not created
for the benefit OF any individual or class
of individuals. and that when an officer
failed 10 measure up to the requirements
Of his position he had to get out.
The States Finances.
The governor goes exhaustiv,Iy into the
question of the states tna .'es Inc
bonded indebtedness was reduced SlS1,uUO
during the last year BY payne ~ OF Slj0,-
600, in bonds before maturity the state
saved $4,000 in interest. The remaining
bonded indebtedness of the state IS SOIL
500.
The legislature which convened Jan. S,
1901, was confronted with variety OF
deficiencies and claims against the state
created by the various boards that had
been administering the AHA - OF the
state. Seventeen different claims required
appropriations aggregatiug tie sum OF
SOS, 3SG.OS. In addition to this startling
array Of deficiencies, the legislt lure found
II necessary to appropriate for new build
ings for state institutions and permanent
improvements the sum Of $500, making
a grand total for deficiencies. new build
mgs and improvements, OF sos ij6.OS. Be
sides this extraordinary expo Editure 81
over quarter of million dollars, there
was an increased demand, as there neCes-
saFily must be an increasing dc mand upon
the treasury on account or increasing
population and development OF the state.
This fact is apparent in the enormously
Increased labor in the state Offices and
state institutions. These expenditures eX-
hausted the funds in the trea sury await
able for current expenses ana produced
the anomalous condition of warrants not
paid for want of funds and drawing
interest while the cash on hand in the
state treasury Dec. 80, 1902, was S727.-
24S.Sl This unfortunate state OF affairs
has been UccasiOned by legislative APP
propriations In excess of the revenues OF
the state, and by failure to enact lcEis-
latiOn that will enable the safe invest
ment of the accommodating school funds.
During the last few years the state has
lost thousands of dollars in interest paid
on revenue warrants and registered
warrants and a vastly larger sum by
accommodating funds lying idle IN the treas
ury.
Your attention Is directed to the ex-
lfaOrulDdfy expenditure aSSItEdIlnB TlOTo
than quarter OF million dollars. ms
sum is substantially In excess of the reve-
nues Of the state. That this difference
between the expenditures and the reve-
nues of the state Will continue during the
present Biennial period is shown in the
report Of the state auditor for last year.
The officials charged with the financial
affairs of the state are helpless to effect
a remedy. The appropriations are made
by the legislature. The reyepues of the
state are limited. but the power of the
legislature TO pass appropriation bills for
lawful purposes is unlimited. The tax
levy IS limited by law and based upon
valuations of real and personal property
fixed by local assessors and county
boards. The governor gives tables show
Ing the assessed and eqUalized value OF
i've classes Of property for 1902. care
/ full examination OF which, he says, will
snow that the cqualiZJ ton Is as just and
propOrtionate as 1t is possible to make it
under existing laws and conditions. and
that an absolutely correct and equitable
equalization by the state board is confess
. sedlY impossible.
The Permanent school Fund.
The permanent school fund at the
close of the FISCAL year had reached the
sum of S4.Uc4 ,JHG. 30. OF this sum on that
aay Sass, 5l1.Ud was lying idle in the state
treasury for reasons fully SCI forth IN
the report of the commissioner OF school
and public lands. The outgoing treasurer
estimates that the schools of the state
suffered loss of $4,000 in interest by
reason of this money lying idle during
the year ending June 30. 1902 Unless
9his legislature will provide a remedy the
loss for the current year will probably
double that Of the preceding year
our magnificent school fund will in the
near future assume gigantic prUpurtiOns
lands estimates that the remaining nm
sold school lands can in the near future
be sold at price at least equal 10 the
ssITte ia OF those lands already sold. or
tlf'uo per acre "a sum exceeding thirty
one million dollars The question -.
fund? Nus'
The legislature by joint resolution.
HItST thorough discussion and matrlrs
ueiiberation, might outline the poIiry
winch, in its judgment, would best sItb.
serve the interests of tn. PEG 10 Of the
The governor recommends thar , bi,,,
urer. 'ie'S'
The increasing work in the legal de-.
partment according 10 the governor war
erals salary. H'"-
department of Public Instruction.
The governor refers at length 10 the
gratifying conditions Us shown in the re-
port OF the superintendent Of public in
structiOn. During the two years crgina
June 30 1902, l2J new schooib0ueqs v,"r,ss
buiIr many OF them beautiful cprn-
modIous and costly. In the rural districts
ane ltVy LOT school purposes last year
averaged but 6.1 mills. the lowest in oTr
history, while higher wages were paid to
the teachers, and the indebtedness Of the
school districts was reduced 1852. 707 Tho
Indebtedness of both city and county dis
tricts decreased Sli1 gIG. although
S-lSS56 was expended for new buildings
!, The rural districts in twenty-one conn
ueS nave a surplus in their TREASURES
and II IS the opinion OF the state suDsr,
tntendent that
Another year Of debt paying like The
iaSt VIII see the rU--l schools OF tho on
tire state with a surplus OF cash above
all debts, " "OONV
Charitable and Penal InstItutJop.
In transmitting the report OF the board
or charities and corrections the goyernor
says: ""i
Never before have these institutions
heen managed so strictly in accordance
with business principles so well recor
nlzed among successful business men
Io-day these institutions are distinctly
- sff"fiNnS NJ n gaa nv tEa st,tn
and in the interests Of the state. BY pur
ehasing the supplies in large quantities