The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-01-14

Mr.. Cummins Delivers Document to
the Legislature.

DeS MOineS, Jan, lz.--AH interest
in today's session of the legislature
centered In Governor Cummins' mes
sage. The document has been unus
ually long in preparation, having been
completed no earlier than yesterday
afternoon The delay has been occa-
stoned by the illness and death Of
the mother Of Governor Cummins,
by the capitol fire and by other
causes.
One feature Of the governors mes
sage created a sensation by reason
of his recommendation that the twey-
ty-four thousand dollars which he al
leges former State Auditor Merriam
mulcted from the eastern insurance
companies as fees for alleged exam
nations, be refunded He says Mer-
riam and his examiner, Max Beehler,
conducted a systematic campaign
to collect such fees for personal gain,
and the companies knowing they
were at the mercy Of the auditor, ac-
ceded
The first business of the joint ses-
sion was the official canvass of the
vote in the recent election. Then
followed the delivery of the message.
Governors Message.
Governor Cummins in opening his
message referred to the various re-
ports of officers and bureaus and
commissioners which are submitted
his message. He then turned imme-
diately to the subject of state A.
nances and presented briefly the re-
cent financial transactions of the
state, with estimate of the probable
receipts and expenditures for the re-
mainder of the present biennial per-
iod He stated that the assessable
value of all taxable property in the
state for 1903 was $637, ,937, 1886 and as
it is not probable it will be material
ly changed in the coming two years
1t is not difficult to discover what adj
ditional revenue an increased rate
of taxation will yield His recapit-
ulation of the financial statement is
as follows:
Cash on hand Dec. 81,
1903 ........ ........$1,1 1913, ,754.5S
Estimated receipts to
Dec. 81, 1908. 2,90O,30O0o
Total ,... $4, ,O99, ,054.5s
Unpaid balances state
institutions .... IS 214,694.02
Unpaid balances general. 419,S08.50
Estimated expenditures to
Dec. 81. 1904. ...... 2S,2t0.0o
Total ........ ....... SO, 1852, ,712.52
Balance Dec. 81, 1904. s. 936,342.04
Carrying the computation through
1905 assuming the same general cost
of administration and we have this
result:
Balance Jan. /. 1905. IS 936, 6,342.o4
Receipts for the year es-
], timated ... ..... $500. 10000
n Iotal ...... ........ 81, BOB, ,64Z.04
Expenditures, omitting $130,000 for
general assembly and adding $4,000
for census on the plan now author
lied, $2,40S,210.00. Balance, $1,42s,-
432.04.
Punishment for Crimes, Pardons and
Paroles.
A detailed statement Of all pardons
and suspensions, sentences otherwise
known as paroles, is submitted as re-
quired by law. During the two years
of my term have released upon alb
solute pardon six prisoners, not in,
Guiding the seven conditional par
dons issued upon the recommends
tion of the twenty-ninth general as
sembly. have in the same time re-
leased from penitentiaries, jails and
industrial schools, 143 prisoners, up
on suspension of sentences. OF the
paroled prisoners have returned
nineteen to imprisonment for viola
tion of the terms OF parole, of which
fourteen had been paroled by my
predecessors the remaining 124 it
gives me pleasure to say that all OF
them are living uprightly and give
promise of enduring reformation.
| do not believe that a board of
pardons is necessary. So long as the
governor is required under the con-
stituticn to take the responsibility
for the release of prisoners, | think
the investigation which precedes the
paroe can be carried forward in the
governors office as well as anywhere
else and | concur with my distin-
guished predecessor in saying that
no rule can be formulated to govern
the discretion which must in the very
nature Of things be, exercised.
Insurance.
| call special attention to that part
of the auditors report relating to in
surance, In the development of a
state the supervision of insurance
companies which has been given to
the auditor has become the most inn.
poFtant work of his Office. The in
terests involved are not only large,
but they deeply concern a great num-
ber Of our people. was formerly OF
the opinion that an independent in
surance department should be Great
ed, but have changed my mind and
j now believe that the wiser course
10 m laaua fha xy1,.J u,t,1xe ~ a. -,