Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-27


been some mileage added to the rail-
way property OF the state in these
years.
The new mileage since 1901 is Of the
actual value, according to the assess
ment. of sS.311,S24, with taxable val
ue of s2,077956. We therefore have In
creased the taxable value of the mile
age as 1t existed In 1901, S1S,187,985.
1t will be remembered that the power
of the executive council Is exhausted
when the value of the railway proper
ty has been fixed. 1t has nothing what
soever to do with the levying of taxes
upon the valuation. 1t Is obvious,
therefore, that If the council has per-
formed its duty with respect to the
valuation, even If it is to be fouted
and sneered at, it at least deserves the
truth, and wonder why Mr.. Porter,
with the records open before him, did
not avail himself of the information.
l take the liberty of asking him
question. Do you think Mr.. Porter
that the railway property of this state
Is worth more than $249,34S796, and If
more, how much more? 1 must pro-
pound one further query. The aver
age actual value of the farms in the
state for the purposes of taxation IS
! s40.47 per acre. Do You think they are
wort hmore, and if so, how much
more?
| When I became governor the aver
age actual value of farms in this state
for the purposes of taxation was 1888
per acre. That value is now $40.47
| per acre-an increase of 1878 per cent.
| The increase in the assessment Of
railway property has been 1924 per
cent
This generous rival, who finds moth
! ing whatsoever to commend in any
thing ever did or said, suggests that
my zeal for an increase in the assess
ment of railway property began only
nomination. To ascertain the truth,
you have but to again consult the rec
ords of your state.
| The first assessment Of railway
property made by the executive coun-
l Gil after l became member resulted
in a taxable value of $51,307 ,950-an
increase Of more than 100000 above
the assessment for the previous year.
The assessment of the second year
of my administration was $56.541, 513.
an increase of more than s5.000,000
over the preceding year. The assess
ment of my third term in Office was
$57,535,160, an increase of $1,000,000
over the preceding year. The assess-
ment of the fourth year was $751;
4 190,1S9, an increase of more than a
/ half million over the preceding year.
$62,337,199, an increase of more than
/ 100000 over the preceding year.
4 / submit this record for the calm
consideration of the people of the state
to show that progress began early and
J. has continued with fair persistency
ard efficiency.
I hope L may be permitted, without
| the charge of egotism to call attention
j to one further fact In 1901 the tax
able value of all public properties Civ
en- to the executive council to assess
was $4S,S3S,781. In 1906 the taxable
value as fixed by the executive council
!, was $65, 0,S25-an increase of ST.
0T2,044.
Expenditures.
Much comment is made in the open
ing address of the democratic candi-
date for governor respecting the
growth and increasing expenses of the
! state. and with the fairness which
: charaCterizes every sentence of the
: address, the responsibility for all ex-
{ pcnenu"es Of the state of Iowa Is
placed liron me In all the eloquent
: sentences. In all the critical conclus-
! tons, there Is no suggestion that any
other person Is unfaithful or insincere
] marvel at the audacity and eff-ont-
cry of man " no has hitherto been SC
, fai: AMI SO loyal to the truth.
Mr. Porter knows, and every intelli-
!, gent man knows. that with the excep-
ton Of $4,000 or $4,000 every year, a
5 sum placed at the disposal of the gov
t ernor for proper purposes, I have not
2 had nor has any predecessor in Office
: had anything whatsoever to do with
/, the expenses of the state Of Iowa. He
l knows, and yet he is not candli
S enough to SO state, that every dollar
t expended by any officer of the state
: must be appropriated for the purpose
r by the general assembly. He dare not
: challenge the general assembly, and
e initiating the methods and copying al.
a most literally the circulars Of the rail.
q way bureau, he suggests that I have
/ been eXtravagant and reckless: simply
. because it has cost the state Of lowe
S more to discharge Its several function!
e during recent years than it cost in for.
e mer years. / have little patience with
t this mode of political attack. 1t is al
n ways unfair, and rarely successful.
o Let us no wattend to a brief analy
e sis of the history of the state in this
f respect. In its fiscal affairs, the stat,
makes up its accounts for biennia
e periods and not for calendar years
s and l will therefore follow this plan
: From July l, 1898 to July l, 1895, tn
expenses of the state were ssss7.
d O47.36 from July /, 1895 to- July /. 1897
It 1, 1899, s4,196.494.93: from July 1, 1895
# to July l, 1901, s4,42o,193,7o; from Jul.
# 1, 1901. to July 1, 1908. s5,76O,1Ss.
d from July 1, 1903, to July l., 1905
it s6,S29, 6sO.94.
Every penny of these expenditure
: We're appropriated by general assem-
e bly,. The table I have given shows
6 great increase. but the inquiry that ~
II intelligent and patriotic citizen woul'
e make is-have these appropriation
&c been made wisely. and are the expen
If ditures in accordance with the appro
+ priations.
e I beg that you allow me to analyz
Is the subject further. For the publ
J: institutions of the state, now under tn
IT charge Of the board of control. 70
y their support and for buildings and i'm
: provements, there was expended in tn
e first biennial period that / have nam
n ed, s2os3 462.Os; for the last period
: s3,414,1S7.97-an increase of $3.50,
Re 1858. If Mr.. Porter does not desir
to be convicted of unjustly assailin
le the management Of his state. he ough