Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-28

1
administration you paid into the state
treasury $14,630.69. During the year
1903, $15,17414; during the year 1904,
$l5,2S6.S4; during the year 1905, $751;
| 6f5.33,o or In the aggregate during those
four years $60,767.10, as contrasted
with the amount paid during the
Shaw four years, of $46,71302, or an
increased payment by you as a trib-
ute to this governor without ,compari-
son of $14,054.58, or an increase of 80
per cent. Oh, gentlemen, what a
powerful argument for the. continu-
ance of SO generous an administration
for an indefinite period
'One step further, gentlemen. Let
us take the tax levy during the same
period. The state levied during 1899,
! under Governor Shaw's administra-
ton three mills. In 1896, SO Esills. In
1901, 2.9 mills. And row we pass to
the present administration. In 1902,
four mills; in 1903, 53 mills; in 1904,
3.5 mills; in 1905, 81 mills. Gentle
men, the luxury of perfection comes
high. daughter and applause.)
Now let me give you something
more. / was in the general assembly
in 1886, at which time it became my
duty as chairman of committee on ap-
preparations to keep the state within
its revenues. We were confronted
with a floating debt of $1,000,000 in
, Cured by the previous administra-
ton, making appropriations in excess
of the revenue. With even the CAPT
tol unfinished then, how much of a
state levy do you think the state sub
sisted on?
with the extraordinary burden Of
building the capitol, but 211s mills upon
the dollar. The question confronted
us, whether or not we should continue
the additional half mill or go back to
the standard already existing of name
ly two mills on the dollar. We were
forced to levy an additional half mill.
| But here we have the appropriations
from this provident gentleman. We
have left the days of Governor LARA
bee, who was business man; success
full in his own private affairs; success
full in the administration of your af-
fairs, and who SO conducted the af-
fairs of state as to keep the public
Representative within the limits of the
revenue Just as any careful provident
citizen should keep his expenditures
within his income. But now let me
give more of his roll Of honor We
have heard the cry for the last five
| years that property was escaping tax.
alton, and should be ferreted out and
brought within the pale of the law.
Here is a report of the state treasurer
for 1905. Figures are pretty dull, but
you will bear with me because 1 think
they are pertinent to this issue and
should be presented to intelligent peo-
pie to enable them to pass upon the
merits of these candidates. Therefore,
will run the risk of burdening you
with this formidable array. will go
back to the years l referred to, 1887
and 1889, when Gov Larrabee presided
over the destinies of our state. The ag-
gregate revenue for the state for that
| biennial period was So, 262.119.40. The
next period was $3,514,004.08. Take
Governor Shaw's administration-take
the biennial period of 1897 and 1893,
when the aggregate available revenue
of the state was $5,116, 076.25. The dis
bursements of the year were $4,671,-
! O73.SS. For the next period of Cover
nor Shaw's administration the aggre-
gate revenue was s5,565, 061,91. The
disbursements during the same period
/ IL SoAAAS
to the first of Governor Cummins' ad-
ministrations, or the biennial period
/ ending June 80, 1908. The available
revenue during that period aggregated
$7,321, 743.67 The total disbursements
were $5,761, 264.79, or more than
1 $1,340,0O0 in excess of the preceding
| biennial period For the second bien-
NAL period of Governor Cummins, end
ing June 80, 1905, the aggregate rev
enue was $S,170,S26.59. The total dis
bursements for the same period were
$6,795,73232. An increase over the
| last biennial period of Governor Shaw
of s2,374,o0O.
.sNow gentlemen, what does that
mean? It means just simply this, that
1 instead of careful economic admins
tration, we have had a profigate ad-
ministration. Now bear in mind that
l am passing Judgment upon him from
these figures, for they speak volumes.
They cannot be controverted. Am
right or wrong in my conclusion? But
let me dwell upon the proposition
I little more in detail. l think l can
make my position a little clearer, and
bring you the matter nearer home to
you. During Governor Cummins' ad-
ministration the revenue from insur-
ance taxes, telegraph taxes and from
'lfees from miscellaneous sources in
creased enormously to the aggregate,
including incorporation taxes OF Sl,675,
13459. Now let us go back to the year
I 1887 under Governor Larrabee, when
this total aggregated $332,S44.12. Dur
ing Mr.. Cummins' last administration
he therefore collected s1,3o0,o00 more
! money from miscellaneous sources than
did Governor Larrabee. Have you
profted by it, gentlemen? It reminds
:. me Of the old story OF the father, who
when he sent his daughter to boarding
school, cautioned her to be provident
in all her expenditures. He furnished
,. her with an account book in which she
was to enter upon one page the re
ceipts of money from him and upon
the other page she was to make rec
ord of her expenditures. At the close
of the school term, when she came
back home her father says: Well
daughter, let me see your account.
! .,,L 1,o,. I,ap1Y and she SAWS