Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-09-14

marked increase lntfe expenditur
of the$people's' Mohby sFig,hes,
knot. are usually dlslls aHA NAnte1
sss f e sssssaa SyllakE T. *
stitution requires the Auditor o
State to publish =each=two year,.
nst of expendttpges of the, state
with the coyeg BEi3sed S99 46e IFS
sion laws. BY a rec6urss to them
a s9aain tb the f,d fel1fPyi a IN
30th, yet the figures are approximate
~ correct as applied sIas thegsevaHA
administrations. FROM the Source
mentioned, found that t4ekssVasSaR
pended during each administrator as
follows: AEG sC
Larrabee-Four years, s5,746, 61Z55
Boies-Four years, $6,S12,4 61. 80.
Jackson-Two years, $3,677, O47. &c..
Drake-TWo years, $4,731, 7o4.33.
Shaw-Four years, $S,616,6SS.63.
Cummlns-Four years, $12 1928, 472.41
1t will be readily seen that Cover
nor Cummins' administration cost
the people of Iowa, in four years,
nearly double what it cost them dur.
ing the four years of Horace Boies
II in this we can see anything denot-
ing great crisis demanding that the
state have the benefit of two years
more of The Governors services,
would be pleased to have some one
point it out. Some one may remark
That the comparison is unfair, the adj
ministration of Governor Boies be-
ing about sixteen years ago. There
has not been much change in the
conditions in Iowa since the admin
istration of Gov. Shaw, Mr.. Cummins'
predecessor. Yet, the increase of the
expenditures of Gov. Cummins over
those of Gov. Shaw is about fifty
per cent. 1t may be suggested that
the Governor cannot control the ex-
pendlture OF money; but our Govern
or would not advance such an argu-
ment. for are not his services abso-
lutely requireu for a third term in
order that our institutions may be
preserved? Then, cannot he who can
veto bill granting to the people
the right to travel or ship freight
over their choice of two competing
lines, though one be the longer, also
veto any bill appropriating money.
Under -.e constitution of this state
the expenditure of all money must
first be authorized by the legislature
and approved by the governor. Also,
was not the distinguished gentleman
in whom The Governor displayed such
a strong interest and demanded that
ne be nominated ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the chairman of the senate commit.
tee on appropriations during the en-
tire Cummlns administration. and.
presumably, at least, they were on
speaking terms? The above expen.
ditures are not the only Injuries we
have enjoyed under the present adj
mlnistration. If a larger amount OF
money LAS been spent, it had of ne
cessity be raised. There were two
ways of accomplishing this result,
and both were resorted to. The as
sesseu valuation Of the property was
as we have seen, the people s.
eight donars for every one dollar the
railroads were raised, and the rate
OF tax was the highest Known within
a generation. From two mills during
Governor Boies' term, it was three
and five-tenths mills two years of
Governor Cummins' administration.
but 1t reached in the climax of 1902
four mills. AS one distinguished cit
izen in Iowa remarked, 1.-The luxury
OF perfection comes nigh" In add
ton to the ordinary way of raising
money, there has been of late years
mostly, additional methods devised
with the hope. no doubt, that it would
tighten the burden of the general
taxpayer. 1t does not seem to have
had that effect. With the increased
notaries' fees, corporation fees, in
surance taxes, collateral inheritance
taxes and other miscellaneous sources
there was paid into the state treas
ury during four years of Gov. cum
Minis administration more than one
million six hundred thousand dollars
while under Gov. Larrabee the total,
am informed from similar sources.
was in round numbers three hundred
thousand dollars. AS l have shown,
with increased valuation of property
and with increased rate of taxation,
It does not seem to have assisted
In raising the burden so far as the
ordinary taxpayer is concerned.
Each session of the legislature
there is appropriated a sum which is
placed directly in the hands of the
governor for the various purposes OF
his office, and is subject to his own
control. This fund is usually styled
the governors contingent fund. The
toward either extrava-
gance or economy manifests itself
quite distinctly with the use made of
this fund. Well do remember, while
my late distinguished fellow-towns-
man, Governor Drake, was governor,
that he was called upon to represent
The state in the launching of the
great battleship, named after our
state, Iowa" A ship destined tn
perform such a prominent part in the
late unfriendliness with Spain, and
add SO much to the honors of the
navy of our country. Governor Drake.
assisted Dy his accomplished dangh-
ter and an official party of several
persons, performed that duty. And
never have heard it said from that
day to this that Iowa was not prop
erly and fittingly represented on thai
occasion. The records at the state
house fail to reveal that that trip
cost the state a single dollar. How
different. with our present governor.
He was called upon to represent
Iowa at the launching of, not great
battleship, but cruiser; not named
for the entire state, but for single
city. When this task was accom-
plis44ed, the records revealed the fact
that it had cost the people of ,nls
state more than eighteen hundred
dolla' S. Governor Cummins' prede
cessor alL> nded a presidential inaug-