Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-10

annual MESSAGE
tssi
GOVERNOR MIcKEYs LAST WORD
TO LEGISLATURE.
SUGGESTS WHAT SHOULD Be DONE
Urges Legislation in Behalf OF the
People, and Pleads for Strict
Economy In Appropriations
Able Document.
SUGGESTS WHAT SHOULD Be DONE


OF the Legislature of Ncbnska-Gen
men,
The organic law makes IL the duty Of
the chief executive to call the attention
of each recurring Legislative body TO the
general condition of state affairs and to
make such suggestions and recommends
tons as in his judgment the needs OF the
public service require. In dischargng
this duty / desire primarily to congratu-
late TIE members of this assembly on the
exceedingly prosperous conditions whlch
prevail In their respective districts-con-
ditions of thrift and competence which
have never been equalled IN the history
of the state. Without attempting an
analysis of the cause, 1t is apparent that
n goodly heritage is ours.
You are assembled at n time when
history is being rapidly made. Never be-
fore has there been an era when the
public conscience was so quckened to Il
sense of justice and when there was such
general demand for the purgin6 of the
Inequalities which have been tolerated
in our civil system. The time is ripe for
Improvement along ethical lines. Abuse
Of special privileges and opportunities
must give way to Justice. Organized So
ciety has drifted TO higher plane and
greatest good be conserved and guaran--
teed to the greatest NUMBER? This: !
take it. is the present day spirit and ]
trust 1t is the dominating sentiment
which will control the actions of each of
you through this entire session.
The Revenue Law
The condition of our state revenues is
rapidly assuming more satisfactory
phase The hostility which the new reve-
nue. law engendered In the campaign of
two years ago has almost entirely disap-
peared, and the measure is now generally
regarded as both wise and benefcent. 1t
Is equal to the necessity of raising sufii-
Client funds to meet the economical adj
ministration of state affairs and the grad
ual eXtingushment of the floating debt,
two ends which must be met. A Eeeded
amendment. however.
require the railroads to report to the
state board of equalization and assess
mentS the actual amount of earning OF
each road within the state ms one of the
bases of assessment Freight rates In
Nebraska are considerably higher than
in the states to the east. and yet the
earnings of the roads doing an Interstate
business are reported to the several states
IL the ratio which the total mileage hears
TO the mileage within each state. This Is
Il manifest injustice to Nebraska, If the
railroads persist in charging our people
higher rates than they do the people OF
Iowa and Illinois. then the earnings re-
ported to our state board should be cor
respondingly larger and the assessment
should be affected accordingly The new
law has now been In active operation
three years. and during that time has
been under the rigid scrutiny of all in
terests. With the exception of two of our
railroad systems the Burlington and the
Union Pacific, 1t has met with unquali-
fed endorsement. The railroads men
toned regard themselves seriously ag
grieved in the matter of the amount of
their assessments and the consequent en-
larged taxes. They have gone into the
courts to test the legality OF the action
of the state board of equalization and
assessments, SO far as 1t affects them,
and though they lost their suit in the
United States district court they have
appealed to the United States supreme
court. where the issues are now pending.
The amount involved is twenty per cent
of the total taxes due from the two roads
n
ton of those counties whore the amount
In controversy is less than $4,000 For
the years 1904, 1905 and 1906 the total
of taxes thus withheld is about 81 900. 900.
Approximately 100000 of this sum be-
longs to the state. and the remainder to
the several counties, school districts and
municipalities. Manifestly the failure to
collect such an amount of tax is working
great hardship and embarrassment to
many county treasures. Firmly believ-
ing that the railroad assessments as made
by the state board are not more than the
law makes obligatory, and are not out of
proportion with the assessment of other
forms of property, ! confidently look to
the highest court in the nation for a vim
dication of the states right to assess any
and all corporations upon the actual value
of their property and the Issuance of an
order compelling the payment of all de-
ferred taxes.
The State Debt.
A fairly satisfactory progress has been
made during the past biennium in the re-
30, 1900, the outstanding general fund
warrants aggregated 81 253, $500, On No
vember 80. 1906, the same item had been
reduced to sl,916, 6sl,31, a total reduction
latter amount, $273,946S0 is directly
chargeable to the redemption fund act
created by the last legislature, providing
a one mill levy for the gradual extinction
of the floating debt. 1t will thus be seen
that the excess of receipts over expendi-
lures for the biennium, aside from the re-
demption fund, was only $62,76S.29, indi-
eating that in the. matter of appropria-
tons the previous Legislature left but lit
tie margin between receipts and disburse-
ments.
The estimates now in the hands of the
state auditor for the maintenance of all
branches of the state government during
the next biennium, payable from the gem
eral fund. total the enormous sum of
S3,416, 1884 the largest estimate ever
submitted to a Nebraska legislature. The
estimated general fund receipts for the
bienrlium are $2.926.6 STATE, Il sum $4S9,
4s9.12 too small to pay the estimated bills
1t REQUIRES no argument to prove that the
pruning knife must be applied to these
overgrown estimates. The treasury must
Baught. 1t will not do to make appro-
prlations even equal to the estimated re-
ceipts, let alone In excess of them. There
musts be a gradual debt reduction. not
only through the operation of the redemp-
tion fund, but also through wise and
economic conservation OF the general
economical administration of affairs and
the state demands that you make good
The attacks of those who have designs or
the treasury will be most aggressive anc
persistent, but you must stand firm foi
the interests of the taxpayers and the in
tegrity of the treasury.
Pure Food Law.
After many years of effort congress has
finally passed q pure food law, very COM
prehensive In its scope, affecting all food
products and also drugs and chemicals
which enter into the compromising OF
medicines. The federal law applies only
10 Interstate business. 1t prt ents tho
traffic in impure food products across
state lines. but does not prevent the
manufacture nnd sale of such products
within state INES. 1t is evident that if
the people OF Nebraska are to receive fan
benefit from the present agitation fol
pure, wholesome and truthfully branded
food the national enactment must be sup
plemented with a rigorous state law EN-
bodying the same features. Otlerwis,
Nebraska will become the nome of i.umer,
GUS factories for the production of in
curious food supplies, all of which can b,
sold with impunity within the state S,
long as we have no state law 10 the con
tIary. recommend that the best effoI
OF yonr respective houses be given to tn,