The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-01-13

i desire at this time to congratulate ana
commend the management Of our pres
ent banking department for the splendid
results 1t has secured under the present
law. It Is the showing Of exceedingly
small losses sustained under our present
management and system which gives US
confidence to be..eye that with improve
ments in our laws as to capitalization.
management and control a still better
showing can be accomplished. The pro-
posed guaranty fund under such a sys-
tom as has been suggested should be de-
posted with the state banks under regu-
lations similar to our present state de-
pository law or with such additional Sc
curity as the legislature may require. The
proposed law should provide that ma
tional banks may avail themselves Of the
advantages and protection Of the guar
anty fund under suitable provisions and
satisfactory showing as to the condition
Of such banks to the banking board.
The banking board should be empow-
paid depositors by banking corporations
operating under the guaranty of deposits
law. or II this be thought too great y
power to confer upon them. the rate
should be fixed in the statute by the
legislature.
Rsvsn6s lsSA
Our present revenue Saw shoufd be
amended in SO far as is neosssArz to re-
store to the people the right to e;act the
precinct assessors and to limit in ners
at least the arbitrary powers which %
present law gives to the state board u
equalization and assessment, so that the
people shall have restored to them some
voice in determining the amount OF
taxes they shall be compelled to pay to
support the state government. 1t appears
to me too great a gift OF power to give
to the state and county boards the right
to determine the amount Of the levy
which shall be laid upon the property Of
the citizen and at the same time empower
the state board to determine through its
mandates to the county assessors and his
deputies the valuation that shall be
placed upon the property of the tax pay
ers. When we consider that the members
of this all powerful board of assessment
acting in their official capacity as the
heads Of different state departments are
authorized to spend the money taken
from the pockets Of the people by the
force Of this same revenue law. the dam
ger lurking in this excess of power be-
comes more apparent. 1t is to be re-
marked that different state departments
have commended the present law because
it provides much money Cor their use. 1t
is generally to be noted that those who
pay out money which others must pay
in. view the magnitude of the amount to
be expended with greater equanmity than
those who have to provide it. The cost
of our state government has increased
enormously in recent years. 1 wish to
impress upon you that funds should be
provided to meet every legitimate demand
of the government, our different state in
situations and our school, but every dol
lar that comes out of the treasury must
have been paid in by some tax payer
and the great bulk of the states income
is dug out of the soil by the unremittins
toll Of those who can i'll afford to pay
for eNtravangance or unnecessary ex-
pcnse.
The Primary Law.
ouf present PRIMARY law IS uHSdtlSidC-
tory and unfair in many of its provisions
The expense to the state in holding a
state wide primary is enormous. aSd I'm.
less the election results in registering
the will of the party majority OF those
voting and placing better candidates be-
fore the people than the convention meth
cd. the benefits of the law cannot be said
t. warrant it's cost. Under the present
law. the accidental alphabetical position
of the candidates named upon the ballot
is at times more potent in obtaining NOM
nations than merit or ability. The num-
Der of names required upon the petition
OF n candidate for a state Office, is gross
ly insufficient. The cost of elections
both to. the candidates and the state is
greatly increased. 1t is doubtful If the
average electOr will ever have the re-
GCired acquaintance with the long list Of
candidates for the different offices upon
the ballot in a state wide primary to in
sure intelligent selection. l would sug-
gest to you 4 county primary to nominate
county officers and delegates to a state
convention. The state convention to Sc
lcct two or more names for each Office
make the party platform. which ought to
bs- issued in advance of the primary, in
stead of subsequent to it. as at present.
Administration Of State Institutions.
be so amended that a bipartisan board
of control could be created to be ap-
pointed by the governor and have con-
ferred upon it the entire management Of
our various state institutions. The state
institutions should be removed from pol
tiles as far as may he done and merit
alone should determine the right Of any
person to serve the state In the dn-
ferent departments made subject to the
board Of control This board, in my opin-
ion. should consist of three members and
and a qualified purchasing or business
agent. who should have n general knowl-
edge as to machinery. material and con-
siruction contracts AMI Of all matters Of
business coming before the board. This
board Of control should purchase the
supplies for all the state Institutions by
open competition among those desiring
sell to the state. The practice Of main
tanning a cash fund at the various state
Institutions should be abolished and tho
business of the state so far as II applies
to the general conduct and administration
Of the different state institutions should
be thoroughly systematized.
1t IS my most confident belief
that II you provide satisfactory legisia-
ton relating to the question to which 1
have referred. you can go home with the
certainty that you will meet satisfied
constituency. With a firm reliance upon
the wisdom and judgment of this legisla-