The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-01-14


$75,s50.OO
Stock, horses and wagons 100000
: S7S,950.0O
State sanatorium, oakdale.
Brick coal house 100000
Books and periodicals 26O.00
Lectures and ADJUSTMENTS 20009
Contingent and repair S,OOooO
~ $4,000
Total asked for all institu- -..--
tions for all purposes $327.l7OOO
Amendments to the Law az to State
Board OF Educatton- 49,.
When the law creating the Board OF
Control was enacted the office OF treas
placed under Its management was abol-
ished and all moneys, books, etc, or
dered to be turned into the State Treas
urer and all moneys thereafter derived
from any source accounted for and re-
mitted to him monthly and all funds and
all bills payable thereafter drawn d.
Pectly from the State Treasury There
was opposition to this, Of course, but
wise provision. When the law creating
the State Board of Education was
passed, for prudential reasons existing
just at the time, the same thing was not
to the same extent done as to the insti-
tukions passing under it's management,
but the board was empowered TO tetect
a treasurer for each one of the insti-
tutions. Not one word OF criticism was
ever heard as to any one selected by the
Board for treasurer at any one of the
institutions or of his administration OF
his. Office On the contrary, there has
been universal approval. Many how
ever, believe that the funds OF the edu-
cational institutions should be handled
and administered exactly as the funds
of the institutions under the Board OF
Control Instead of four treasurers for
the four institutions there should be
but one and properly the State Treas
urer that one. The accounts of the in
situations SHOULD be kept substantially
and so far as applicable with each in
stitution as with the institutions under
the Board OF Control. For fun infor
nation and by way of suggestion l call
your attention to sections IL, Is, 10, Il,
81, SO, 80, Al and AZ of Chapter Is OF
the Acts of the eth General Assembly.
to the end that you may examine into
the question as to whether the law
should be so amended as to incorporate
like provisions in the law creating the
State Board Of Education. Experience
has taught that the law creating the
Board of Control and the methods
therein provided for the administration
of it were conceived In great wisdom.
Under present methods the State loses
the interest that would accrue to it
upon the large sums or money that
might be held by the treasury as bal
ances thereof from time to time This
should go TO the State rather than else-
where. This consideration alone would
be a sufficient reason for your attention
to this subject.
In this connection / desire to suggest
for your consideration whether or not
it would not be wise for the law to make
somewhat similar provisions as to the
State Highway Commission. This COM
mission Is the only one in the State that
audits it's own bills. Should they not
be passed upon by some competent
Board or Council and should not bills
n 30. CE.En Nrn
ury? 1t seems to me SO. IT hardly
seems to me that 1t is wise that large
sums can be drawn in lump amounts to
be disbursed at pleasure. 1t must be
understood that there is no Criticism
on the commission. but the question Is
are the present provisions or want OF
provisions OF the law In this respect
wise?
Use Of Unsxpended Balance OF APP
preparations.
1t is frequently the case that not all
of an appropriation is needed for the
is a surplus of several thousand dollars.
Under the law as 1t now is this I'M
expended balance in many cases is not
covered back into the treasury, but is
used at the institution where the orig
inal expenditure was made for such
purpose as the Board or Commission
may please. 1t seems to me this ought
not to be so. II Is not good business:
Is edFeleSD "
funds | recommend that you provide
that all unexpended balances OF appro-
priations be at once and hereafter COW
cred back into the treasury.
Reform Of Court Procedure.
Two years ago l submitted some sug-
gestIons and recommendations on the
question of some reforms in our court
procedure. But one OF them was
adopted with some qualification. namely,
that all exceptions to instructions should
be taken before they are read to the
Jury. This does not at all deter me
from referring to the same subject
again. Reforms sometimes move slowly.
1t is often hard to uproot old practices
ana old forms and methods that have
become woven Into the life OF the people
although the original reasons for their
adoption have long since ceased to exist
The administration OF the law IN our
courts is, as everybody knows. slow, I'M
certain and unreasonably expensive. The
weak financially are not upon an equal
footing with the strong because OF our
practice procedure. There Is not equal
ity before the law at all When one
starts In upon a suit at law there is
Absolutely no telling where or when II
will end. The weak In purse may indeed
fall by the way, powerless TO proceed
hts rights unadtusted or not even sub
stantfal Justice achieved. IL he gets
through al all II may be by long
weary way from one court to another
and back and forth again and again
He learns the way and tinds that toll
Is exacted at every step. And II is ALI
because OF errors whether they are
substaDtiai and effect the very right OF
fha parties or not. Thee II always the
presuhaption when the error Is found
mat u Wss pre5udleial Il does netl