Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-03-02
WILL NOT REPEAL
EXTENSION ACT
General Assembly to Stay by
the Improvement
the TREASURY Deficiency
Status Of State Strong Box In Past
Years-LOOks Bone Dry, Sure-FOr
Taxation of Terminals-HOme Rule
Bill Favored.
(By George Gallarno)

(By George Gallarno)
Des Moines, Ia, Feb. 27-(SpeciaD.
That there is no serious disposition to
repeal the capitol extension fund tax,
Of seventeen hundredths of mill, or
to order the sale of any part Of the
extension grounds purchased under
authority of the acts of the 35th gen.
eral assembly, was amply demonstrate
ed by the senate and house of the
present legislature before the men,
bers adjourned for the regular spring
recess, which features each session OF
the law makers. There are members
who have taken both these matters
seriously, and others who have felt
impelled by election promises to make
some sort of showing of opposition
to what many have considered the
extravaganza of the 35th, but these
members of both kinds are In the min
ority in each house, and it is expected
the final action of the present assem-
bly, will be towards enlivening and
carrying out the original program OF
extension and improvement, rather
than it's curtailment in any degree.
The movement by Wkitmore, In the
senate to repeal the extension tax,
while it appeared to be successful at
first, has apparently encountered a
parliamentary snag, from which 1t
will not be rescued. The Rowley bill,
which would have disposed of all the
newly purchased tract of ground, ex-
cepting a small part lying to the west
and east of the state house, was the
source of somewhat spectacular dis
play in the house, but failed to pass
by a vote of 81 to- 81.
Will Urge New Office Building.
Governor Harding has taken no part
in the fight in either house, further
than to secure the passage by the state
executive council of a resolution, an
ticipating the original intention of the
law makers as to the extension tax
yet uncollected, but designed for the
purpose of improvements to the
grounds, and calling for the submis-
sion of plans for new supreme court
building and for a new office building.
These plans, when received, will be
transmitted by the governor to the
assembly with message detailing the
necessity for immediate construction
of one or both of the proposed build
ings, and outlining what Offices and
departments it is intended should be
housed in the same. The small tax to
be collected during the coming six
years will raise about 100000, and
with this in view the legislature will
be asked to authorize the construction
of either the temple of justice, or the
office building.
The Treasury Deficiency.
So many explanations have been
made and so many conclusions drawn
anent the discovery of a depleted
state treasury, that it would not seem
out of place for some literary light to
soon indict a romance to 1.-THE Million
Dollar Mystery, or the Tale of the
Treasureless Treasury" And II all
the facts were known undoubtedly the
prosaic legislative acts leading up to
the present condition Of the states
strong box would develop more or less
of a romantic nature. An investiga-
ton, the results of which are now in
the hands of the committees on appro-
priations in each house of the legis-
lature shows that when the new bien-
NAL period began, July 1, 1913, follow
ing the adjournment of the 35th gen.
eral assembly, there was a cash bal
ance in the state treasury of $780,
S27. At that time there were appro-
priations, made by the saith general
assembly on the books, but undrawn,
amounting to $S22,973, and warrants
outstanding amounting to $249,9S0, or
a total Offset to the cash on hand of
$1,O72,953. At that date the state could
have met every obligation and still
hold a neat balance of $3O6,S74.
Big Drop In Two Years.
The 35th general assembly, after
figuring up it's appropriations directed
the state executive council to levy in
taxes for state use a millage that
would raise an annual amount of ST.
100000. The levy made was 3.9 mills.
Besides this there was the special
millage levies for support of the state
educational institutions. These were
two-tenths of a mill each for the uni
versity and the agricultural college,
and one-tenth of a mill for the teach
ers' college at Cedar Falls. This levy
was made and the taxes collected,
and on July 1, 1915, following the ad-
1ournment of the 36th general as
sembly the state treasury showed a
balance of SS56,045, with appropria-
lions provided for, but undrawn,
amounting to $1,20O,399, and outstand-
ing warrants amounting to $21S,11S.
At that time. with all obligations met,
the state would have been in the hole
to the tune Of $562,472.
seth Started Reform.
The seth general assembly inaugu-
rated a reform in the matter of ap-
preparations for the state schools,
eliminating the millage taxes for sup
port entirely, making the appropria-
tons direct ard instructing the ex-
ecutive council to make a state levy
that would raise $4,066, 500 yearly.
The council followed instructions.