The Messages and Proclamations of the Governors of Iowa Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 edition. Excerpt: ...includes both ordinary and extraordinary expenditures--the amounts expended for the Insane Asylum, the Penitentiary, the Blind Asylum at Vinton, the printing of the Revised Statutes and other extraordinary objects, as well as the amounts expended in carrying on the ordinary operations of the State Government. The expenditure has not in any case been permitted to exceed the appropriation, and is materially less both for the penitentiary and insane asylum, and has in all cases that have come under my observation, been carefully and economically made. In my judgment, there is not another State in the Union in which the protection of Government is extended to as large a population, so widely scattered, more economically than in our own. But While this is true, it is equally true that our finances are not in a healthy condition. The Report of the Auditor of State discloses the somewhat startling fact that of the State tax for 1860 and preceding years, there was, at the date of his Report (the 4th day of November, 1861) delinquent and unpaid the large sum of about $400,000--a sum more than sufficient to cover the entire expenses of our State Government for one year. This large delinquency has occurred mainly within the last four years, and the same Report shows there were at the same date warrants drawn on the Treasury to the amount of $103, 645, which were unpaid for want of funds, most of which were drawing interest at the rate of eight per cent. per annum. From these facts the following conclusions are inevitable: 1st, That during the last four years there has been levied a State tax larger by about $300,000 than the necessities of the State required. 2d, That this was rendered necessary by the fact that only a portion of our people paid the...