Nebraska Newspapers

    MICKEY’S MESSAGE
Legislature Listens to Its Reading
Thursday
URGES PROPER ECONOMY
hvor* Retention of .Supreme Court
Comnil-*iou and Relieve* a Hoard
Of Pardon* Necessary—Views In
Regard to Taxation
a*************************
* *
★ WHAT GOV. MICKEY *
★ SAYS IN HIS ME8SAGE. *
A ★
★ Harmony, full and complete. *
w should exist between the executive *
★ and the legislature. *
w There should be "strict econ- *
★ om.v without parsimony." *
■* We should seek Divine guidance *
★ In the affairs of state. *
T* The Inerease In public debt Is *
★ caused by undervaluation by flic *
★ assessors. The law should be *
★ changed so that all forms of real *
★ nnd personal property must be *
★ listed. *
★ An experimental farm should be ■*
★ established In Western Nebraska. *
★ The supreme court commission *
it should not be abolished. Six of *
★ the nine members should be re- *
★ tallied. ^
A A board of pardons should be *
•A established. *
★ Educational institutions should *
★ receive generous treatment. *
★ Oil should be carefully Inspected. *
★ An adequate appropriation *
★ should he made for the 8t. l,ouls *
it exposition. ^
it The unfinished portions of the *
★ penitentiary should be completed. *
★ The Norfolk asylum should be *
★ rebuilt. *
*• The scope of the pure food law *
■* should bo broadened. *
★ A state accountant should be *
it employed to scrutinize and verify *
★ accounts of state officers. *
★ ★
*★★*★********★★***********
In his message to the legislature to
day, John II. Mickey, the new gov
ernor of Nebraska, says:
To the Members of the Senate and
House of the Twenty-eighth legislative
Assembly of the State of Nebraska—In
assuming the office of chief executive of
the great state of Nebraska l am pro
foundly conscious of the responsibility
resting upon me and of the magnitude
Of the undertaking. With me this Is a
time for every serious thought. The acts
Of my administration will have more or 1
less effect upon the Interests of every
Citizen, and the nosalbllitles of doing
Rood stand out before me In such promi
nence that I trust my mental oerceptlon
may never be diverted therefrom. As
between the executive and your honor
able body, concurrent branches of our
atate government, there ought to be, and
I have confidence to believe there will
be. a perfect harmony in our mutual
relations. You are the law making body
and your presence here Is proof of the
fact that you are leaders of thought arid
Controllers of events In your respective
districts. Much, therefore, will depend
upon you. not only In the enactment of
■wise legislation but tn co-operating with
me In the enforcement of the same, to
the end tlint the law may be respected
and the Interests of the people best con
served. Our resoouslbllilles are mutual
and there should be no disposition to
ahirk on the part of either of us. While
we are not all of the same political faith
I believe we are all patriots and from our
Several view points are honestly looking
toward the accompllshemnt of the great
est good to the greatest number In the
work that is before us we should rise
above the exercise of mere partisan spirit
and occupy a plane of broad toleration
and charity. My ambition Is to t>e the
Rovernor of all the people, regardless of
giarty. and to merit their confidence
GOD AND AFFAIRS OF STATE.
preface to the Recommendations Is on
Character of Legislation.
The necessity for safe-guarding the
Public purse has been pertinently called
to your attention in the message of my
predecessor. Very many matters per
taining to the public good will be brought
to your notice, a large portion of then)
contemplating more or less of expense.
In the consideration of all these questions
your motto should be "strict economy
Without parsimony." The state should
be too wise to be lavish and too just to
be penurious. We should remember, too.
that we are builders for the future.
Our acts arc not contlned alone to the
present but like the concentric circles
formed when s pebble Is dropped Into the
Water they extend on and on In their in
fluence and effects. Legislation, there
fore. should he of that broad, unselfish
character which looks past the present
Into the future, and eontemnlntes com
ing as well as Immediate necessities It
Is a great responsibility to he permitted
to have a prominent part in the develop
ment of a young and progressive slate,
•o rich in resources and bright with
promise as is Nebraska, and I trust that
this thought may be ever present In your
work
Above all we should seek Divine guid
ance. God controls the affairs of states
and nations, just as he does of Individ
uals. and no people can permanently
prosper who are not submissive to Ills
will It Is therefore Important that In
all our deliberations we should be led by
Him. for In such leadership there Is the
most perfect liberty, begetting a charity
which in Itself Is the fulfillment of all
law I sincerely hope thst this legisla
ture will achieve distinction for the wis
dom of Its acts and for the harmony and
fraternal spirit which shall characterise
all Its deliberations. 1 especially chal
lenge your attention to a few matters of
public policy.
FRANCHISE ASSESSMENTS.
Floating Debt Existing Due to Under
valuation by Board of Equalization.
The question of revenue Is one which
Virtually concerns every interest In the
atate and always presents troublesome
phases At present the floating indebted
ness of the commonwealth Is largely In
excess of the amount permitted under the
Constitution and is rapidly Increasing
There la no defensible reason for the
existence of sueli a condition. It Is
largely due to the prevalent and perni
cious practice of undervaluing all forms
Of property and franchises which enter
Into the makeup of the assessors' sched
ules. the result being that the grand as
aessment roll Is merely a financial shadow
of the tangible resources and wealth
which It Is Intended to represent With
a statutory limitation on the number of
mills that ean be levied, the amount of
revenue derived from anv given sssess
ment Is correspondingly abridged and at
present Is far below the amount abso
lutely required to meet running expenses
Another Important contributory cause
to the Increasing Indebtedness is (he fur
ther fact that many county treasurers
are exceedingly lax In the matter of tax
col action. Large sums are allowed to
encumber the books yeat after year on
Which collection ought to be forced and
• he proceeds turned Into the public
treasury for the general good At the
present time the delinquent taxes owed
to the state are approximately $2,400,000.
Of this enormous amount only a small
per cent, outside of the taxes o'f 1001 and
1902. Is now collectible though It is fre
quently quoted as an available asset for
the extinguishment of debt. These con
ditions are unsatisfactory and should be
relieved. It is apparent that the state
cannot Ignore Us obligations. Its educa
tional. philanthropic and corrective in
etnotions must not be impaired In their
usefulness and the spirit of the consti
tution must be respected la its limlla
tlnn of Indebtedness To harmonise these
divergent necessities Is the task devolv
ing upon your honorable body.
As a first step it seems to me that the
assessment roll should be increased to the
proportions contemplated i'or ft by law.
action 1, article !» of the constitution
makes It obligatory on the legislature to
"provide such revenue as may be need
ful. by levying n tax by valuation, so
that every person and corporation shall
pay a tax in proportion to the value of
his. her or its property and franchises
the value to be ascertained In such man
ner as the legislature shall direct," etc.
The legislature has declared that all per
sonal and real property shall be valued
at Its fair cash value and the plain In
tention of the statutes is to Impose upon
every person connected with the assess
ment the duty of enforcing that Idea.
I recommend th™ existing lows be cor
rected so as to insure that all forms of
real and personal property will be listed
at full valuation for purposes of taxa
tion; also that thq laws governing the
collection of taxes be mad» more strin
gent and effective. I further recommend
that the duties of the state board of
equalization be broadened so that it shall
have ample power to raise or lower as
sessments for state purposes In harmony
with the full valuation plan, and that
county boards be given such additional
authority as may be needed In order to
carry out the same Idea.
It is Important that these matters re
ceive your immediate attention that the
resultant laws may be operative for the
coming assessment.
NEW EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.
A Station In Western Nebraska and Its
Advantages.
Nebraska is distinctively nil agricul
tural and live stock producing state.
These two Industries, with horticulture,
are the IjhsIs of the major part of the
prosperity enjoyed by our people. What
ever tends to promote these Interests In
creases the general weal In the same ra
tio. In wise recognition of these facts
the state has long since established an
experiments! farm near Lincoln In con
nection with the state university, where
careful and elaborate tests arc made In
the production of gmins. grasses and
forage plants under varying conditions,
where the several kinds of live stock
which add wealth to the farm are kept
for purposes of experimentation, where
horticulture Is systematically promoted,
and from which Is disseminated from
time to time facts and data relative to
the work accomplished.
As has been stated, the experimental
farm is located near Lincoln, in the
humid part of the state, where the cli
matic conditions arc very different from
those which prevail farther west In the
arid and semi-arid portions of the com
monwealth. The conditions there. In my
Judgment, demand the establishment of
an experimental farm, also In connection
with the state university and under the
management of the board of regents,
which shall give special at'entlon to tests
In agriculture, stock raising and horti
culture. under the peculiarities of soil
and climate there prevailing. Such an
institution would give an Impetus to the
rural Interests of that part of the state'
and would prove an Important factor in
the more thorough development of a
section which Is sometimes regarded as
being handicapped by nature but which
Is rich In natural resources If agricul
tural energy Is directed along proper
lines.
Our congressional delegation has re
ceived assurance from the genernl gov
ernment that It will gladly co-operate
In the work. In connection with Its Ir
rigation and reclamation plans, and if
Nebraska takes the initiative It Is prob
able that our station will become the
seat of the government's tests and ex
periments conducted In behalf of the
other states in this same region. I there
fore recommend that the legislature make
an appropriation for the purchase,
equipment and maintenance of a farm
at some suitable point in the west purt of
the state, to be under the control of the
state university and known as an ad
junct of the same, for the purposes men
tioned.
SUPREME COURT COMMISSION.
Recommends That the Existing Body be
Continued.
Your attention Is urgently called to
the necessity of providing for the con
tinuation of the supreme court commis
sion. The present commission has per
formed commendable service and reduced
the volume of litigation for years pend
ing In the supreme court. While the
number of commissioners might he de
creased. I am firmly of the opinion (hat
the number should not be less than six.
considering the rights of litigants and
the Imperative demand of the people that
every case should receive fair and full
consideration.
I therefore recommend the enactment
of a law similar to the one passed by the
last legislature creating the present
commission, so modified as to provide
for six Instead of nine commissioners.
A BOARD OF PARDONS.
One Is Necessary to Consider Worth of
Applications.
While I have no disposition to shrink
from the constitutional and statutory re
sponsibility Imposed on the chief execu
tive in the matter of exercising clemency
toward inmates of the penitentiary, yet
I believe that the public good would be
greatly enhanced by the creation of an
advisory board of pardons to which
should be referred all applications for
relief from punishment mr penal offenses
and matters pertaining thereto.
Hueh board should be authorized to
hear and weigh all evidence on which
the application for pardon Is predicated
and within a reasonable time to report
Its findings to the governor with a recom
mendation for or against the exercise of
executive clemency, as each individual
cane may seem to require. I therefore
recommend that such a hoard of pardons
tie created the details to be arranged
by your honorable body.
LIBERAL TO FREE EDUCATION.
Institutions of the State Commended to
Best Consideration.
The people of Nebraska are Justly
proud of their educational institutions.
The foundations of these Interests have
lieen laid broad and deep and may be
properly regarded as the corner stones
of that degree of eminence and distinc
tion which the state now enjoys. No
other part of our country Is blessed with
so small a per cent or illiteracy or has
so much to show. In proportion to popu
lation. In tie- way of good school build
ings. fine equipments and specially fitted
Instructors. At the head of these In
terests stands the state university with
Its numerous departments, closely sec
onded by the slate normal.
The Institutions have done, and are do
ing, for (he Htate a wink greater than
ran tie estimated, the Influence of which
will be felt throughout all time. These
Interests should receive the careful at
tention of your body and such appropria
tions should he made as will Insure the
rontlnuanee of their beneficent work on
a scale commensurate with the state's
development.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
An Amendment to Section I, Article XV,
Is Advocated.
During recent years a number of at
tempts have lieen made to secure needed
changes In the organic law of the state
liy submission to the voters of proposed
amendments to the constitution. l’nder
the constitutional provisions all proposed
amendments must lie submitted at the
general election at which members of the
legislature are voted for.
By the present law such proposed
amendments, in abridged form, nrc
made a part of the regular ballot and a
majority of all votes cast must be re
corded affirmatively for each proposition
before it can Is- adopted. In the greater
interest attaching to the election of can
didates the voters lose sight of the lm-,
portance of constitutional changes and
a majority of them fall to vote on the
propositions submitted. As each failure
to vote Is In effect a negative vote on
the question, or questions, it becomes
practically Impossible to amend the con
stitution by such means, even In eases
where the people are generally agreed
that the change should ku made.
I
As a correction of this difficulty and
ft men as of securing the needed consti
tutional modifications I recommend that
your body propose an amendment to
section I of article 15 of the constitution
which will provide that amendments to
the constitution may- be submitted to the
electors for approval or rejection at a
general or special election, and X fur
ther suggest that the present election
law be so changed as to authorize a
separate ballot for the submission of
such questions,
CONDITIONS AT PENITENTIARY.
Money Needed For Reconstruction and
Enlargement.
By reason of the failure of the last
legislature to make a sufficiently large
appropriation the rebuilding of the cen
ter and west wing of the penitentiary,
destroyed by fire two years ago. Is not
yet completed. The stone Is practically
all laid but the interior cannot be fin
ished and made ready for occupancy un
til another appropriation becomes avail
able. To this duty t trust you will give
early attention. It Is also absolutely
Imperative th«t the west wing be
equtpper with from fifty to seventy-five
new steel cells, the present cell room
being entirely Inadequate to the needs
of the institution.
At this time three convicts are com
pelled to bunk In one small room, the
capacity of which Is scarcely equal to
the proper accommodation of two. The
result Is that these unfortunates are
crowded together In an almost Imrbarnus
manner and in violation of the prompt
ings of humane reason and the laws of
health. 1 his condition is in no sense a
reflection on the management of the pen
itentiary but is unavoidable on account
of the lack of room. I recommend that
sufficient appropriations be made, both
for the completion of that part of the
penitentiary which is now In process of
construction and for the addition of new
cells as suggested.
POOR QUALITY OF OIL.
More Careful Inspection of the Shipments
is Necessary.
For some time there has been very
general complaint of the quality of oil
which is shipped Into reePraska for il
luminating purposes. The trouble seems
to be that it is not property freed from
its natural impurities, or in other words,
that it is not sufficiently refined. Our
present inspection law adequate so far
as the points covered by- it are concerned
was intended to protect the public from
the use of Illuminating oil which might
volatilize at so low a temperature ns to
occasion the danger of explosion. It
does not provide for a test of these Im
purities which measure and weigh and
the presence of which detract materially
from the illuminating power of the oil
with which they are compounded. I
recommend that the oil Inspection law
lie so amended as to Include a test for
Impurities and that a standard of purity
be established.
ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION.
Proper Representation For Nebraska
Desired.
During the year 1904 the r.ouislana
Purchase Kxpositlon will be held in the
city of St. lajuis. It is estimated that
not less than 30 million dollars will be
expended on this enterprise. The gen
eral government and a number of the
states have already given it substantial
recognition, and the other states will
undoubtedly do so as their respective
legislatures assemble. Nebraska should
have a part in this grand display or the
world's resources, and especially so as
the event Is intended to commemorate
the acquisition of the most important
territory ever added to the national do
roaine. a territory from which the state
was carved and of which it Is the
brightest Jewel. Vour body should make
a liberal appropriation for tile proper rep
resentation of Nebraska at this exposi
tion. subject to such restrictions and de
tails of expenditure as prudence mav
suggest.
PURE FOOD COMMISSION.
More -^hensive Operations Are
Necessary.
The food commission law should he
made more comprehensive. At present
its operations are confined to dairy, cider
and vinegar products, and while the com
mission having charge of the department
has done excellent service In its lim
ited sphere It Is evident that a broaden
ing of the enactment would be of cor
responding benefit. The public health is
largely .1. pendent on the character of
food products and certainly It Is fitting
that a matter so Intimately connected
wliii the very existence of our people
should be regulated by proper legislation.
The scope of the present law should
he broadened so as to Include the regu
lation and control of food products for
the use of man. Such products should
be placed on the market strictly on their
merits and deception ns to purity and
quality should be made a penal offense.
The present fee and permit system should
be pa id from the general fund and a
direct appropriation should be made for
that purpose.
NORFOLK SHOULD RETAIN ASYLUM.
Governor Mickey Thinks Conditions
Favor Reconstruction.
In September. 1901. the main building
of the asylum for the insane, at Norfolk
was partially destroyed by fire and ren
dered unfit for further use. At that
time the institution was earing for about
three hundred Inmates. These were aft
erwards divided between the similar in
stitutions owned by the state at Lincoln
and Hastings and were there given the
care and attention which their eases
demanded, as well as could be done under
the crowded conditions thus imposed.
Since then an annex has been built to
the institution at Hastings, affording ad
ditional accommodations which have
temporarily relieved the embarrassment.
It is possible that for a short time tlie
slate could continue to care for its un
fortunates at tlie two institutions named,
but it should be born- in mind that the
Lincoln hospital Is now charged with
thirty more than its capacity will justify
while the asylum at Hastings has It's
normal capacity filled. It is evident,
therefore. Mint prompt and decisive ac
tion should he taken in order to avoid
the necessity of raring for these suffer
ers in any other wav titan in a well
equipped hospital. The state now has
at Norfolk an Investment of about $9r>.oon
in the way of land, uninjured buildings
and equipments, exclusive of the partial
ruins of the main building which also
represent a considerable money value.
In view of this investment, of the grow
ing needs of the state proportionate to
the growth in population and the cor
responding increase of dementia and as
a matter of convenience to the North
Platte country, it seems to mo that tlie
institution at Norfolk should he rehabili
tated and I recommend a reasonable ap
propriation for that purpose. I further
advise that this, and all other buildings
authorized by your body, be made as
nearly fire proof as possible, to the end
that danger to human life and of the
destruction of property on account of
fire be reduced to the minimum.
TO HANDLE STATE ACCOUNTS.
An Office Should he Created to Assist
the State Board.
With tlie gradual increase o' state
business it becomes more and tpo-e nec
essary that a state accountant should be
provided ns an adjunct of the t card of
nubile lands anil buildings, who. ■ duty
it shall be to scrutinize and ve> ffy the
accounts of the various state offl. s and
state institutions, and who shall have
authority over the books and rei >rds of
said institutions with a view to reducing
them to a uniform system. Relieving that
such an officer would render valuable
service to the state and would serve as
a cheek on extravagance In the conduct
of state affairs. I recommend that the
petition lie created.
These are tlie more Important i>ointx
of desired legislation that suggest
themselves to my mind. During tlie
progress of the session II may bo that
other matters will arise to which I shall
wish to call your attention by special
message. I trust that the utmost of har
mony and fraternal good-will may at
tend all vour efforts.
JOHN II. MICIvEY.
HIS PARTING WORD
Recommendations of Retiring
Governor Savage
of State Institution* Advocated—Would
Lengthen Terms of legislators aod
Abolish Uuneressary (State Of
fices— A Plea for Keonomy
* A
A WHAT GOV. SAVAGE A
A RECOMMENDS. A
A it
A Governor Savage declares that A
A the provision of the constitution A
A regarding the Investment of trust A
A funds Is antiquated. He urges A
A that some amendment be devised A
A to remedy the defect and allow A
A the state treasurer to invest In A
A such state, county and foreign A
A bonds as may make safe and A
A profitable investments. A
A Strict and rigid economy is the A
A keynote of tlie whole message. A
A The governor denounces unneces- A
A sary jobs and all attempts at party A
A spoliation. He maintains that the A
A money of the people should be A
A wisely and judiciously spent and A
A urges a careful investment of all A
A tlie money of the people. A
A Governor Savage gives a de- A
A tailed account of the loss of the A
A Norfolk asylum by fire. He urges A
A that all buildings erected by the A
A state be built of fireproof ma- A
A terlai. A
A Public service corporal ions A
A should not be allowed municipal A
A franchises. Competition should A
A everywhere govern the operations A
A of such concerns. Public owner- A
A sit ip. he opposes. The people A
A should receive compensation for A
A the use of public streets by cor- A
A poratlons He advises the ellm- A
A illation of all municipal franchises. K
A Ten thousand dollars was the A
A sum appropriated for the Pan- A
A American exposition. Of this A
A $1,785.41 remains unexpended. A
A Nebraska should take a leading A
A part in the Louisiana Purchase A
A Exposition. I'or this purpose a A
A sum of not less than $75,000 should A
A be appropriated. A
A Additional facilities should he A
A placed at the disposal of teach- A
A ers to get professional training. A
A No teacher should he eligible who A
A has not attended a normal school A
A for at least one year. A
A An appropriation should be A
A made for buildings at Peru. A
A A normal school should be lo- A
A ented , in west Nebraska. A
A Tlie state university » the "cap- A
A sheaf” of the educational system A
A of the state. The administration A
A of Chancellor Andrews has been A
A efficient. A
A There should lie n rigid inspec- A
A tion of foods. The pure food law A
A should be amended so that it will A
A include all food products. A
A Kerosene should he closely in- A
A speoted and impure oils excluded A
A from the markets. Gasoline A
A should also he tested. A
A Geological surveyors should he A
A empowered to enter any lands A
A where their presence does not A
A cause damage to owners or Inter- A
A fere witli private rights. A
A The stale should take a leading A
A part in promoting irrigation and A
A remedying defects in the pres- A
A ent system. A
A Action should he taken to form A
A a boundary commission to adjust A
A and prevent disputes arising from A
A the vagaries of the Missouri river. A
A Nebraska has need of a strong A
A and well equipped national guard. A
A The service Is at present inade- A
A quate to the demand. A
A The supreme court commission A
A should be abolished and some ae- A
A tion taken for a revision of the or- A
A ganic law in order to increase the A
A number of judges. A
A Retrenchment is advisable in re- A
A gard to district Judges. In some A
A sections the litigation does not A
A demand that the present number A
A of Judges he retained. A
A The revenue laws must be A
A amended in order to overcome A
A some of the "gross abuses” of tlie A
A present system. By reason of the A
A delinquencies the state debt Is A
A now almost 2 millions. The real A
A trouble is non-payment of taxes A
A and some measure should lie taken A
A to compel prompt payment. Tlie A
A state board should raise as well A
A ns equalise values. The law re- A
A quiring property to be assessed A
A at Its cash value should be rigidly A
A enforced. A
A The Improvements at the Peru A
A Normal, the penitentiary and the A
A Lincoln asylum arc needed. All A
A other requests for buildings are A
A unnecessary. A
A The sum of $621,050 is asked for A
A buildings and improvements. The A
it expenditure can be kept down to A
A $475,000 without impairing the A
A public service. A
A The office of clerk or the su- A
A preme court should be made a A
A salaried one. A
A The appropriation for the state it
it university should not be raised A
A above the amount allowed two A
A years ago. A
A Appropriations asked for build- A
A big at the Girls' Industrial school. A
A the Institute for tlie Feeble A
A Minded. The Nebraska Industrial A
A home and the Institution for the A
A Leaf and Dumb should not be A
A increased. A
A The penitentiary and the Hast- A
A ings asylum will need slightly A
A increased appropriations. A
A The State Historical society A
it should be satisfied if its allow- A
A ance is not decreased and there is A
A no Justification for a request for A
A an increase of $3..".on, A
A The people bear the burdens of A
it taxation and there should be A
A much caution exercised in mak- A
A ing appropriations. A
it Tlie offices of land commissioner A
it and auditor should be abolished. A
A Tlie board of charities nnd cor- A
it rections. the state printing board A,
* and the bureau of statistics should A
A he abolished. A
* Governor Savage asks that cap- A
A ital punishment he abolished. A
it The only allusion to the Bartley A
A pardon is a paragraph, quoting A
it reasons for the action, in the re- A
it port on pardons and commute- A
it tions. A
i, Attention should he paid to the A
it diseases of live stock and laws A
it should he passed to prevent the A
A spread of Infectious diseases. A
it a constitutional convention A
* should he called. A
it Partisanship should not be al- A
it lowed to interfere with the eco- A
it nomlral management of state In- A
it stitutlons. A
it Terms of the members of the A
it legislature should be increased to A
A four years. A
it Annual elections should be dls- A
i, penned with and civil service re- it
it form In state service should be A
A encouraged. A
irk
In Ills message to the legislature to
day Ezra I’. Savage, the retiring gov
ernor of Nebraska, says:
To the Senators and Representatives,
Twenty-Eighth Session of the Legisla
ture of Nebraska:
Constitutional environments and limi
tations are such that, to be further li
censed. means an unnecessary hardship
on those who bear the burdens of the
cost of public government. The state
of Nebraska has so developed in its In
dustrial. educational and commercial re
sources that it oan no longer be sub
jected to that degree of restraint em
bodied in the constitution as it now
exists without material interference with
its growth and welfare.
Particularly is this true tn regard to
a profitable investment of the perma
nent school trust funds. Section 9 ol
article 8 of the constitution limits th«
investment of these funds to United
States and state securities and regis
tered county bonds of this state, and
while no objection can be raised to the
quality of the securities enumerated, the
fact remains that the latitude of In
vestment Is inadequate, necessitating th«
employment of nn Intermediary between
the contracting parties with consequent
loss in the way of rebates. Prosperity
has been so general with the American
people during the last five years, and
money has become so plentiful, that In
terest rates on all stable securities hav«
decreased during that time approxi
mately 100 per cent. Five years ago f
per cent securities were obtainable In
every market. Today 4 per cent se
curities are difficult to obtain, the gen
eral line being below that figure. The
constitution prohibits the board of edu
cational lands and funds from using
any part of the trust funtls for other
than the purpose of investment, which
prevents the board or the treasurer from
going Into the open market nnd paving
premiums, as do other Investors. This
requires the purchase of securities from
or through an Intermediary nnd results
invariably In the acquisition of securities
at a considerably reduced rate of inter
est. The loss thus entailed amounts to
thousands of dollars annually, nor can I
divine any substantial remedy Independ
ent of such amendment to the consti
tution as will afford wider latitude in
the matter of denominating the kind of
securities which may be purchased. The
school trust fund has now reached the
enormous proportions with tendencies
toward a further increase, and until re
lief Is furnished which shall provide
avenues for Investment of this fund
which do not now exist the best results
possible will he unprofitable and unsat
isfactory to the people. During the last
two years payments on school land sold,
despite the liberality of the state in
the matter of exempting from taxation
lands in which it has an equity, have
greatlv Increased the trust funds, and
notwithstanding that extraordinary dili
gence was practiced by the treasurer in
making investments, the amount unin
vested was a great portion of the lime
large and its safe-keeping attended b.v
more or less risk.
If the state be empowered to go Into
the open market nnd compete with other
Investors it will, not alone prove remun
erative In the way of saving rebates and
discounts, but such an active competitor
at work in the market will have a tend
ency to reduce interesr rates thereby
making a saving to the people both
ways.
The amount of securities held for the
permanent school fund now aggregates
$5,380,000. The amount of money which
the state has forthcoming from sale
contracts of school lands approximates
5 million dollars. Arrangements must
be mode therefore for a continuous In
vestment of a trust fund of at least 10
million dollars. Under prevailing con
stitutional limitations investment of any
where near the full amount of this fund
Is impossible.
A PLEA FOR ECONOMY.
'Jovernor Wants “Snap" Office* Abolished
—Condemns Extravagance.
The government of the state as now
constituted symbolizes extravagance In
a marked degree. Those who framed
ttie existing constitution established de
partments that for the next twenty-five
years, under the most favorable circum
stances in th- growth and development
of the state will be an unnecessary bur
den on the tax payers. The people should
enjov government at tile lowest cost
consistent with good service. Any
greater cost is n public Injustice. A
careful study of this phase of the ques
tion justifies me in mv own mind in
recommending the abolition of the de
partments of auditor of public accounts
and commissioner of public lands and
buildings, and the assignment of the du
ff ies incumbent thereon to those depart
ments officered by tin* secretary of
state, the treasurer and governor. With
a few additional clerks the duties of the
auditor nnd commissioner of public
lends and buildings can he performed by
the secretary of state, the treasurer and
tile governor, thus making a saving to
the tax pavers of approximately $50,000
per year, ’simplifying government and
doing awav with the necessity of an out
lay of at least *100.000 made necessary
for accommodations for the new ad
juncts which naturally will be created
from time to time.
ATTACKS SPOILSMEN.
In the conflict for political spoliation
the offleeseeklng class seems to have out
generaled and defeated those who stand
for economy, witli the result that a large
number of names have been added to the
pay roll, and bureaus and departments
have been established absolutely without
any apparent justification. This policy
has been pursued by all political par
ties until now the state nas in Its em
ploy at high wages, sufficient officers
and employes to transact ten times the
amount of business devolving on them.
A critical investigation will show that
in many Instances one department is de
pilcatlnK tin work of th** other with no
other object than to find employment for
those whom the legislature lias from
time to time established ill public office.
If business is transacted properly it does
not improve it to have It twice or thrice
transacted and if it be transacted im
properly the evil can grow no less
through the medium of multiplication.
As the accredited representative of the
people, it is vonr duty to see that not
one dollar of expense Is entailed on
them beyond the amount required to de
fray the cost of government honesty and
economically administered.
Tile bureau of industrial statistics is
a source of unnecessary expense and
should he abolished. The law pertain
ing to the collection nnd compilation of
industrial statistics should lie so amended
as to impose this duty Jointly on the
department of banking, the department
of public Instruction and the hoard of
agriculture. By so doing the service can
be improved and a substantial reduction
made in public expense.
A comparison of expenses Incident to
public printing fails to justify the ex
istence of the state printing hoard or
for a specific appropriation therefor and
I recommend, as a measure of economy
that the law creating the said board he
repealed and that its duties be imposed
oil the secretary of state.
Congress is at tills time considering a
hill which provides for the location of a
national fish hatchery in Nebraska. The
worth and importance of such an un
dertaking must lie apparent to all. Tim
success achieved by the state in the
promotion of (isli and game, both by fish
hatching and by preventing the whole
sale and unlawful destruction of game
and fish, makes this a very desirable
field for a nattonnl hatchery. The leg
islature at Its last session enacted a
law creating a system of game wardens.
The workings of this law have been
eminently satisfactory and the amount
received from prosecutions and fees al
most balances the expenses entailed,
which makes that department almost
self supporting. I recommend that your
honorable bod> memorialize Congress to
pass tills measure and that the Ne
braska representatives ill both branches
be urged to give it active attention and
support. Should the measure pt'.ss it
would be an act of wisdom for the state
to turn over its hatchery nnd equip
ment at South Bend to tin* general gov
ernment nt a nominal cost.
FOR A BOARD OF PARDONS.
Governor Recommends Non-Partisan
Body—Board to Control Institutions.
1 recommend that the management of
the state institutions be placed under
the supervision of a 11011-partisan hoard
of control and pardons. This board
should be heavily bonded and should he
required to purchase supplies. Inspect in
stitutions and accounts thereof and ex
ercise supervisory control over the sev
eral institutions. It should also he em
powered and required to provide means
of employment for convict labor and
ixiss upon all applications for executive
clemency.
The penitentiary should nnd can be
made self-supporting. Instead of deal
ing with contractors, the state should
Itself employ the labor of convicts In
the manufacture of clothing, hoots and
shoes and other materials for the various
institutions. With a nominal outlay for
machinery the state can do away with
the necessity of appropriating large sums
of money out of the treasury each year
for the maintenance of that Institution.
Guided further by the light of experi
ence and reason, I recommend that the
laws be so amended as to require rela -
tlves of the Insane, feeble-minded and
inmates of the reform school to bear
the expense of the maintenance of these
individuals. The state should provide ac
commodations and medical attention,
but this expense, along with the genera!
expense of maintenance, should be borne
by relatives when financially able to do
so, otherwise the cost should devotve on
the resident county.
I further recommend that the Home
for the Friendless be eliminated from
politics and placed under the supervision
of a non-partisan board composed of
women residing In the city of Lincoln.
All other visiting and examining boards,
a source of considerable expense and
often of much dissension, should be
abolished.
WANTS BOARD ABOLISHED.
The state board of charities has failed
by its achievements to justify its fur
ther existence at public expense, and
I respectfully recommend that this work
he left to the churches and the charit
ably Inclined and that the law creating
said board be repealed.
The maintenance of two separate
homes for soldiers and sailors can tw
no method of reasoning be justified.
These charges, by reason of age and in
firmity, have been rendered incapable
of performing manual tnbor and those
plans which contemplate the production
of food supplies with this class of labor
must now lie abandoned. The home at
Grand Island never has and never can
enjoy proper sanitary accommodations.
The large tract of land owned by the
state at this point Is now a source of
expense rather than of revenue. The
home at Milford is better adapted in
every way and the land owned by the
state on which this institution is located
is of sufficient qualltv to answer all legi
timate purposes. The number of In
mates henceforth will by the workings
of time, be gradually reduced and—and
l say It with regret and sorrow—it will
only be a few years until the last sur
vivor of that great conflict will have
passed away. I recommend, both in
consideration of the inmates wlto can
be better provided for and of the tax
I payers who should be lelleved of all un
necessary burdens, that the property at
Grand Island be sold and the inmates
transferred to Milford. The expense in
cident to this change will be trivial
compared with the financial saving this
will make to the state.
Each session of the legislature has
witnessed the unnecessary expenditure
of a large sum of money for printing and
stationery. Numerous bills are intro
duced which have no merit to commend
them, and, after a great deal of expense
has been entailed. fail of passage.
While many of these bills aim at legi
timate achievements, not a few of them
are utterly devoid of merit. I therefore
recommend that before a bill may be
Introduced, it be referred to such com
mittee of the house in which It orig
inated as has to deal with subjects of
that character and shall be entertained
bv vour honorable body only when its
introduction bears the approval of a
majority of said committee. Only such
number of persons should be employed
during a legislative session as is actu
ally necessary to transact Its business
with proper expedition.
ntvblNU ti
Wants “Gross Abuse” Remedied by Leg
islation.
I cannot impress upon your minds too
firmly the importance of making such
amendments to our revenue laws as
will forever end the many gross abuses
now so widely licenses. By reason of
delinquent taxes the state has each year
been compelled to utilize Its credit until
the outstanding warrant Indebtedness
against the general fund reaches the en
ormous amount of $1,989,328.63. By rea
son of delinquences each year the state
finds Its appropriations in excess of gross
receipts to the extent of at least $100.
000. necessitating the issuance of interest
hearing warrants to meet authorized ex
penditures.
The constitution limits the Indebted
ness of the state to $100,000, yet the
state debt Is now close to the 2 million
dollar mark, with a stop from further
increase conditioned only and solely on
such legislation as will compel the pay
ment of taxes by all holders of property.
The amount of taxes due the state
and delinquent December 1. 1902, as
shown by the auditor's records, was
$3,459,422.89. Of this sum the sum of
$1,131,124.61 Is due but not delinquent.
This makes Ihe amount of delinquent
taxes $2,328,398.28. or a sum $338,969.65
greater than the outstanding obligations
against the general fund Of the amount
delinquent *1.131.124.61 is for the tax
levied In 1901. most of which will be paid
Into the treasury In the near future, but
there still remains, after deducting the
delinquencies for 1901, n delinquency of
$1,197,173.67. which represents delinquen
cies for a period of years prior to 1901.
A conservative study of tax statistics
discloses the fact that the average an
nual delinquency is 30 per cent or the
taxes levied.
NON-PAYMENT OF TAXES.
It will be observed, therefore, that the
real source of trouble Is the non-payment
of taxes, and that the remedy primarily
must be such as will compel prompt pay
ment.
It Is manifestly wrong ror the state to
be exncting and arbitrary with one class
of taxpayers and ultra indifferent and
lenient with others. I have in mind the
taxes levied on railroad property, not
one dollar of which remains unpaid, y®t
there are those who advocate the adjust
ment of the discrepancy between our
expenditures and receipts, not by re
'qulrlng the payment of taxes by all, but
by requiring corporate Interests to con
tribute a correspondingly greater amount.
Injustice Is written across the very face
of this proposition.
I recommend that the powers of the
state board of equalization be so ex
tended as to empower said board to
raise as wre!l as equalize values, and that
countv treasurers be empowered to con
vey title to property on which the taxes
are unpaid, making due provision for
redemption of title within a specified
time, and for Interest on money ad
vanced for tax payment. Payment of
taxes on movable and personal property
should be due within 60 days after the
assessment, so ns to guard against loss
of taxes through removal and conse
quent extinction of Identification. For
the prompt collection of taxes county
treasurers should be made liable on their
bonds.
With these modifications a proper en
forcement of the provisions of our rev
enue laws coupled with an honest and
economical administration of public af
fairs will strike an even balance be
tween our reolpts and disbursement# and
put an end to harrasslng discrepancies
of this character.
ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS.
It is important, too. that the law re
quiring all property to be assessed at
its cash value be rigidly enforced. With
our property assessed at scarcely 10
per cent of Its value. It must resuit in
a high rate of levy, while the low valua
tion makes It appear that Nebraska, one
of the principal Industrial states of the
1'nlon. is still struggling in the shadows
of primitive statehood. Those seeking
Investment consult our laws and our
-ecords. and if they find that the com
bined wealth of Nebraska is $174,000,000
after more than a third of a century of
statehood, and that the tax levy Is
higher than Interest rates, they will not
he likely to take up their abode with
us. They will assume that the law is
enforced and that $174,000,000 represents
the aggregate real wealth of the state,
whereas It represents scarcely more
than 10 per cent of It.
The assessed valuation of the state
should not be less than 1 billion dollars,
and any lower valuation does the prop
erty Interests of the state an Injustice.
By raising the assessed valuation to this
amount, the rate of levy may be reduced
correspondingly, entailing no extra hard
ships. while It will remove a harrier that
I am reasonably certuin has In Its time
turned baek millions of dollars seeking
Investment among us.
EZRA P. SAVAGE.
c«