Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-01-15

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Of the State.
Agriculture, in its varied departments, Is
the great interest Of the Commonwealth. Ii
Is the basis alike Of financial and CONNER.
cial success, and Of State and national pros
perity. An interest SO important should be
fostered 10y the State. and honored by all
classes Of society. To its promotion and
success all should cheerfully contribute. In
Il former cUmmunl alton | recommended the
establishment of an Agricultural bureau, in
connection with snme one of the State De
partments. to give efficiency to the collection
and diifu,iI IN Of useful knowledge on this
subject, and u encourage scientific and prac-
teal agriculture. Science, with wundrOus
energy, has aided the huSbandman in hon
orabe vocation, and profers still more help.
The State should nerve his arm and cheer
him onward in this the first and noblest pur-
suit of man. This subject, in connection
with an appI Opriation to the Farmers High
School Of Pennsylvania an Institution des
tined to be an honor to the Commonwealth
is recommended to your favorable con-
sideration.
The "Polytechnic College of Pennsylva-
MA" established bv the enterprise and
hberalitY Of some Of the patriotic citizens of
Philadelphia, a. Il school Of the applied
sciences, deserves honorable mention, and
should receive the confidence and patronage
Of the public. In the teachings of this insti-
tuition, literature, science and art, in happy
union, meet 10 prepare cur young men for
the practical business Of life, for mining,
mechanical and civil engineering, and for
promoting intclligently and efficiently the
great interests Of manufacturing and agri-
cultural industry.
The laws on the statute book regulating
manufacturing and improvement companies,
require revision. They are unnecessarily
stringent in many Of their provisions, and
thus defeat the object Of their enactment
They drive capital from the State, instead
Of encouraging individual and associated
enterprise and energy i'll the develUpement
Of our immense natural resources, they bind
and crush both by severe restrictions, unwi~e
limitations and personal liabilities. The
subject deserves careful attention and liberal
legislation.
have SO frequently expressed my views
in relation 10 local, special and omnibus
legislation. that their reit+ratjon now be-
comes unnecessary. Legislation, SO far as
practicable, should be general and uniform.
Local and special legislation, when the OBJ.
iect desired can be secured 10y general laws,
or by the action Of the courts, should be
avoided. Omnibus Legislation" cannot, un-
der any circumstances. be justified or ap-
proved Too much legislation Is an evil that
prevails extensively in legislative halls. It's
avoidance would not be injurious TO public
or private interests.
The practice of delaying the passage IF
the general appropriation bill until the last
uavs Of the session. ami incorporating in it
provisions Incompatible with its general
character, obnoxious, when standing alone,
to insurmountable objections is highly CEN
surable and should Je discontinued. The
attempt thus made to force, by species Of
legislative legerdemain, the passage of 0hiec-
measures through the Legislature,
and compel their sanction By the Executive,
has been toJ often successful The practice
clnnot be too strongly condemned it cans
not receive my sanction.
The militia law of the State j. imperfect
in many of its provisions and should be
revised The powers and duties Of the Com
man! Ter in-Cnief should bc more clearly de-
fined as also Of the officers connected with
the military organization IF the Common
wealth. This Is necessary to prevent u con-
fict Of Jurisdiction with other departments
OF the government, and to give greater
efficiency to our military system. Volunteer
C ,npanies should be encouraged; our entire
military system should be remodeled, and
made 10 occupy that honorable position
which from its Importance and necessity it
deserves
Near the close Of the last session of the
Legislature, ! transmitted to that body an
ordinance passed by the select and common
councils Of the city Of Philadelphia, approved
Ly the Mayor on the : th Of April, 1886, and
Ltficially communicated to me, proposing to
convey 10 the Commonwealth Of Pennsylya-
uia 4 lot Of ground in that city, for the pur-
pose of erecting thereon a State arsenal
Want Of time alone prevented action on the
proposition then submitted. The ground
thus offered to the State is valuable, and its
location most eligible for the purpose intended
The conditions of the proposed grant are
favorable to the State, and highly creditable
TO the municipal authorities Of Philadelphia
evincing liberality and public spirit worthy
of all commentator The necessity Of a
State arsenal in that city Is so apparent that
the subject needs no elaboration in this COM
mum, anon. After the sale of the State arsenal
in Philadelphia, the public arms were deposi-
ted in an old building, or out house, unsafe
and unfit as a depository for public proper
ty. The sum Of $50, 600 co. realized from
that sale, is now in the Treasury; and by
the ffty-ffth section Of an act passed the
18th day Of April, \. d. 1853, entitled an
An Act to provide for the ordinary expenses
Of government" &C., the Governor was au-
thori2ed to apply the same to the purchase
of lot Of ground and to the erection Of an
arsenal. This sum was found insufficient for
these purposes, and consequently the object
nteded 10y the appropriation has not been
accomplished. By the cession of this lot,
the State will be relieved from the expendi-
.ure of any money for the purchase Of suita-
BILE grounds and the entire sum of $4,000
20 may be applied to the erection of the ne
cessarv buildings to which sum can be add
ed, if deemed advisable, the amount that
may be realized from the sale Of the arsenals
at Meadyi!le and Harrisburg Is recOmmeni-