Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-01-09

rived from in investment cseaGes the ssmi-
annual fued distributed snoOg the schools
Of the State Tor the,r current support. ~"
mode Of investment or rats oil interest Is
pre-. cribed BY the Con ititution. This mat
ter is left to the sound judgment Of the
Legislative department. We may loan Il
out To individuals - ~ have heretofore
! done. or invest It in bonds, ei.her Safe or
National. I am decidedly Of the opinion
that il would be advisable TO require the
whole Of this fund, now floating among the
counties, to be returned 70 the State Treas.
, as to render the interest promptly recciva.
BILE for superintendent among the schools.
Would il not b, judicous to redeem our
outstanding State bonds with this fund, ex
ecuting in lieu therc,f bonds bearing the
same rate Of interest. payable semi annu Ally
70 the School Fund, and the principal re-
deeinable ut the pleasure Of the General
Assembly, We are now paying an annual
interest VI So. 900 upon our loaded debt,
and the most Of this goes into the pockets
of non resident holders BY adopting the
plan here suggested we could, within .
reasonable time. liqudato our entire in.
debiedness. by transferring it to ourselves.
paying the Schools Of the State instead OF
strangers, the interest accruing thereon !;
and at the same time make . safe and per
mancnt investment Of this sacred fund.
can perceive no sound objection to this
| measure, and its Importance ~ SO obvious
that trust it will meet with your early
and favorable consideration.
AGRICULTURAL C0LLEGB.
The completion Of the Agricultural Col
lege is subject which demands your early
attention. By the Act Of Congress under
which we obtained Il is rich endowment oil
lands for the benefit Of Agriculture and the
Mechanic Arts, the State is required within
, live years fIom the date Of the grant, to
provide ut least one College as described in
said Act. II we fail t" comply with this
condition, the lands thus granted will re
vert to the United States. 10 lose this
magnificent donation by our o n neglect or
| parAinony. after having accepted it. would
not only reflect lasting disgrace upon the
| S state, but would be nm irre,revaDlc injury
| to the advancement Of our agricultural in
| ter. SITS. The primary object Of this grant
Is to establish an experimental and model
farm where all the fruits and cereals adapted
to our climate and soil may be thoroughly
and scicnufi ally tested The object Of the
College, as contemplated by the law, is to
teach the different sciences which are nee
essary to more cmnentiy qualify our
young men for this enno bling avocatiOn.
Such is the characte. Of our climate
| and soil that agriculture will not only BE-
a profitable pursuit, but must, in the very
nature Of things, forever constitute the
great underlying interest Of the State.
Therefore, the necessity Of providing an in.
| institution Tor the proper education of OUT
yonng farmers in all those branches appli-
! cable to their calling, is SO obvious. that
trust YOU will not as the legal guardians Of
this projected institution, hesitate to freely
! give it your fostering care.
As required by the Act of the last session
the Board Of Trustees, after careful and due
examination, adopted plan and specifca
,ions f,r College building In addition
| 10 this, the Board secured sworn estimates
| by architects and master workm n Of tho
cost OF the building accordin. to the p'ar
unlimited The proof 50 furnished satisfied
the Board ard myself that the struc.ur.
thus designed could be completed within
the limits prescribed by the Act.
| The work was begun in the utmost gcot
faith; but the cstiinat. Of expenses beins
based upon prices prevailing Mt the time
our calculations were, TO great extent
frustrated in consequence OF the unexpected
and cxorbltant advance in the prices Of ma
terials and mech nical labor. The founda
ton is completed and ready for the walls
and large portion Of the brick for the en-
| tire building on the ground. The appro
| pliation, 1t will be remembered, was bu
| two fiiihs Of the limited cost Of the struc
turc. These facts are more fully explained
in the memorial Of the Board, which in du
time will be presented for your considera
ton.
This building must be completed at al
hazslds. al d | trust the General Assembl,
will not hesitate to make an appropriation
adj, qnate TO accomplish the work within
the Tine limited 10y the G ant When com
n'cted upon the present plan, next TO tn,
Insane ASYLUM at Mt. Pleasant, it will b,
the finest cditice in The State and wi
have been cct,d for much smaller sun
than the other S atcs have expended upor
their colleges under the same Grant.
also re, mmend an Appropriation o
$1,000 Tor the purpose Of reliably testing
by means Of an experimental orchard, tn,
varieties o fruit best adapted to the sol
and climate Of this State, and for the pur
chase Of additional heads of imp,o We,
stock. Thee departments will be OF i'm
men>e practical value to the State, and car
soon be made self Sustaining; and the
vi Ii y depends very much upon their earl,
| introduction.
HISTORIC A. SOCIETY
The State Historical Society is ono of tn,
| established institutions of the State, and il
utility as II permanent repository of his
tnrical documents, relics and memorial
will I've increased from year to year. Thi
institution should he literally provide,
Tor. The interesting report of the curator
| herewith transmitted will furnish you will
satisfactory statement OF its present con
d,ti"n End wants, and respectfully mn.
earnestly commend thcm to your atten
ton.
CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
The Charitable Institutions of the Stat
demand your careful attention, and the,
should receive all nccdiul and appropriat,
aid. The reports of the proper officers o
The Insane. Blind, and Deaf and Duml
Asylum, herewith submitted, will furnish
you with all nee. ssary information in re-
gard to their financial affairs and genera
condition. They appcarto have been bntl
ably and economically managed. And i
should be regarded as ~ matter of SINGER,
qualification, that these institutions, il
spitc'"f the many cmbarrassmcnts incidcn
10 'hrIr foundation and cariy gro Ath, hay,
steadily advanced in usefulness. and mr.,
now in an exceedingly tlouri>hiny C. nditn,
As our population increases, we NAV ma,
nrally expect a corresponding augmcnta
ticn in the number Of our unfortunate El
owcitizcns who will require trcatmcn
and ,ducatinn in these different institu
tions. and 1t becomes our solemn duty I,
render them fully adequate to the incrcas
IN" demands oI the State.
The law requires the expense of support
ing patients at the Insane Aeylum 10 ~
pa''l either from private means or Nv III,
counties from which they are sent. ,;rea
Inconvenience results fro the tmr,iincs
with which many counties return their due
to the State Treasury, while some of thc,,
have wholly neglected this duty The i'm
p"rtnncc promptly paying their due
.,nnI.