Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-01-14

SOuuS HOIScS WtEc Ndiueu AT lHtTIl
dollars, cows at eight dollars, and
sheep at t,cenfg cents each. In very
few counties was there even a pre-
tense of assessing property of any
kind at more than one half or two
thirds its actual value. All this was
done 10 open and deliberate defiance
OF the law and of instructions issued
from this Office"
The suggestions and reeomenda.
tfons OF tn, Secretary IN this con
nection merit your serious attention
and | certainly hope that you will
replace the present imperfect and in
adequate law by one at once eqnita,
bic and efficient.
The Legislature bv chapter 537
general laws of 1865, provided by an
equal division of the, swami land,
then unsold, and the proceeds Of
such lands previously sold, between
the Normal School fund and the
towns in which they were located
the lands to be set apart to the towns
to be sold by the State, and the pro.
ceeds to be paid to the towns
each year. During the last fiscal
year there was paid to county treas
ures for towns, on account Of sales
the sum of S68,268.3S. Since the
enactmens Of the law referred TO-
others have been passed by the
Legislature making appropriations
for special purposes, OF lands belong
ing to towns. Such appropria-
tons, / am convinced, should not
have been made without the consent
of the towns owning the lands, aad
trust no more will be made, unless
the wishes of those directly interest
ed are known and consulted. The
lands belong to the towns and they
are entitled to control their disposi-
ton
There was sold by the State. dur
ing the past year, 81, 945 acres school
land, 3 $50 acres university land, 81.
9Ol Normal School land, and 1856
acres Agricultural College land.
LAWS.
feel it my duty to call attention
to the condition of our statutes, and
thu imperitive necessity of their
speedy codifcation or revision
They have been amended with such
frequency as to render it impossible
at this time to ascertain, without LONG
and laborious research, the law in
force upon any given subject. The
dlfhculties thus presented to all who
have occasion to consult the statutes
are exceedingly annoying and bur-
densome. The index of all amend :,
ments, for the publication of which
provision Is made by joint resolution
number II, 1867, viii! be of great
service. but | recommend that YOU
provide for the complete and imme>
date revision Of the statutes, unless
you are of The opinion that a consti>
tutional convention will be shortly
called.
l have heretofore very freely ex>
pressed my opinions regarding
special legislation, and yet cannot re,
Train from reiterating the belief that
1t IS great and growing evil, which
calls for check at your hands.
Our volumes of private and local
laws have become monuments of leo
islative folly, and it is not at all
strange that the people complain of
the tlmo and money spent by the
Legislature each year in granting re
lief for which adequate provision has
been made by the general laws. -
This class of legislation is not desired
by the people, and those individually
interested should be compelled to seek
relief In the mode pointed out by the
statutes. In addition to the obiec>
tions indicated, | fully believe that
much of the legislation relating to
private charters is an evasion of sec
ton one, of article eleven, of the
State Constitution. | trust YOU will
inaugurate q reform in this direction
and will leave to the Courts and
Boards of Supervisors all matters
coming within their jurisdiction
Should you do this, l am codsden t
that, while interested individuals
may decry the Improvement, the
people will receive it with entire sat !,
isfaction.
EDUCATIONAL
The promptness and cheerfulness
with which the people respond to
every demand made by the educa.
tional interests of the State upon
both purse and sympathy, is a source
OF qualification to al! who have at
heart the permanent well>being of
our Commonwealth. The almost
universal appreciation of the value
of an enlightened public opinion, and
the thorough belief that such can
only be obtained by means of popu-
lar education, augurs we'll for the nlti.
mate success of both State and Ma
uon. The untiring energy of our
educational men, with the hearty co.
operation of the people, have laid
the foundation broad and deep. and
Wisconsin will soon be. leader, in>
stead OF follower, in all matters per.
tanning to schools and colleges. The
able report of the Superintendent of
Public instruction shows that
The number OF children in the state between4
aho ~ JoaFs 37l 0S2
Number who have attended public school dur
aug INC past fehr..... go
NUMBER OF teachers quired............... o5o
Number OF schools visited by County superin-
tenoshts.-.... 4 923
Average number OF days each attended school TliL
Total value OF, school houses and 2 b22 T2ef
Total amount paid for school purposes sos
The increase in expenditure for
school purposes is nearly one half q
million of dollars in excess of anv
past year. | am pleased to note an
other increase in the remuneration of
teachers. The mission to which the
teachers of the land have dedicated
themselves is noble, and, in MANY
instances, self,sacrifieing one. and
they should be well and generously
repaid.
have deemed it my duty, as it
certainly was my pleasure, during
the past year, to extend to the vari>
GUS educational institutions of the
State such officia, attention as other