The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-01-15


ated and unavailable funds and dispose
of them to the best advantage of the
Treasury; or, if found to be worthless,
TO cancel and destroy them, so that the
accounting officers may be relieved
from the necessity and responsibility
of annually accounting for them.
The large cash balance remaining in
the Treasury on the 30th of November,
1867, has been used for the payment of
the tWenty-three million loan and for
the liquidation of outstanding claims
against the State. The Investment of
the funds, in one of the modes recon-
manded in my last annual message,
has therefore, in great measure been
rendered unnecessary for the present.
But in the event of large accumula-
tions Of money hereafter, the recon-
mendations therein given are respect
fully referred to, and renewed. When
ever there may be surplus funds in the
Treasury, they can, with safety and
benefit to the State, be employed in
the purchase its outstanding bonds,
and in saving the interest on them
which would accumulate prior to their
maturity.
regret to state that the last Legis-
lature, although fully forewarned in
regard to the insecurity and want of
proper and sufficient guards for the
safe keeping of the money of the Com
mOnwealth, failed to determine upon
any mode by which the Treasury may
be ef1ectually guarded against the pos
sibiiity of loss. The present Legisla-
tuTe has it in its power to secure for
itself no ordinary honor, by the enact
ment Of such a law, strong and efficient
for the purpose indicated, and the en-
joyment not only Of the appreciation,
but the permanent gratitude Of every
citizen.
Notwithstanding the satisfactory re-
duction Of the public Indebtedness, as
shown in the foregoing statements, an
immense State debt is still upon us,
requiring nearly two million Of dollars
to be collected to pay the interest ac-
cruing upon it annually. It's extin-
guishment at the earliest practicable
period, not inconsistent with other
public interests, is Of the highest i'm
portance to every taxpayer. / cannot,
therefore, too strongly urge the strict
est economy in respect to every eXpen-
diture and the utmost retTenchment in
every department.
Retrenchment is emphatically de-
by the people, in legislative
as well as in every other
branch of the government. Their eyes
are open to investigate every transac-
ton, and by their ballots they are
ready to strike down those who will
not take effective action in favor of
positive and radical reform. The mon
ey paid into the Treasury is the pro-
pCrty of the people, every one of whom
has just right to hold his representa-
tives to strict accountability for every
dollar that may be appropriated or eX-
pended.
l here renew the remarks made last
year on the subject of ''annuaI apprO-
+" to which you are respect
full referred. For four successive
years the general appropriation bills
have been signed on the eleventh day
of April, being about the time of ad-
iournment. The Governor has been
forced either to sign the bills without
proper Investigation, not Withstanding
any objections he may have; suspend
the means to defray the operations of
the government for the ensuing year
or call an extra session Of the Legisla-
ture. Irepeat that cit is earnestly de
sired that theapprOpriatiO bill be talk
en- up, discussed and passed at a suffi-
GENTLY early period during the session
to enable it to receive that thorough
examination which its importance de-
mands."
EducatiOn.- Common Schools.
The annual report Of the Superinten-
dent of Common Schools exhibits the
of that department in a
highly satisfactory manner. Within
the State there are 1913 school dis
tricts; 1876 schools; 1882 graded
1,G93 school directors; 70
county, city and borough superinten-
l9nts; l6,77l teachers; and 800, 5lj pu-
pills. The cost Of tuition for the year
was So, 273, 269 43; Of building, purchas-
ing and renting school houses, 81, ,991,-
l52 90; Of contingencies, 1854, 253 q.
These three items, with expenditures
'or all other purposes connected there
with, amount to the aggregate sum of
Sc, 200, ,537 90.
These facts are exhibited with great |
as they show the average /
annual cost for the tuition of each pu-
pill to be about seven dollars and sew
enty-fUur and half cents. The aver /
,ge amount paid to each teacher is a. /
bout Sl95 l79 per annum. This, in my /
opinion, is too small salary TO secure /
he services Of competent teachers and /
am fully justified in urging the ne /
:essity Of increased compensation. 1t /
5 but just, and it will have an eleva- /
ing tendency not only upon the teach !
RS but the manner in which their du- |
les are performed.
Your attention is called to the fact /
hat, notwithstanding the ample pro- /
vision now made by law for the edu
alton of all persons between the ages /
If six and twenty-One years, large /
Of children, principally yin our |
titles, do not attend any kind of school. |
over twenty thousand of this class are /
Ound in Philadelphia, and the num- /
)er in the State is estimated to be not I
ess than seventy-fivet thousand. These /
children grow up in ignorance, fre-
Iueutly without employment, and /
many of them contract habits of vice, |
which eventually cause them to be /
to houses ofrefuge, county /
prisons or penitentiarieS. Humanity |
md sound public policy demand that |
be done TO remedy this
growing evil, and also that of the ne
elected condition of considerable num-
,ers of children in the aims and poor
lcuses in many of the counties.
Four Normal Schools are now recog-
lized as State institutions, The num-
,er ofstudents attending them during
he past year was 2,1l5, Of whom eighty
graduated. Two additional Normal
schools will probably go into operation
Turing this year, one located at Blooms
rug, Columbia county, and the other
It California, Washington county
The value Of these institutions to the
school system cannot be esti-
mated. Our schools arecomparatively
worthless without qualified teachers,
nd such teachers can most easily be OBJ
aimed from the Normal institutes,